Are You Leasing The Most Reliable Car In The UK?

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RELIABILITY. We know it's a slightly dull topic but it's worth taking it into consideration even if you intend to lease your next car.

People choose a car for a variety of reasons but the biggest factor that keeps them coming back to a particular badge is reliability. If your car breaks down and leaves you stranded, or even if it just suffers from a plague of minor faults that require regular trips to the garage, you're far less likely to pick the same brand again.

Leasing means drivers can enjoy some protection through warranties and maintenance agreements that can isolate them from the financial implications of a breakdown. Unfortunately they won't compensate you for time and inconvenience so it's always worth trying to avoid them in the first place.

Which brings us neatly on to the latest What Car? reliability survey. And boy, does it hold a few surprises this year.

More than 14,000 people responded to the survey to tell What Car? about any faults that had developed in their cars. Faults were classified into 14 different groups and people were asked to identify how long their car had been off the road and how much the repairs had cost.

For many the repairs would have taken less than a day and been covered by the warranty. Others were less fortunate with cars being off the road for a week or more and facing repair bills in excess of £1,500.

The survey concentrated on cars up to three years old, and after the data was collated and some maths was done to work out individual scores, the result is a list of the most reliable manufacturers in the UK. With 32 brands and 169 different cars in the survey we can't go through the entire list in detail.

Instead, here's the Top Ten brands according to the 2017 What Car? Survey.

10. Subaru - 81.8% reliability rating

When it comes to reliability it's a surprise to see Subaru has only made it into tenth spot. Renowned for their rugged dependability, Subaru seem to have a habit of building cars that will still be running when the sun expands to consume the earth - around four billion years from now, give or take a decade or two. Whether you want an unstoppable SUV, a sporty two-door coupe, or a blisteringly fast four-door saloon, you won't go far wrong. Lease prices start from around £215 per month.

View all of our latest Subaru lease deals here: Subaru leasing offers.

9. Ford - 82.1% reliability rating

If you want a wide range to choose from then Ford has the car for you. And everyone else for that matter. City cars, small hatchbacks, large hatchbacks, saloons, estates, compact SUVs, large SUVs, People Carriers, not to mention the big, angry V8 Mustang. For a manufacturer that sells such variety, and in such large numbers, ninth place on the list represents a very solid performance. With lease prices starting from around £110 per month it's absolutely guaranteed there will be a Ford that meets your requirements.

View all of our latest Ford lease deals here: Ford leasing offers.

8. MG - 83.4% reliability rating

No, that's not a typo. The brand that gave us an endless stream of overheating “classics” is now part of Shanghai Automotive, one of China's biggest car makers. Their first model to bear the MG badge, the MG 6 saloon, was released in 2011 and they now produce a hatchback and a compact crossover SUV to go with it. It's a brand that has quietly gone about the business of making good cars and its eighth place is a reflection of how good those cars are. Lease prices start from £125 per month so they represent really good value.

View all of our latest MG lease deals here: MG leasing offers.

7. Hyundai - 84.8% reliability rating

Another manufacturer that has quietly gone about producing some very good cars is Hyundai. The Korean car maker has put a huge amount of effort into creating a brand recognised for quality and the effort is paying off. There's a wide range of cars covering everything from small city cars to luxurious executive saloons that are generously equipped, and clearly reliable enough to grab seventh place on the list. If you need any further encouragement bear in mind that lease prices start from a staggeringly low £95 per month.

View all of our latest Hyundai lease deals here: Hyundai leasing offers.

6. Honda - 84.9% reliability rating

Much less of a surprise to see Honda appear on the list. Legendary reliability made a Honda the car of choice for the more “experienced” driver for years. Whether it's deliberate or not we don't know, but the latest Honda models have a more contemporary feel as well as being brilliantly engineered. The current range may not be huge but it offers plenty of variety from the Jazz supermini to the excellent CR-V SUV. Lease prices start from around £107 per month which should tempt a lot of drivers.

View all of our latest Honda lease deals here: Honda leasing offers.

5. Alfa Romeo - 85.8% reliability rating

This has to be the biggest surprise since the Beatles announced they were splitting up. Alfa Romeo has been around since 1911 and has always held a special place in the heart of every car fan, despite the fact we all knew they could be a little fragile. Not any more. The latest generation of Alfa models are both gloriously stunning and reliable enough to earn fifth place on the list. Some of them even have Ferrari-designed engines under their sleek bonnets. Lease prices start from around £140 per month, not a lot for a slice of genuine Italian style.

View all of our latest Alfa Romeo lease deals here: Alfa Romeo leasing offers.

4. Suzuki - 86.6% reliability rating

As well as building motorbikes that last forever Suzuki also has a nice line in cars that offer the same bulletproof reliability. Current models offer an excellent alternative to the more mainstream choices. From the little Celerio city car to the Vitara SUV the Suzuki range has a lot to offer drivers seeking great value for money. They may lack the refined finish of some rivals but they more than make up for it by being fun to drive. Lease prices start from just £91 per month making Suzuki one of the best value for money names on the list.

View all of our latest Suzuki lease deals here: Suzuki leasing offers.

3. Toyota - 89.6% reliability rating

One of the largest car manufacturers in the world, Toyota has long been know for reliability. Not only that but they also offer a five year warranty which puts them ahead of the rest of the list. Only Kia - who just missed out on the list finishing in 11th place - offer a longer warranty. From the tiny Aygo to the enormous Land Cruiser, Toyota offers everything, and anything, you could possibly want from a car. You can even get a Toyota that runs on fresh air - well, Hydrogen anyway. Lease prices start from just £87 per month so there's no excuse really.

View all of our latest Toyota lease deals here: Toyota leasing offers.

2. Mitsubishi - 90.8% reliability rating

Responsible for what is possible the most popular Plug-in Hybrid on the market - the Outlander PHEV - Mitsubishi has split their range between small cars and SUVs, and not forgetting the perennially indestructible L200 Pickup. The Outlander may have been the biggest success story of recent years due to its economy but it's nice to know they are equally reliable across the range. Lease prices start from £113 per month for the Mirage city car, £219 per month for the Outlander PHEV.

1. Lexus - 92.1% reliability rating

It almost feels like cheating but with Lexus in the number one spot Toyota has managed to claim two of the top three spots. Often considered a bit of a left field alternative to Mercedes (23rd), BMW (17th), and Audi (12th), Lexus, Toyota's luxury arm, has developed a reputation for exceptionally well engineered and brilliantly equipped cars. While you won't find any small cars carrying the Lexus badge, the range does cover everything else from a practical hatchback to a hybrid SUV. There's even a scattering of performance cars that can leave you breathless. With lease prices from £225 per month the Lexus is definitely not the cheapest option but at least you'll know it's the most reliable.

View all of our latest Lexus lease deals here: Lexus leasing offers.

If anything on the list has given you pause for thought, or made your decision even harder, feel free to give us a call to discuss your requirements. Even if you don't choose a car from the top ten you'll know you have the security of a manufacturer warranty, and you can always opt for maintained agreement to protect yourself from the worst that can happen.

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