Honda UK's most reliable car 16 | 04 | 2015
HONDA HAS ONCE again retained its crown as the UK’s most reliable used car manufacturer, scooping top spot in research conducted by What Car? and Warranty Direct for the ninth consecutive year.
The independent research analysed 50,000 live Warranty Direct policies for cars between three and eight years old, to give a Reliability Index of 37 car manufacturers. The Index takes into account failure rates, age of car, mileage and cost of repair to give an overall score for reliability.
The achievement further underlines Honda’s reputation as a trusted and dependable manufacturer; with low failure rates and lower than average repair costs compared to competitors.
The research also reveals the Honda Jazz to be the most reliable used car on the UK market today, the second such accolade for the Jazz this year, and one of many that the ever-popular supermini has won over the years.
“Honda’s success in the Reliability Index is chiefly down to low failure rates," Jim Holder, editor of What Car? magazine, explained. "However, when things do go wrong, the cars are also relatively cheap to fix.
"Reliability is always one of the key attributes buyers look for when considering a used car purchase, so manufacturers that consistently demonstrate durability will always do well with the consumer.”
The results were welcomed by Philip Crossman, managing director of Honda (UK).
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“To be named most reliable manufacturer by such authorities as What Car? and Warranty Direct is a real achievement," he said, "and to take the title for the ninth consecutive year is fantastic.
"Our success is built upon the trust that customers have in our brand to keep them on the move with great products and great service.”
Suzuki and Toyota completed the top three places. Chevrolet, Ford, Skoda, Peugeot and Fiat also forced their way into the top 10.
However, Bentley was not happy with the findings after it — along with Porsche — was among the poorest scorers. In a statement, the luxury manufacturer rejected the survey's findings in which prestige marques traditionally score poorly due to high replacement component and labour costs.
“The Warranty Direct survey is not an accurate reflection of the Bentley ownership experience, as it covers less than four per cent of the Bentley vehicles of comparable age on the road in the UK," the company said.
"It also fails to include any comparable high luxury brands as a benchmark. Due to the very high quality materials and components used throughout our vehicles, the cost of owning and maintaining a Bentley is never going to be directly comparable with the other cars in this survey.
“Bentley has such confidence in the reliability and build quality of its cars that it offers those customers wanting complete peace-of-mind a comprehensive and industry-leading three-year warranty on any Pre-Owned car up to 11-years-old.
"The Bentley warranty covers all mechanical and electrical components, includes cover against consequential damage and MOT test insurance, and has no mileage or claim limit.”
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Jim McGill