The Toyota Aygo and Suzuki Swift have been named as the most reliable small used cars, according to data provided by Warrantywise.
The Aygo and Swift were tied for first place, both scoring 88.6/100 on Warrantywise’s reliability index, which factors in vehicle age and mileage, repair frequency, and labour time.
The Kia Picanto took third place (86.8/100), with the Citroen C1 (82.8/100) and Peugeot 108 (80.3/100), which are mechanically related to the Toyota Aygo, coming in fourth and fifth.
The least reliable car in the class was the DS 3, with a score of 23/100.
Other low-scorers were the Abarth 595 (60/100), Peugeot 208 (69/100), and Mini Cooper S (69/100)
The lower-performance Mini Cooper fared better, scoring 75.9/100 and scoring joint 10th for most reliable with the Hyundai i10.
Antony Diggins, managing director of Warrantywise, said: “Our latest data backs up what many drivers already know – superminis are one of the safest bets you can make in the used car market.
“They’re affordable, efficient, and, as our research shows, can be remarkably reliable.
“At a time when people are being more careful with their money, it’s reassuring to know that you don’t have to spend big to get a dependable car.”
Of cars on the top-ten list, the most expensive repair request ever received by Warrantywise was for £9,224, for a Mini Cooper.
Despite placing joint first with the Aygo, the Suzuki Swift’s average repair costs were higher, at £784, compared to £420 for the Toyota.
Despite some large bills, over 60% of cars in the top ten made it to eight years old before their first claim to Warrantywise.
Over half of repair requests issued to Warrantywise for small cars are for electrical issues, with engine faults ranking next at around 30%.
