Top 10 Most Reliable Cars in 2024

At number 10, it’s a tie between the Mitsubishi ASX and the Honda CR-V, both scoring an impressive 85.3 out of 100 for reliability.

The Mitsubishi ASX tends to have suspension issues, with the average repair bill coming in at £755. Ouch. But one unlucky owner faced a massive £3,343 repair for an engine problem—thankfully, they had a warranty to soften the blow.

The Honda CR-V, covering models sold between 2014 and 2023, shares the same 85.3 score but edges ahead with a lower average repair cost of £592. The most common issues are electrical, but the highest repair bill Warrantywise recorded was a hefty £2,819 for a gearbox fix.

Bonus points: The CR-V is also the most reliable seven-seater on the list, making it a solid choice if you’re constantly carting around a crowd—whether it’s your mates or a growing family.

In ninth place, we’ve got a tie between the Volkswagen Up and the Kia Ceed.

The VW Up kept owners on their toes with air-conditioning issues, but overall, it’s a “small car, small problems” kind of situation. The average repair cost came to £554, with the biggest hit being £1,048 for a faulty fuel system.

The Kia Ceed racked up a slightly higher average repair bill of £612, with brakes being the most common troublemaker. The worst-case scenario? A massive £2,450 repair for a gearbox issue.

So, why do these two cars share the same score despite the Ceed’s higher repair costs? It’s all about context. Ups were typically newer and had fewer miles on the clock when issues cropped up, levelling the playing field. In the end, both earned the same reliability score.

Taking the eighth spot is the Toyota Avensis, specifically the third-generation model sold from 2015 to 2018.

Here’s a cool stat: this car boasts the highest average mileage in the top 10, clocking in at over 93,000 miles. Built in Derbyshire, it’s as solid and reliable as the Peak District itself.

The most common issue with the Avensis? Fuel system problems, with an average repair cost of £809. The priciest fix on record? A hefty £1,958 to sort out a turbocharger issue. Despite that, it’s a car that’s built to go the distance.

In seventh place, we’ve got another tie—this time between two compact cars: the second-gen Toyota Aygo and the third-gen Mazda 2, both scoring 88.4 out of 100.

The Toyota Aygo is the smaller of the two, and that means smaller repair bills. The average cost comes in at £501, with clutch issues being the most common problem. The highest repair bill? £1,590 for an electrical fault.

Meanwhile, the Mazda 2 tends to have suspension issues, with an average repair cost of £603. But when things go wrong, it can get pricey—like the £3,636 it took to fix a fuel system fault.

So, how does the Mazda match the Aygo’s score despite higher repair costs? It’s all about efficiency. Mazda repairs generally took less time, balancing out the overall reliability score.

Taking sixth place is the compact SEAT Mii, with a solid score of 89 out of 100. It also has the lowest average repair cost in the top 10, at just £489. The most common problem? Issues with the cooling system. The priciest repair? A gearbox fix that came to £1,296, which is actually the second smallest bill on the list, just slightly more than the VW Up.

You might’ve noticed that the SEAT Mii and the VW Up are basically the same car underneath—so why don’t they have the same reliability score?

Here’s why: the Mii tends to rack up more miles before anything goes wrong, averaging over 68,000 miles, compared to the Up’s 53,000. Plus, the Mii just had fewer issues overall, which is why it lands ahead of the Up in sixth place.

We’re now in the top five, and kicking things off is the Suzuki SX4, specifically the second-gen model sold from 2014 onwards.

With a score of 89.3 out of 100, the SX4 is the most reliable small SUV in this list. If you do face a repair, the most common issue tends to be with the cooling system, and the average repair cost is £1,358.

But one unlucky owner had a much bigger bill—£6,483 to fix an engine problem. Ouch! But hey, that’s what warranties are for, right?

So, why does the SX4 get such a high reliability score, despite that hefty repair cost? One reason is that these cars tend to be older before they run into issues. According to Warrantywise, the average age of an SX4 before it needs repairs is nearly 9 years, which is one of the highest in the top 10. That’s some serious longevity.

In fourth place, we’ve got a tie between two very different cars—both Japanese, though that’s where the similarities end. We’re talking about the 2nd and 3rd generation Suzuki Swift and the 7th and 8th generation Toyota Hilux (post-2014). Both scored an impressive 89.6 out of 100.

For the Suzuki Swift, the most common issue is with the air conditioning, and the average repair cost sits at £588. But one unlucky driver had a £2,411 bill for a major engine problem. Still, this little hatchback earns its spot in the top 5 thanks to its overall reliability.

The Toyota Hilux, on the other hand, is the only pick-up truck in the top 10. It’s a bigger and pricier vehicle, with an average repair bill of £1,512. The most common issue here is with the suspension, and in one extreme case, sorting a suspension problem cost a whopping £3,894.

So, how do these two very different vehicles share the same spot? Despite the Hilux’s higher repair costs, it needed fewer repairs overall, which is why it tied with the Swift for fourth place.

We’re into the top three, and first up is another Toyota—the third-gen Yaris, which scored an impressive 91.5 out of 100. This little car’s reliability is partly thanks to its £587 average repair bill and its apparent allergy to visiting the garage.

When things do go wrong, it’s usually electrical issues. But the priciest repair on record was a £2,366 bill for a gearbox fix. Overall, though, the Yaris is a solid, dependable ride, with fuel-efficient engines making it even more appealing.

We’re now at the second most reliable car, the Kia Venga, with an impressive 93.6 out of 100 score.

The Venga doesn’t have many issues, but if something does go wrong, it’s most likely with the electrical system. On average, the repair bill comes to £684, though one unlucky owner faced a hefty £2,883 for a steering issue.

Overall, the Venga lives up to its reputation—like the song says, the Vengabus is rolling in, and everyone’s enjoying a small hatchback with great reliability.

And finally, the most reliable car you can buy is the Suzuki Alto, with this tiny hatchback scoring an outstanding 95.1/100.

While Warrantywise did report a £1,584 gearbox repair, the average repair bill is much lower at £687. What’s even more impressive is how rarely the Alto runs into problems. In fact, there’s so little data on issues that the "most common problem" is just listed as "miscellaneous."

Forget yoga and meditation—Suzuki Alto drivers are probably the least stressed people out there.