Motorists were asked in detail about the nature of breakdowns that occurred over the past year, as well as the time and cost of repairs. And here are the results.
Small city cars
Most reliable: Kia Picanto (2011-2017)
The Kia Picanto hatchback may not seem as bright and interesting as the Seat Mii, Skoda Citigo, or Volkswagen Up, but it surpasses them in reliability. Breakdowns were found in only 6% of cars, all related to the battery.
Least reliable: Opel Corsa (2006-2014)
The Opel Corsa is popular among European youth, but its reliability is questionable – breakdowns were recorded in more than a third of cars. In about 30% of cases, repairs took more than a week, and their cost ranged from 110 to 550 euros.
Family cars
Most reliable: Seat Leon TDI (2013-2020)
If you are looking for a modest family car with a diesel engine, the Leon will be the best choice. Problems were found in only 5% of all cars, and repairs cost at most 220 euros.
Least reliable: Skoda Octavia (2004-2013)
A whopping 53% of Octavia owners stated that their car broke down at least once, and almost a quarter of breakdowns were related to the engine. Half of the owners paid from 550 to 1750 euros for repairs.
Business cars
Most reliable: Ford Mondeo/Fusion (2014-2019)
Perhaps the latest-generation Mondeo is not the most prestigious car, but it is very reliable. Only 13% of owners stated that they had problems with their "iron horse." Moreover, none of them spent more than 55 euros on repairs.
Least reliable: Volkswagen Passat (2005-2015)
The previous-generation VW Passat is prone to breakdowns: 53% of owners stated that their car had at least one failure. Repair costs ranged from 55 to 1750 euros.
Premium cars
Most reliable: Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2009-2016)
Although breakdowns occurred in 15% of E-Class cars, these were mostly minor issues related to electronics. Most cars were repaired in less than a week, and 42% of the work was done free of charge (under warranty), although some owners had to pay from 825 to 1100 euros.
Least reliable: Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2002-2009)
But the same model in the previous body cannot be said to be reliable – 50% of all cars showed reliability problems. Although 75% of breakdowns were fixed immediately, and half – within a day or even less, owners paid on average from 220 to 825 euros for repairs.
Compact crossovers
Most reliable: Audi Q3 (2011-2018)
Only 12% of Q3 owners stated that they had problems with their car in the last 12 months. A third of all repair bills were less than 55 euros, and the maximum spent at a service station was 330 euros (by one of the owners of such an SUV).
Least reliable: Nissan Qashqai (2007-2013)
Only 19% of owners of the previous Nissan Qashqai encountered breakdowns, but about 30% of them could not be driven – the failures were that serious. 75% of cars were at service stations for more than a week, and repair costs amounted to a hefty 1100-1650 euros.
Mid-size crossovers
Most reliable: Honda CR-V (2012-2018) and Toyota RAV4 (2012-2019)
The previous generation of the Honda CR-V is one of the most reliable cars, although the first examples are almost nine years old. Owners stated that none of their CR-Vs broke down in the past year, indicating 100% reliability of the model. The same can be said for the Toyota RAV4 (2013-2019).
Least reliable: Land Rover Discovery Sport (2014-present)
Land Rover's poor reputation as a manufacturer of very "breakable" cars is confirmed by the fact that 43% of Discovery Sport owners reported breakdowns. A third of crossover owners fixed the issues for free, while the rest received work orders ranging from 220 to 1650 euros.
Full-size crossovers
Most reliable: BMW X5 (2013-2018)
The previous-generation BMW X5 is a fairly reliable car. Breakdowns were found in 29% of cars, but two-thirds of the failures were fixed within one day. 20% of cars were repaired under warranty, but the remaining owners had to pay from 55 to 1650 euros at the service center.
Least reliable: Porsche Macan (2014-present)
The Porsche Macan is not the most unreliable car – breakdowns were found in "only" 36% of cars. Its reliability rating was "finished off" by the cost of repairs – 31% of owners spent more than 1650 euros at service stations over the year. About 50% of Macan owners paid from 220 to 825 euros at the service center.
Minivans
Most reliable: Ford C-Max (2011-2019)
Breakdowns of the Ford C-Max were reported by 20% of owners of this model, but 75% of the identified failures were minor – they could be fixed in less than one day. A third of the cars were repaired for free, another third for 110-220 euros, and the rest for 825-1100 euros.
Least reliable: Opel Zafira (2005-2016)
35% of Zafira owners stated that their cars had many breakdowns of various kinds. 20% of cars were not drivable, and more than 30% required several weeks for repairs. Every fifth owner paid from 825 to 1650 euros or more to fix the issues.
