And the most reliable used car brands for 2020 are…
If there was any indication why Japanese and Korean brands are riding high in car markets, it’s the annual “What Car?” survey on the 50 most reliable used cars bought in the United Kingdom (UK).
Taking it at face value, it reveals the brands and models that are regarded as good second-hand buys. At another level, it has implications for the new car market. It seems logical that when people buy new cars, they will opt for vehicles that will resell easily or be welcomed as trade-ins.
Making brands more desirable
Either way, if I were an industry analyst, instead of just a trouble-stirring armchair observer, I would be thinking about how to extend the desirability of my brand. After all, getting a more significant slice of the maintenance and servicing markets when warranties and guarantees expire can’t be a bad thing. But I digress.
As far as surveys go, the “What Car?” survey is authoritative.
About 13 000 drivers are asked to put their used car purchases in context, mention faults during the last 12 months, what went wrong, how much it cost to repair and how long the car was off the road.
Cars that were considered had to be under eight years old as these formed the majority of second-hand purchases. Upfront it also must be said that the reliability ratings given to the Top 50 were above 95% — but, a trend is a trend and should not be ignored (says the armchair stirrer).
The ‘What Car?’ winners (and losers)
British motorists are high on practicality and reliability when it comes to buying a used ride. Their lack of patriotism shows that practicality rules and that European and American manufacturers better buckle down if they want to rival the Asians.
For these, the bad news is that:
- Japanese and Korean brands sweep the boards — at least when it comes to reliability ratings with seven cars in the Top 10 (four from Toyota) and two from Hyundai.
- The Toyota RAV4 shared honours in the top spot with the Lexus RX Hybrid and the Honda Jazz (often rated in the past) all scoring a rating of 100% for reliability.
- Hybrids are becoming more acceptable with three of the top five choices. Two were from Lexus.
- Hyundai i10 and the Hyundai i20 were in 9th and 10th place respectively with over 98.0% reliability.
- Nineteen of the 50 were Japanese or Korean.
- The first European car was the Skoda Citigo in 7th place.
- The Alfa Romeo Giulietta shared the 7th position. (An Alfa scoring for reliability? Well, there goes a long-held South African myth to the contrary.)
European brands then sink outside the ten most reliable with the Mini Countryman coming in at 11.
Some other European names? The Jaguar I-Pace 96.7% in 31st place with the Vauxhall Mokka petrol.
Some surprises with the list are that the first Mercedes, the GLA, is in number 16 with the VW Up, Skoda Superb, Mazda CX-3, and Kia Picanto.
Put in context, though, the satisfaction rating for all is 98% — not shabby by any means.
At the bottom (rating 95.6%) are surprising names: the Volkswagen T-Roc (95.7%), Porsche Macan petrol (95.7%); Renault Captur (95.6%) and the Audi Q5 (95.6%).
Across all models in the top 50, 21% of owners reported a fault, with non-engine electrical gremlins the most common problem, followed by the engine and its electrical systems and the car’s bodywork. In 68% of cases, the cost of repairs was covered under warranty, with 36% of all cars driveable and repaired in a day or less.
Cars in South Africa
As with all surveys they are interesting and provoke debate and subjective argument about the reliability or otherwise about chosen cars.
In South Africa, where many new car prices have overtaken the asking price of an average two-bedroomed flat (depending on where you live of course), used cars are becoming more sought after. It’s then that lists like this take on a new meaning.
If you are wondering about whether your car was mentioned, go to www.whatcar.com
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