Suzuki and Lexus top new reliability survey, Tesla on the bottom
BY DAILY MAIL • 06/09/2018
Photo / Matthew Hansen
Japanese cars are the most dependable motors on the market, and high-end Teslas are most likely to let their owners down.
That's according to a keenly-watched reliability survey, which found that Suzuki along with four other Japanese brands were among the top six most robust, while the US electric car company has the shakiest track record.
The What Car? Reliability Survey [published in full below] also listed the most and least dependable new models you can buy in showrooms today, based on the feedback of more than 18,000 motorists.
The UK-based survey is one of the biggest of its kind, processing the feedback of 18,284 owners of some 159 models spanning 31 different brands.
Suzuki, which mainly makes cheap and cheerful small cars and 4x4s, topped the overall manufacturer rankings for new cars up to four years old with a reliability score of 97.7 per cent, joined by Lexus, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Subaru in the top six.
The only non-Japanese mark in the top order was Korean firm Kia, taking fourth spot, with sister brand Hyundai in ninth.
At the opposite end of the spectrum it was American luxury electric-car giant Tesla that recorded the worst reliability track record.
Despite the cheapest brand new Tesla setting buyers back more than $100,000, its reliability score of 57.3 per cent was by far the worst rating.
Land Rover - which was second from bottom - scored at 76.5 per cent for reliability of cars between one and four years old.
The trend continued when the data revealed which specific models were most and least reliable. For newer cars it was the current Toyota Yaris and Suxuki SX4 S-Cross that led the table, both recording a staggering 100 per cent dependability record, according to their owners.
The electric Nissan Leaf took third spot, ahead of the Toyota RAV4 and BMW 3 Series. Anchoring the standings was the Tesla Model S.
Owners' reports of breakdowns and necessary repairs saw it gain a reliability score of just 50.9 per cent - almost half that of the most dependable Japanese cars.
And it doesn't make favourable reading for Land Rover either, with three of its models - the Discovery Sport, Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque - among the top five models with the poorest owner ratings.
Overall, around 30 per cent of the respondents with cars less than four years old said their car had suffered at least one fault in the past 12 months.
Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: "Reliability is a huge consideration for any prospective car buyer, as your car is likely to be your second biggest monthly expense after mortgage or rent payments.
"You want your car to last and you don’t want to have to fork out huge amounts to fix faults and keep it running.
"Our annual survey has shown that it is Japanese models that continue to dominate the top of the reliability rankings, both for car model and brand rankings."
Most (and least) reliable car brands
1. Suzuki - 97.7%
2. Lexus - 97.5%
3. Toyota - 96.8%
=4. Kia - 95.8%
=4. Mitsubishi - 95.8%
=4. Subaru - 95.8%
7. Skoda - 95.6%
8. Alfa Romeo - 95.5%
9. Hyundai - 95.4%
10. Seat - 95.2%
=11. Vauxhall - 94.6%
=11. Mazda - 94.6%
13. Dacia - 94.1%
14. Fiat - 94.0%
15. Honda - 93.8%
16. BMW - 93.4%
17. Volkswagen - 92.9%
18. Ford - 92.7%
19. Renault - 91.7%
=20. Audi - 91.5%
=20. Volvo - 91.5%
22. Mini - 91.2%
23. Porsche - 90.9%
24. Peugeot - 89.4%
25. Citroen - 88.1%
26. Mercedes-Benz - 88.0%
27. Nissan - 87.1%
28. Jaguar - 84.9%
29. Jeep - 82.7%
30. Land Rover - 76.5%
31. Tesla - 57.3%
Source: What Car? Reliability Survey 2018
BY DAILY MAIL • 06/09/2018
Photo / Matthew Hansen
Japanese cars are the most dependable motors on the market, and high-end Teslas are most likely to let their owners down.
That's according to a keenly-watched reliability survey, which found that Suzuki along with four other Japanese brands were among the top six most robust, while the US electric car company has the shakiest track record.
The What Car? Reliability Survey [published in full below] also listed the most and least dependable new models you can buy in showrooms today, based on the feedback of more than 18,000 motorists.
The UK-based survey is one of the biggest of its kind, processing the feedback of 18,284 owners of some 159 models spanning 31 different brands.
Suzuki, which mainly makes cheap and cheerful small cars and 4x4s, topped the overall manufacturer rankings for new cars up to four years old with a reliability score of 97.7 per cent, joined by Lexus, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Subaru in the top six.
The only non-Japanese mark in the top order was Korean firm Kia, taking fourth spot, with sister brand Hyundai in ninth.
At the opposite end of the spectrum it was American luxury electric-car giant Tesla that recorded the worst reliability track record.
Despite the cheapest brand new Tesla setting buyers back more than $100,000, its reliability score of 57.3 per cent was by far the worst rating.
Land Rover - which was second from bottom - scored at 76.5 per cent for reliability of cars between one and four years old.
The trend continued when the data revealed which specific models were most and least reliable. For newer cars it was the current Toyota Yaris and Suxuki SX4 S-Cross that led the table, both recording a staggering 100 per cent dependability record, according to their owners.
The electric Nissan Leaf took third spot, ahead of the Toyota RAV4 and BMW 3 Series. Anchoring the standings was the Tesla Model S.
Owners' reports of breakdowns and necessary repairs saw it gain a reliability score of just 50.9 per cent - almost half that of the most dependable Japanese cars.
And it doesn't make favourable reading for Land Rover either, with three of its models - the Discovery Sport, Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque - among the top five models with the poorest owner ratings.
Overall, around 30 per cent of the respondents with cars less than four years old said their car had suffered at least one fault in the past 12 months.
Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: "Reliability is a huge consideration for any prospective car buyer, as your car is likely to be your second biggest monthly expense after mortgage or rent payments.
"You want your car to last and you don’t want to have to fork out huge amounts to fix faults and keep it running.
"Our annual survey has shown that it is Japanese models that continue to dominate the top of the reliability rankings, both for car model and brand rankings."
Most (and least) reliable car brands
1. Suzuki - 97.7%
2. Lexus - 97.5%
3. Toyota - 96.8%
=4. Kia - 95.8%
=4. Mitsubishi - 95.8%
=4. Subaru - 95.8%
7. Skoda - 95.6%
8. Alfa Romeo - 95.5%
9. Hyundai - 95.4%
10. Seat - 95.2%
=11. Vauxhall - 94.6%
=11. Mazda - 94.6%
13. Dacia - 94.1%
14. Fiat - 94.0%
15. Honda - 93.8%
16. BMW - 93.4%
17. Volkswagen - 92.9%
18. Ford - 92.7%
19. Renault - 91.7%
=20. Audi - 91.5%
=20. Volvo - 91.5%
22. Mini - 91.2%
23. Porsche - 90.9%
24. Peugeot - 89.4%
25. Citroen - 88.1%
26. Mercedes-Benz - 88.0%
27. Nissan - 87.1%
28. Jaguar - 84.9%
29. Jeep - 82.7%
30. Land Rover - 76.5%
31. Tesla - 57.3%
Source: What Car? Reliability Survey 2018
