Toyota RAV4 review – a sensible hybrid SUV with a long warranty
Top 10 most reliable cars 2024
The 2024 Driver Power owner’s survey has revealed the UK’s most reliable cars – here’s the top 10
For many drivers, reliability is one of the most important considerations when buying a new car. While it’s true that cars today are more reliable than ever before, they’re also far more complex, so can be very expensive to repair if something does go wrong.
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If you want motoring peace of mind, it makes sense to buy a car that’s been proven to be reliable. There’s no better way to determine how reliable a car is than to ask the owners themselves – something our Driver Power survey does every year. Owners of the UK’s most popular cars fill out a satisfaction survey looking at a number of key areas, including reliability. The outright winner of the survey isn’t necessarily the most reliable, so keep reading to find out which model is.
For a more specific look at the most reliable cars in a particular body style, you can also read our guides to the most reliable small cars, the most reliable family cars or the most reliable SUVs. We’ve also covered the cars with the best warranties, some of which also appear on this list.
- Reliability score: 96.47%
The UK’s most reliable car is the Toyota RAV4 according to the 2024 Driver Power owner’s survey. The Japanese car maker has long been renowned for its dependability – a trait that still holds true today. The RAV4 is available with either a tried-and-tested self-charging hybrid system – a technology that Toyota pioneered in the 1990s – or a plug-in hybrid engine. It’s been on sale for a while now, but has always performed well in the Driver Power survey, although this year’s fourth place overall finish is its best yet.
What’s more, Toyota currently offers the best new car warranty on the market, with up to 10 years or 100,000 miles of cover available for free, so long as you service the car within the official dealer network.
- Reliability score: 96.24%
The first-generation Skoda Kodiaq is a multiple Carbuyer Best Car Awards category winner, achieving top spot for Best Large Family Car in 2023 and 2024, as well as a used car award in the same category. It can now add a silver medal to its trophy cabinet, thanks to its impressive second-place finish for reliability in this year’s Driver Power survey.
Although it has since been replaced by an all-new Skoda Kodiaq, the older model still makes a great used purchase for buyers looking for a reliable seven-seater SUV. Its 19th overall finish in the 2024 Driver Power survey is very respectable, and proves that owners love the Kodiaq for more than just its reliability.
- Reliability score: 95.68%
Given Toyota’s reputation for bullet-proof cars, it’s no surprise to see the Japanese brand occupy two out of three spots on the reliability podium. The Toyota Yaris was only just behind the RAV4 and Skoda Kodiaq for reliability in this year’s Driver Power survey, but it beat both overall, finishing third out of 50 cars.
The Toyota Yaris is only available with a self-charging hybrid system, which delivers outstanding economy while being smooth to drive around town. Sure, the petrol engine feels a little strained on high speed roads, but this is a supermini that thrives in the city. If you’re after something a little bigger with a higher seating position, you might like the Toyota Yaris Cross. It didn’t feature in this year’s Driver Power survey, but it’s heavily based on the regular Yaris, so you can expect the same reliability.
- Reliability score: 95.36%
Another product from the Land of the Rising Sun, the Mazda CX-5 continues the nation’s tradition for producing dependable cars with its mighty fourth-place finish for reliability in Driver Power 2024. That’s a three-place improvement over 2023, showing that owners are still enjoying relatively trouble-free motoring with the CX-5.
The Mazda CX-5 impressed in other areas, too, coming seventh overall in Driver Power 2024 – two places better than its 2023 finish. Having first gone on sale in 2017, the CX-5 is beginning to feel a bit long in the tooth compared to some mid-size SUV rivals, but it remains a competent, practical and – importantly – reliable family car option.
- Reliability score: 95.36%
The Kia Picanto may be one the cheapest new cars on sale in the UK, but that doesn’t mean it’s low quality. In fact, a joint fourth-place finish for reliability in the 2024 Driver Power survey proves that the South Korean car maker has spent the money where it matters. Although it shares the same reliability score as the Mazda CX-5, it couldn’t match the Mazda in the ‘overall quality’ category, so we’ve demoted it to fifth in this list.
You don’t get much in the way of frills with the Picanto – even after its 2024 facelift – but that’s of little relevance to buyers who need cheap, comfortable and reliable urban transport. With more and more manufacturers turning away from city cars to focus on tech-packed SUVs, the Picanto feels like a breath of affordable, fresh air. Despite the small price tag, you still get one of the best warranties on the market, with up to seven years or 100,000 miles of cover.
- Reliability score: 94.87%
The second-generation Dacia Duster was voted the outright winner of the 2024 Driver Power survey, beating far more expensive machinery across a number of categories. Its sixth-place finish for reliability helped boost its overall score, and demonstrated that it’s often the most simple cars that have the least to go wrong.
Even though it’s now been superseded by the all-new Dacia Duster, the old model is still eligible for Dacia’s Zen warranty. Available for new and used cars, the Zen warranty provides up to seven years or 75,000 miles of cover, so long as you keep the car serviced within the Dacia network after the standard warranty expires.
- Reliability score: 94.68%
Rewind a few years and you’d have been unlikely to find the words ‘Tesla’ and ‘reliable’ in the same sentence, but it appears that that could be changing. The Tesla Model 3 came home seventh for reliability in this year’s Driver Power survey, achieving the highest score for any EV in the category. That’s quite the improvement, considering that 40% of owners had experienced an issue with their Model 3 within their first year of ownership when we asked them in 2023.
It wasn’t just reliability that impressed owners in 2024; high scores in smoothness, acceleration, safety features and driving enjoyment contributed to its second-place position overall.
- Reliability score: 94.55%
We’re fans of the Peugeot 208 and E-208 here at Carbuyer, and it seems that owners like the stylish supermini, too. Its eighth-place finish for reliability should dispel any worries about historically dubious French build quality, while gold medals for steering responsiveness, brake smoothness and ride quality make the 208 one of the most enjoyable cars to drive according to owners.
The Peugeot 208 is offered with a range of powertrains, with petrol, hybrid and electric models available to suit every taste. The latter is known as the E-208, and is eligible for Peugeot’s new Allure Care warranty, which covers its EVs for eight years or 100,000 miles.
- Reliability score: 93.98%
We found the Ford EcoSport pretty hard to recommend during our in-depth review, with its many small SUV rivals offering better fuel economy, more space and a more enjoyable driving experience. If there’s an area that the EcoSport claws back some points, however, it’s reliability; it came ninth out of 50 models for reliability in the 2024 Driver Power survey and 29th overall, continuing its string of respectable Driver Power performances.
The Ford EcoSport left the market in 2023 as it began to look increasingly outdated alongside the best-selling Ford Puma. Even though the Puma achieved a higher overall finish in the Driver Power survey, it couldn’t match the EcoSport for reliability.
- Reliability score: 93.87%
It may be approaching a decade old, but the Suzuki Vitara is still one of the most reliable new cars you can buy today. The Japanese brand has a reputation for building rugged SUVs, and while the Vitara isn’t quite as capable off-road as its predecessors, it’s still proven to be trouble-free according to owners.
Overall, the Suzuki Vitara finished 21st out of 50 cars in the 2024 Driver Power survey, beating far more expensive rivals including the Volvo XC40 and the Volkswagen T-Roc. Not bad for a car that costs from just over £22,000.
Take a look at our pick of the best cheap cars on sale today to find out which affordable models are worth buying…
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