It's official. A recent poll of owners of all car brands, with vehicles from 0-3 years old, has demonstrated that the reputation of Japanese brands for reliability shows no sign of abating. In fact, of the top ten most reliable motors no less than an impressive six were from Japan. In terms of vehicle segments; city cars, SUV's and so on, the most reliable cars were also from the Land of The Rising Sun.
The Choices
In the city car, small car and family car categories, the accolades went to the Toyota Aygo, Honda Jazz and Lexus CT200h, all of which were reported to be fault-free by owners. The only other car to achieve this was the Audi A3 from Germany, a country whose home-grown products also fared well generally.
Mitsubishi’s Outlander topped the seemingly ever-growing large SUV class for dependability, while the Nissan Leaf has proven to be a reliable way to get around under electric power, thanks to a strong 93.9% reliability rating, making it the most trustworthy EV. The good-looking latest model remains one of the top sellers among electric vehicles.
The Survey Said
In the up to three-year age group, respondents to the survey were asked to report on any faults occurring on their cars over the previous twelve month period. The survey was split into fourteen broad categories including electrics, bodywork, engine and gearbox and so on. It is good to note that, in fact, only thirty percent of owners reported any fault at all over the period.
The conclusion must be that Japanese brands lead by example when it comes to reliability. Certainly German car manufacturers are hot on their heels with some high scoring but The East still rules.
And That's Not All
Things are also set fair in the servicing departments too. One of the more recent car ownership worries is that of running costs. With our cars getting ever more complex and thus harder to repair, even for the most dedicated and experienced home mechanic, it makes sense for car buyers to select from the most reliable models and brands without the fear of their vehicle letting them down.
Getting a car serviced can be a worrying time, especially when a household budget is involved. Most drivers get their cars serviced at franchised dealerships during the first year of ownership, making servicing satisfaction a significant consideration but independent garages are now catching up and often provide service at least as good, potentially with lower prices.
Honda owners enjoyed a pleasingly high satisfaction rate of 91.2%, while manufacturers like Lexus, Subaru and Toyota made it into the top 10 for owner happiness.
The Legend
Back in the far-off days of the mid Twentieth Century in the UK, drivers became used to minor breakdown irritations with (now obsolete by type) thermostats regularly blowing off steam, or dynamos (today's alternators are so much more trustworthy) failing so regularly that a small industry grew to service them.
Imagine how it was then when the now legendary first Datsun (now Nissan) Cherry arrived on British shores in 1971. It worked, it was modern and it was reliable. Seems like nothing much has changed.
Get in touch with us at MHH Japanese Cars and we'll be delighted to help you find your next car.
