Money Advice Service

Reliable performance is a top priority for many car buyers, whether they’re after a new or used car. Here you can find out where to go for the latest research on which cars are least likely to let you down on the road.

Get the latest information on car reliability

Finding the right car can sometimes seem a stressful, drawn-out process.

Nevertheless, it’s crucial to spend a little time assessing how reliable your car will be on the road.

Don’t buy in haste without knowing all the facts, or you could make an expensive and frustrating mistake.

There’s a wealth of information online to help you choose a car with confidence, as you’ll see from the surveys we suggest below.

If the car you have in mind isn’t covered by any of them, try looking at the results for a similar model – for example, a diesel version of a petrol-powered car.

Auto Express magazine’s 2017 Driver Power: This customer satisfaction survey of nearly 50,000 car owners includes reliability, performance, handling, running costs and build quality. Find out more on the Auto Express website.

Warranty Direct’s 2017 Reliability Index: A good source of information on cars more than three years old. It’s based on claims Warranty Direct received from owners of cars outside the manufacturer’s warranty in 2017. Find out more at reliabilityindex.com.

The Which? Car Survey: Britain’s biggest annual car survey of car owners. It groups cars by age – up to three years old and three to seven years old – and fuel type. The five most common faults are listed for each model, along with how many days per year it spent off the road and average annual repair costs.

You have to be a Which? member to access the survey.

However, Which? offers a month’s trial membership for just £1, but remember to set the cancellation reminder or you could end up being charged for a full subscription.

Find out more at which.co.uk/cars/survey.

Your next step

Read our guide to find out which are The safest cars to drive.

This article is provided by the Money Advice Service.