Revealed... pricey cars that are really 'bangers'

Honda is the most reliable used car brand for the seventh consecutive year.

Honda, which is about to launch a new version of its CR-V, has an enviable reliability record, with just a one in 10 chance of cars suffering a breakdown in any given 12-month period.

Toyota and Lexus are close behind in a newly-published league table.

However, while Japanese makes once again dominate the top 10 most reliable manufacturers, the research, conducted by What Car and based on 50,000 Warranty Direct policies on cars in the UK, between three and 10 years old, shows that many more expensive brands will actually let you down more often.

Premium marques Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar are languishing in the bottom 10, with fellow executive maker Audi little better. Land Rover is the least reliable manufacturer, with a shocking 71 per cent of cars breaking down at least once every year.

Warranty Direct’s managing director, Duncan McClure Fisher, said: “For most used car buyers, there are only a couple of factors that are taken into account when choosing a car. Reliability is always one of the top priorities.

“Cars have become increasingly complex, with lots of gadgetry on board, especially on executive models, where buyers expect more and more bang for their buck. Owners of these cars pay over the odds for the premium badge, but our study shows they could also be paying over the odds just to keep the car on the road.

“It’s a balancing act for used car buyers. You can get cars that break down less often, but have higher repair bills, or you can buy a car that won’t cost you much when it fails, such as a Renault, but lumbers you with more than a 50pc  chance of doing so. The one thing you do appear to be able to rely upon is buying Japanese.”

Axle and suspension woes are the most common fault reported,  largely due to poor  roads, accounting for 28.56 per cent of all breakdowns handled by Warranty Direct. Electrical gremlins are the second most likely cause of an unwanted garage bill, with 24.3 per cent of drivers reporting problems.

US brand Chevrolet is the only manufacturer from outside the Far East to break into the top 10. It also has the lowest average repair bill of  the most reliable marques. Unsurprisingly, Porsche models are the most expensive to repair.