Most reliable cars list still dominated by Japanese and Korean car makers

The Toyota Yaris is the UK’s most reliable car according to a new study, which listed nine Japanese and Korean models in the top 10 cars least likely to go wrong.

The Yaris city car is one of a number of Toyotas to make the UK’s top 10 most bulletproof models, according to the annual Reliability Index from used car warranty provider Warrantywise.

Using the company’s data from 2020 to 2023 to determine the most reliable cars aged between seven and 10 years old in the UK, the Yaris achieved a top score of 89 out of 100, with “minimal” repair costs and almost impeccable reliability credentials putting it at the top of the tree.

Cost and number of claims determine rankings

The Warrantywise rankings were created using what the company calls “precise and quantifiable data”, with the cost of claims made on the firm’s warranties balanced against claim frequency.

Warrantywise says the average cost of a warranty claim for a Toyota Yaris between January 1, 2020, and September 30, 2023, was £604.50, with the highest claim costing £2,887.20.

The Yaris was joined by three other Toyotas in the top 10, in what was an impressive showing from the company. The Hilux pick-up truck took joint fifth place alongside the Aygo city car, while the other Toyota to make the top 10 was the Auris hatchback, which was joint third on the list.

Both the Toyota Auris and the Mazda2, with which it shared third spot, achieved a score of 85.9, while the Aygo and Hilux both scored 85.3 in the index.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the car that split the difference between the Yaris and Auris to snatch second spot was also Japanese, with the Suzuki Swift supermini stealing into the top three with an impressive score of 87.8.

Seven of the top ten are Japanese

In fact, seven of the cars in the top ten hailed from Japan, with the Honda CR-V taking a share of eighth place.

Position	Models	Highest Repair Request	Overall Score /100
1	Toyota Yaris	£2,887.20	89.0
2	Suzuki Swift	£2,410.98	87.8
3	Mazda2	£3,636.34	85.9
=	Toyota Auris	£2,160.00	85.9
5	Toyota Aygo	£2,005.00	85.3
=	Toyota Hilux	£1,004.00	85.3
7	Kia Ceed	£2,450.42	84.6
8	Honda CR-V	£2,818.80	83.4
=	Peugeot 107	£1,349.86	83.4
10	Kia Rio	£2,875.20	82.1

Two of the other cars, meanwhile, were of South Korean origin, with Kia’s Ceed and Rio hatchbacks taking seventh and tenth respectively.

The only European showing came from the unlikely figure of Peugeot, although the result isn’t quite as simple as it sounds. The 107, which shared eighth with the CR-V, is a rebadged and lightly restyled version of the then-current Aygo, which makes it a somewhat less surprising result.

Toyota’s strong showing continues the brand’s long tradition of reliability, which has seen it and sibling brand Lexus pick up numerous awards. Back in September 2023, Toyota was recognised as the country’s most reliable volume car brand by What Car? magazine, and the company was Which?’s brand of the year in 2021.

Newer cars not included

Although newer cars aged under three years old were not included in the survey, Toyota’s confidence in its products is such that it will offer a rolling warranty for 12 months every time the car is serviced at a dealership, until the car has covered 100,000 miles or is 10 years old.

And it is not the only company with a long-term warranty offer for consumers’ peace of mind. Kia offers a seven-year warranty as standard, while Suzuki has a similar warranty scheme to that of Toyota.

Lawrence Whittaker, the CEO of Warrantywise, said the results were especially important for having been published at a time when consumers are increasingly strapped for cash, with a steady rise in the cost of living and maintenance costs soaring.

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