Warrantywise has revealed the top 10 most and least reliable used car brands and models.
With data compiled from over 131,000 active extended car warranty plans, the UK’s leading extended car warranty provider’s Reliability Index ranks every car on a combination of factors that include the frequency of repairs and the cost to carry out those repairs.
Honda reigns supreme when it comes to overall reliability, scoring an impressive 89.38/100 on Warrantywise’s Reliability Index. With more than 1,500 active Warrantywise plans on Honda vehicles, the brand has built up a solid reputation for being ultra-dependable as average repairs across the board totalled £538.59.
Lexus occupies second position thanks in part to the flawless RX, which recorded not a single fault nor repair. Unsurprisingly, this also makes it the most reliable model according to the expert data. This was no fluke though as the Lexus CT reinforced the brand’s standing, with the luxury compact car coming eighth overall in the Reliability index.
Toyota and Suzuki rank third and fourth respectively while Dacia cements its position at number five. Next, comes Hyundai (6), Smart (7), Kia (8), Fiat (9) and Renault (10) to round out the Top 10 brands overall.
On the other end of the spectrum, the least reliable car brands on the list are dominated by high-end luxury and supercar marques. While their repairs costs are commensurate with their purchase prices, it’s the frequency of repairs that contribute to the low scores.
Ferrari scored a mere 13.84/100 in the Reliability Index with an average repair cost of £4,913.46 and 36 repairs lodged out of 116 warranty plans in total (62% repair percentage). Next comes McLaren (15.12/100) followed by Rolls-Royce (26/100) who both have a proportionally high number of high-cost repairs to reduce their scores. Bentley and Lamborghini round out the Top 5, while in order of scores, Subaru, Chrysler, Maserati, Land Rover and Tesla occupy the remaining positions on the brand list. |
Lawrence Whittaker, CEO of Warrantywise, said, “Warrantywise boasts one of the largest data samples when it comes to painting an accurate picture of the dependable – and not so dependable – used cars currently on the market. “Our business continues to go from strength-to-strength as we are seeing a very noticeable upswing in the number of car buyers turning to pre-owned cars where they can get a high-specification vehicle for less. “However, any savings on purchase price can be immediately off-set if a used car develops faults outside of manufacturer warranty and our Reliability Index continues to provide precise, quantifiable data on the best and worst-performing used cars on the market.” |
The Bentley Continental GT is in the unenviable position as the least reliable used car model according to the Warrantywise Reliability Index. The most common faults with this car relate to the fuel system, electrics and engine, with one of the most expensive Warrantywise repairs on this model costing over £10,000 to rectify an electrical issue. Average repair costs across the 144 Warrantywise plans for Bentley Continental GTs sits at an eye-watering £2,298.97.
The Audi A7 and BMW X6 were second- and third-last respectively on the Reliability Index, while the Porsche Cayenne and Chevrolet Captiva rounded out the bottom five places on the overall list.
Top 10 Most Reliable Brands
Top 10 least reliable brands
All Warrantywise data based on a minimum sample size of 100 vehicles per make and per model. All data contained within the Warrantywise Reliability Index relates to repairs between 01/01/2018 and 30/04/2020 and may not represent the reliability of new vehicles as the cars Warrantywise has on cover are all over three years old.