The most reliable cars on the market: by brand, segment and model

Find out which are the most reliable cars on the market according to the study carried out by the Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios (OCU).

Worried that your car breaks down too often? If you are thinking of changing cars and want reliability to be one of the strong points of your next vehicle, you will be interested to know that the Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios (OCU) has carried out a survey of more than 76,000 people to determine which are the most reliable brands and cars on the market. The study was carried out in Spain, Belgium, France, Italy and Portugal. According to respondents, reliability is an aspect that influences the purchase of a car even more than price.

The most reliable brands: of Japanese and German origin

Japanese and German brands lead the list of the most reliable manufacturers. In fact, if we look at the list closely, we see that the “Top 8” is made up solely of brands of German and Japanese origin: Lexus, Honda, Porsche, Toyota, Mitsubishi, BMW, Audi and Mazda. It is not until ninth place, occupied by the British Jaguar, that we find a brand of a different origin.

Ranking obtained by the OCU based on the responses of more than 75,000 respondents

On the other side of the spectrum, we find the brands that break down the most, according to OCU respondents. In this group, the Fiat group and some of its associated brands such as Chrysler or Dodge stand out negatively above the rest.

The most reliable models: Toyota cars at the top

As a brand, Toyota ranks fourth in the ranking. But if we analyse model by model, the Japanese firm offers several versions that lead the ranking in different segments.

The most reliable city cars: the Toyota Yaris is the leader

The Toyota Yaris 1.5 h is the reliability leader in its segment. We are talking about a city car hybrid, with low consumption and a price starting at 15,000 euros. In second place we find the Renault Twingo 1.2 g. On the other hand, the Fiat Punto Evo 1.3 d is the city car that suffers the most breakdowns according to the study carried out by the OCU.

It should be borne in mind that the most affordable and simplest vehicles on the market, the city cars, are also among the most reliable. The main reason is that this segment has less technological offer than other categories. Considering that 4% of a car’s breakdowns are caused by technological failures, city cars have an advantage in this respect.

Ranking obtained by the OCU based on the responses of more than 75,000 respondents

The most reliable compact cars: the Toyota Auris is the benchmark

As in the previous category, Toyota leads the compact segment in terms of reliability. On this occasion, the Toyota Auris 1.8 h is the benchmark. The Japanese compact also incorporates a hybrid engine, but enjoys greater space in the front and rear seats. Its price starts at 19,000 euros. The second place in this ranking goes to the BMW Series 1 (2011-2015) with the 1.6d engine. This model has already received a new generation whose price starts at 25,775 euros.

Ranking obtained by the OCU based on the responses of more than 75,000 respondents

The most reliable SUVs: the Toyota RAV4 tops the list

In the fashionable segment, the leader is the Toyota RAV 4 2.0d, a version that was replaced in 2015 by a new generation whose price now starts at 26,000 euros. We are talking about a crossover with a generous boot (435 litres) and a long range.

In second and third place respectively are the Audi Q3 2.0D and the Mazda CX5 2.2d. Surprisingly, at the bottom of the list is the reference model of this segment, the Nissan Qashqai. It is true that this is the oldest version of the Japanese crossover.

Ranking obtained by the OCU based on the responses of more than 75,000 respondents

The most reliable saloons: the Toyota Prius is the leader

Among the most reliable saloons on the market we again find a model from Toyota. The Prius 1.8 h (2012-2016) is not only the best-selling hybrid vehicle but also the one with the fewest breakdowns in its category, surpassing saloons such as the BMW Series 5 or the Audi A5.

Ranking obtained by the OCU based on the responses of more than 75,000 respondents

It should be noted that saloons concentrate a high level of equipment. Elements such as parking sensors, stability control or the multifunction steering wheel help increase the comfort and safety of the vehicle, but at the same time they are more susceptible to technical faults than other less technological parts of the car.

The most reliable MPVs: the Ford C-Max is the benchmark

In the most family-oriented category, the Ford C-Max 1.0g (2010-2015) leads the way, a version that is no longer produced and has been replaced by a more modern variant.

Ranking obtained by the OCU based on the responses of more than 75,000 respondents

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