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A total of 199 models from 31 brands received an adequate number of owner reports for What Car? to provide a reliability score by 2024.
For those considering purchasing a car, here are the best and worst vehicles in each vehicle class so you know which models to potentially try and which to keep at a distance…
The Toyota Aygo X put all other small cars in their place with its 100% reliability score
Small cars: class average 94.3%
Most reliable: Toyota Aygo X (2021-present) – 100%
What went wrong? Nothing. No Aygo X owners reported any problems in 24 months.
Least reliable: Seat Ibiza (2017-present) – 78%
The Seat Ibiza had many infotainment faults reported and overall, 57 per cent of Ibiza owners reported a problem.
For 24 months, no BMW 1 Series owners reported a fault, giving the small car a score of 100%.
family cars
The most reliable: BMW 1 Series (2011-2019) – 100%
The BMW 1 Series is an example of reliability: none of the owners in the survey reported any failures in 24 months.
Less reliable: Audi A3 Sportback (2020-present): 71.8%
Unfortunately, Audi finds itself at the bottom of another category. 59 percent of A3 owners reported failures, with infotainment being the most affected.
It may not be a German luxury brand, but Lexus is a reliable car, with the ES being the most reliable executive car with a score of 99.3%.
Executive cars: class average 89.4%
Most reliable: Lexus ES (2018 to present): 99.3%
Only 4 percent of ES owners reported a problem with Lexus covering the cost of all repair work within the 24-month period.
Least reliable: BMW 5 Series diesel (2017-2023) – 79.8%
43 per cent of diesel 5 Series cars had some fault, but a third of owners had to pay up to £750 to have their car repaired, with some paying more than £1,500.
The Mini Countryman is the most reliable Mini model as well as being the most reliable small SUV
Small SUVs: class average 93.7%
Most reliable: Mini Countryman (2017-2024): 99.7%
The previous generation Countryman is a reliable offspring, as it is not only the most reliable small SUV, but also the most reliable Mini model. Only 2 percent of owners reported a problem (body).
Least reliable: Nissan Juke gasoline/hybrid (2019-present): 50%
An affordable but fault-riddled small SUV: Nearly a third (31 percent) of Nissan Juke owners reported a wide range of problems with the Juke.
100% perfect score for the Lexus NX
Family SUVs: class average 92.4%
Most reliable: Lexus NX (2014 – 2021) – 100%
A score of 100 percent for the Lexus NX and it surprisingly beats the last NX, which scored 97.6 percent.
Least reliable: Kia Sportage diesel –66.2%
56 per cent of owners reported that their diesel Sportages performed poorly, compared to just 20 per cent of petrol models. 8 per cent of bills exceeded £1,500, but 83 per cent of cars were fixed free of charge.
The Hyundai Sante Fe is the seven-seater that you should choose if you want a reliable minivan; obtained a score of 98.9%
Seven seats: class average 90.8%
Most reliable: Hyundai Santa Fe (2019- 2024) – 98.9%
Only 4 percent of Santa Fe owners had any problems with their seven-seater and all of the affected cars were still drivable.
Least reliable: Audi Q7 (2015 to present): 80.8%
It’s expensive to start with, but so is it to run because 33 per cent of owners reported a fault and 25 per cent had to pay more than £1,500 to have their Q7 repaired.
The Mini Electric wins in terms of reliability of electric cars, with a score of 98.4%
Electric cars: class average 87.7%
Most reliable: Mini Electric (2020-2024): 98.4%
The Mini Electric is a very reliable car, with only 5 percent of faults reported. Mini covered any problems and the electric vehicles were still drivable.
Least reliable: MG 4 (2002-present): 63.8%
The MG 4 has not fared well with problems in almost every What Car category reported over the last 24 months. And MG only paid for 55 percent of the repairs and 68 percent of the repairs took more than a week to correct.
The Porsche 718 is a fan favorite and best in class for reliability with a score of 99.3%.
Coupés, convertibles and sports cars: class average 92.2%
Most reliable: Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman (2016-present) – 99.3%
A very popular Porsche, the mid-engine roadster and its coupe sibling, only had 6 percent errors reported and Porsche fixed everything in a day or less. The German brand also assumed all the expenses.
Least reliable: BMW 4 Series Coupe/Convertible (2014-present): 79%
The same problems with the last generation Series 4 were not fixed this time, and the same faults were reported. And only 33 percent of repairs were done for free, and a whopping 25 percent of homeowners had to shell out more than a thousand dollars for repairs.