Cars

Japanese models top used car reliability survey

The Honda Jazz (2008-2015), along with the last generation Toyota RAV4 and Lexus's angular RX SUV, scored 100 per cent in What Car? and heycar's survey of used car reliability, forming an all-Japanese trio at the top of the table
The Honda Jazz (2008-2015), along with the last generation Toyota RAV4 and Lexus's angular RX SUV, scored 100 per cent in What Car? and heycar's survey of used car reliability, forming an all-Japanese trio at the top of the table
The last generation Toyota RAV4, along with Lexus's angular RX SUV and the Honda Jazz (2008-2015), scored 100 per cent in What Car? and heycar's survey of used car reliability, forming an all-Japanese trio at the top of the table
The last generation Toyota RAV4, along with Lexus's angular RX SUV and the Honda Jazz (2008-2015), scored 100 per cent in What Car? and heycar's survey of used car reliability, forming an all-Japanese trio at the top of the table

JAPANESE models have dominated a list of the 50 most reliable used cars, with Toyota, Lexus and Honda each posting 100 per cent scores.

The RAV4, RX and Jazz models took the top three places. Dacia's budget Duster SUV was the highest placed car from a non-Japanese manufacturer.

Lexus's angular RX SUV, along with the Honda Jazz (2008-2015) and last generation Toyota RAV4, scored 100 per cent in What Car? and heycar's survey of used car reliability, forming an all-Japanese trio at the top of the table
Lexus's angular RX SUV, along with the Honda Jazz (2008-2015) and last generation Toyota RAV4, scored 100 per cent in What Car? and heycar's survey of used car reliability, forming an all-Japanese trio at the top of the table

Other notable entries included Alfa Romeo, with its long-serving Giulietta hatchback placed in seventh and Giulia sports saloon in equal 27th, and Jaguar's i-Pace - in equal 31st - as the only electric car in the top 50.

Skoda, with seven mentions, was the single manufacturer with the most entries in the table.

Dacia's Duster was the highest-placed non-Japanese car in the reliability table
Dacia's Duster was the highest-placed non-Japanese car in the reliability table

Lexus had five models and its Toyota parent four in the top 50; Mazda also had four, with Honda two - interestingly, the older Jazz model scored 100 per cent and a tied first place, while the newer model achieved 96.9 per cent in equal 27th.

BMW and Mercedes-Benz have two models each in the top 50, and Audi only one. Volkswagen has three models.

Petrol and hybrid cars tended to fare better than diesel-engined cars.

The research was conducted by What Car? magazine and online used car marketplace heycar using data supplied by nearly 13,000 owners who took part in a reliability survey.

What Car? asked respondents if their vehicle had experienced a fault in the previous 12 months, what area was affected, how much each fault cost to repair and how long the vehicle was off the road.

Cars up to eight years old were included - vehicles in this age bracket account for more than half of all used car purchases.

Across all the models in the top 50, just over a fifth of owners reported a fault. Non-engine electrical gremlins were the most common problem, followed by the engine and its electrical systems and bodywork.

In 68 per cent of cases the cost of repairs were covered by a warranty, and 36 per cent of cars that needed repaired were driveable and repaired in a day or less.

The Honda Jazz (2008-2015), along with the last generation Toyota RAV4 and Lexus's angular RX SUV, scored 100 per cent in What Car? and heycar's survey of used car reliability, forming an all-Japanese trio at the top of the table
The Honda Jazz (2008-2015), along with the last generation Toyota RAV4 and Lexus's angular RX SUV, scored 100 per cent in What Car? and heycar's survey of used car reliability, forming an all-Japanese trio at the top of the table

Top 50 most reliable used cars

 

Model (year)

Score (%)

1=

Toyota RAV4 (2013-2019)

100

1=

Lexus RX hybrid (2016-)

100

1=

Honda Jazz (2008-2015)

100

4.

Toyota Yaris hybrid (2011-2020)

99.6

5.

Lexus NX hybrid (2014-)

99.3

6.

Dacia Duster (2018-)

99.0

7=

Skoda Citigo (2012-2019)

98.9

7=

Alfa Romeo Giulietta (2010-)

98.9

9.

Hyundai i10 (2014-2020)

98.8

10.

Hyundai i20 (2015-)

98.6

11=

Mini Countryman (2017-)

98.4

11=

Lexus IS hybrid (2013-)

98.4

13.

Lexus CT hybrid (2011-)

98.3

14.

Toyota Corolla hybrid (2018-)

98.2

15.

BMW X1 petrol (2015-)

98.1

16=

Volkswagen Up (2012-)

98.0

16=

Skoda Superb petrol (2016-)

98.0

16=

Mercedes-Benz GLA (2014-2020)

98.0

16=

Mazda CX-3 (2016-)

98.0

16=

Kia Picanto (2011-2017)

98.0

21.

Skoda Karoq petrol (2017-)

97.8

22.

Volvo XC40 petrol (2017-)

97.7

23.

Hyundai Ioniq hybrid (2017-)

97.3

24=

Toyota Auris hybrid (2013-2019)

97.2

24=

Ford Mondeo (2014-)

97.2

26.

Suzuki SX4 S-Cross (2013-)

97.1

27=

Volkswagen Tiguan petrol (2016-)

96.9

27=

Honda Jazz (2015-2020)

96.9

27=

Alfa Romeo Giulia (2016-)

96.9

30.

BMW 2 Series (2014-)

96.8

31=

Vauxhall Mokka petrol (2012-2019)

96.7

31=

Skoda Fabia (2015-)

96.7

31=

Lexus RX (2009-2016)

96.7

31=

Jaguar I-Pace (2018-)

96.7

35=

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2009-2016)

96.5

35=

Mazda 2 (2015-)

96.5

37=

Mazda CX-5 petrol (2017-)

96.4

37=

Ford Focus petrol (2018-)

96.4

39=

Volvo XC40 diesel (2017-)

96.3

39=

Skoda Karoq diesel (2017-)

96.3

41.

Mazda 6 (2013-)

96.2

42.

Ford C-Max (2011-)

96.1

43.

Mini petrol (2014-)

96.0

44=

Skoda Octavia petrol (2013-2020)

95.9

44=

Skoda Kodiaq petrol (2016-)

95.9

46.

Seat Leon petrol (2013-2020)

95.8

47=

Volkswagen T-Roc (2017-)

95.7

47=

Porsche Macan petrol (2014-)

95.7

49=

Renault Captur (2013-2019)

95.6

49=

Audi Q5 (2018-)

95.6

Alfa Romeo has not always enjoyed a reputation for reliability, but the Giulietta was placed in an impressive seventh, with the Giulia sports saloon also figuring in a top 50 in which its BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class and Jaguar XE rivals did not feature at all
Alfa Romeo has not always enjoyed a reputation for reliability, but the Giulietta was placed in an impressive seventh, with the Giulia sports saloon also figuring in a top 50 in which its BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class and Jaguar XE rivals did not feature at all
The Ford Mondeo makes a sensible used buy
The Ford Mondeo makes a sensible used buy
Jaguar's excellent I-Pace was the only electric car to earn a place in the used car reliability top 50, though none of the manufacturer's other models - or those of sister company Land Rover - featured
Jaguar's excellent I-Pace was the only electric car to earn a place in the used car reliability top 50, though none of the manufacturer's other models - or those of sister company Land Rover - featured
With seven entries in the top 50, Skoda had the most appearances of any single manufacturer in the used car reliability table
With seven entries in the top 50, Skoda had the most appearances of any single manufacturer in the used car reliability table