UK’s most and least reliable used cars revealed by What Car?

•Lexus CT hybrid voted the UK’s most reliable second-hand purchase, with Audi A3 diesel the least reliable
•More than 18,000 owners rated their vehicles, aged between five and 15 years
•Japanese models dominate the reliability rankings
•Nearly a third of older cars experienced a fault, with electrical issues most common
•To take part in the 2020 What Car? reliability survey visit: www.whatcar.com/reliability-survey

The UK’s most and least reliable used cars have been revealed, with the Lexus CT named as the country’s most reliable second-hand purchase, as part of new research by the UK’s leading consumer champion and new car buying platform, What Car?

More than 18,000 drivers took part in the survey, revealing how reliable their cars have been over the previous 12 months, the type of problems they’ve encountered and how much they cost to be repaired.

Japanese manufacturers dominate the top 10 table for most reliable vehicles, occupying seven out of the 10 positions. The Lexus CT was voted as the UK’s most reliable used purchase by owners, with a 99.5% reliability rating. Only 4% of CT owners reported a fault with their vehicle, with the battery the only area affected. The Suzuki Swift and Toyota Auris Hybrid came second and third.

At the other end of the reliability spectrum, the 2003-2013 Audi A3 diesel was voted as the least reliable motor in the UK, with a score of 40.0%. More than a third (37%) of diesel A3s had a fault, and 22% of them were with the engine; around a third of bills cost between £500 and £1500 to fix. The Ford Focus diesel (2004-2011) and Vauxhall Zafira (2005 – 2016) came second and third from the bottom.

Across all vehicles, a third of owners told What Car? their car had suffered a fault, with non-engine electrical issues most common, followed by suspension and brake woes. However, 19% of owners said the manufacturer picked up the repair bill under warranty.

Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said:

“Reliability is often at the forefront of any vehicle purchase. With nearly eight million used vehicles sold last year*, there is huge scope for things to go wrong. By shining a light on the reliability of various makes and models, we hope to help buyers make the right decision when choosing their next used purchase.”

To take part in the 2020 What Car? reliability survey visit: www.whatcar.com/reliability-survey

To find your next car, visit: https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals

ENDS

*https://www.smmt.co.uk/category/vehicle-data/used-car-sales-...

About What Car?

What Car? is the UK’s leading consumer motoring champion and new car buying platform, reaching car buyers through its magazine, website, video and social media channels. It has been helping Britain’s car buyers to make purchasing decisions for more than 45 years and its reviews are widely regarded as the most comprehensive source of new car advice.

Whatcar.com offers verdicts and data on every new car, and has won numerous awards and accolades. It attracts 2.2m unique users and more than 12m page impressions every month.

In recent years What Car? has invested heavily in its digital infrastructure with the development of its new ecommerce platform, allowing users to act on the trusted advice What Car? offers by chatting online to car dealers through the website. Users are guaranteed to be able to buy their chosen car at What Car?’s Target Price discount, which is established by mystery shoppers and updated daily.

What Car? has more than 5.5 million monthly points of contact with its audience on the move, at work, at home and at the crucial point of sale. It is the top performing monthly on the UK newsstand in the motoring category.

For further media information please contact Performance Communications:

Natasha Perry or Sam Wilkinson at Performance Communications on 0208 541 3434.
natasha@performancecomms.com
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