Which older motors are less likely to develop problems? Here are the UK's most reliable used cars.
How reliable is your car?
Are you constantly waiting for new warning lights to appear on your dashboard or confident that trips to the garage are a rarity?
If it’s the latter that’s great news for you – and your wallet – as repair bills can easily run into hundreds (or thousands) of pounds.
Of course, if you’ve bought a new car, you can relax in the knowledge that the warranty will cover most problems.
However, reliability becomes more of an issue when you’re driving an older vehicle that has clocked up thousands of miles.
The latest Warrantywise used car reliability index tackles this very point as it looks at second-hand cars aged between four and 10 years old.
Each car’s rating is based on claims made by customers and considers factors such as repair request frequency and average labour time.
Lawrence Whittaker, chief executive of Warrantywise, said: “We recognise the importance of making wise choices, particularly in light of the rising cost of repair, and also that even the most reliable car is vulnerable to faults.”
So, what are the most trustworthy motors on the road – and is your pride and joy on this list?
Well, the list of most reliable vehicles makes for terrific reading if you’re a Toyota owner with the Yaris, Auris, Aygo and Hilux all making it into the coveted top 10.
But there was also good news for Suzuki, Mazda, Peugeot, Honda and Kia owners, illustrating how plenty of manufacturers now focus on reliability.
Most reliable: Toyota Yaris
The honour of being 2024’s most reliable used car goes to the Toyota Yaris. It achieved an impressive 89 out of 100 on the back of lower average repair costs and higher reliability.
However, even this vehicle wasn’t immune from garages with the highest repair request coming in at a pretty substantial £2,887.20.
The Suzuki Swift came a close second with 87.8, followed by the Mazda Mazda2 and Toyota Auris who shared third spot with 85.9.
Repair costs
When it came to the highest repair requests, Mazda Mazda2 was top with £3,636.34, whereas the Toyota Hilux came in with the lowest of £1,004, narrowly ahead of the Peugeot 107's £1,349.86.
However, Warrantywise warned there had been a "significant rise in the price of labour and parts" since the survey was carried out, which will impact future repair costs.
The full list
Here is the complete lineup of the 10 most reliable cars of 2024, according to Warrantywise.
| Position | Model | Highest repair request | Overall score / 100 |
| 1 | Toyota Yaris | £2,887.20 | 89.0 |
| 2 | Suzuki Swift | £2,410.98 | 87.8 |
| 3 | Mazda 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 Cee’d | £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 |
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