If you’re in the market for a medium-size hatchback, there’s a big chance you’re hunting for the next motor to transport your family.
That means reliability is key. Nobody wants to be stranded at the roadside with children in tow, whether it’s a cranky new born or troublesome toddlers.
Pick wisely and you’ll likely enjoy trouble-free motoring into the future. However, buy the wrong one and you could find yourself adding your roadside assistance to your speed dial and facing huge garage bills to have problems sorted.
To help you choose, we’ve teamed up with used car warranty provider Warrantywise to exclusively reveal the best and worst reliability rated family hatches for second-hand buyers…
Hatches you can and can’t hang your hat on: We’ve teamed up with Warrantywise to reveal which family models have the worst track records for frequency of claims, repair costs and time spent in the garage being fixed
While most consumer-facing vehicle reliability surveys tend to be based on samples of between 20,000 and 50,000 motors, the database is made up of more than 750,000 customers who have taken out cover on their older cars over the last five years.
The figures provided are for vehicles aged between three years – which is when most conventional new car warranties expire – and eight years old.
Warrantywise’s Reliability Index is calculated using a formula which takes into account a number of factors.
This includes the frequency of claims in the last five years, repair costs, time spent in the garage being fixed and the average age and mileage of models to provide an overall score out of 100.
Here’s a countdown of the ten best rated used C-segment – or medium-size family hatches – models, according to the data, followed by a list of the ones with the worst records, according to the rating system.
TOP RATED USED MEDIUM-SIZE FAMILY HATCHBACKS
10. Vauxhall Astra
Reliability score: 59.7%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 10.9%
Average claim amount: £561
The Vauxhall Astra manages to slip into the top 10. Gearbox issues have been a cause of owners turning to extended warranties in the last 5 years
Vauxhall’s stalwart family hatchback isn’t currently as bigger a seller as it had been in previous years, but it’s been among the top five most-bought C-segment models on the market for decades.
According to Warrantywise’s database, one in ten owners with an extended warranty have made a claim for repairs, with the average cost of these being just over £560.
Gearbox issues are the most common cause of faults that lead to warranty claims from drivers.
9. Volvo V40
Reliability score: 60.9%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 6.2%
Average claim amount: £813
Of all the cars in the top 10, the – now-defunct – Volvo V40 takes, on average, the longest to fix. Clutch issues are the biggest cause of complaints from those with extended warranties
Volvo has a solid safety record, but that doesn’t always translate to dependability. However, the V40, the Swedish brand’s hatch launched back in 2012 but has subsequently been discontinued with production ending in 2019, is among the top 10 reliable family models.
While a small percentage of owners turn to their warranties to claim for repair work, some are forced to due to the high cost of garage bills – which average £813 across all claims.
This is most likely because the most frequently reported issue is clutch related, which are expensive to replace and mean cars are away from their owners for three days on average.
8. Mazda 3
Reliability score: 64.4%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 7.7%
Average claim amount: £804
The Mazda 3 is a reasonably good choice if you’re on the hunt for a reliable family hatchback. Buyers of used cars need to test drive and listen out for any knocking or unusual noises from the engine
Like many of its Japanese car making counterparts, Mazda has a strong track record for reliability. So it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to see the 3 listed here.
While a slightly higher proportion of owners have had to claim on warranties in five years compared to the Volvo V40 above, the average repair time is just over two and a half days.
Average repair bills are also marginally less than the V40, with the most likely issue being with the engine itself.
7. Renault Megane
Reliability score: 64.6%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 10.2%
Average claim amount: £440
Arguably the biggest surprise is the Renault Megane appearing in the top 10, with the French model not widely recognised for being that dependable. Warrantywise says most common causes of complaint are minor, such as electric window mechanism faults
Cast your French car cynicism aside for a moment as the Megane, according to this data, is a more dependable choice than many give it credit for.
Of the Warrantywise customers with the popular Renault family hatch, just over one in ten have had to claim. However, the average claim amount is £440 – far less than other models in this list.
That’s because the most common fault is relatively minor – replacing crocked electric window mechanisms.
6. Lexus CT200h
Reliability score: 66.5%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 5.9%
Average claim amount: £762
Lexus has one of the most bulletproof reliability records of all car brands. The CT200h is the only medium-size family hatch in the range
Lexus regularly tops reliability standings, with the CT hatchback being a top performer in a number of dependability surveys. The hybrid model is the premium version of Toyota’s Prius and Auris (next in the list), but is a car that’s been on the market relatively unchanged for a decade.
Fewer than six per cent of owner with Warrantywise policies had to make a claim in the last five years, with EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valves in the exhaust system being the most common complaint.
While few appear to go wrong, an average claim amount of £762 suggests repair bills are still quite steep.
5. Toyota Auris
Reliability score: 68.3%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 6.4%
Average claim amount: £727
Like the Lexus CT200h, most Auris buyers will opt for a hybrid version. Owners tend to make the most claims for issues with the water pump
If you’re looking for a dependable – and affordable – second-hand family motor, the Auris is a very sensible – though not the most exciting – option.
Of the Warrantywise customers who drive them, just over 6 per cent have made a claim in five years.
A recurring issue appears to be a problem with the water pump. Average warranty claim amounts are relatively high compared to other cars with higher ratings in this list.
4. Kia Cee’d
Reliability score: 70.2%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 8.1%
Average claim amount: £481
The Kia Cee’d comes packed with kit and a long 7-year warranty. There’s little surprise then that few have had to turn to using an extended warranty in the previous 5 years
Two decades ago, drivers might have thought twice about buying a Kia. But today the Korean brand is one of the most popular in Britain, producing models with long new-car warranties, robust build quality and loafs of kit as standard.
With a seven-year warranty, the data here is only for Cee’d models that date from 2012 to 2013. Still, Warrantywise had enough data to report on the Kia to give it a strong reliability score of just over 70 per cent.
Average claims are £481, with owners having a variety of problems, with the clutch being common enough to inflate the average figure.
3. Hyundai i30
Reliability score: 71.4%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 8.9%
Average claim amount: £348
The Hyundai i30 is the sister car to the Kia Cee’d, so it is not much of a shock to see the two having similar reliability records
It shouldn’t be a huge surprise that the Hyundai i30 and Kia Cee’d have similar reliability scores, given they are sister cars that share parts.
While the Kia has a seven-year warranty, Hyundai’s is only five, meaning a larger pool of cars under extended cover for Warrantywise to report on.
While a slightly higher percentage have claim-worthy faults, they are less expensive to resolve than common Cee’d problems. Most of these are electrical gremlins, which explains the lower £348 average claim amount.
2. Honda Civic
Reliability score: 78.3%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 8.1%
Average claim amount: £444
Of all owners of Honda Civic models aged 3 to 8 years with Warrantywise policies, just 8% have claimed in the last 5 years
The Honda Civic narrowly misses out on top spot in the reliable family hatchback standings, though a 78.3 per cent score isn’t to be sniffed at.
Of all owners with Warrantywise policies, just 8 per cent have claimed in the last five years.
Clutch problems are the cause of most claims, those costs of £444 suggest there aren’t a tremendous number of cases of this.
1. Nissan Leaf
Reliability score: 89.4%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 1.6%
Average claim amount: £601
The Nissan Leaf is the best-performing family hatchback. It’s a big achievement for the electric-only model
The best performing family hatchback is also an electric one. The Leaf is providing to be a dependable car, even outside of its new warranty period.
A score of just over 89 per cent is mostly down to fewer than 2 per cent of all owners with extended warranties needing to make a claim.
Electric issues are what cause the small amount of owners to use their policies, with average claim amounts being pretty steep at £601.
LOWEST RATED USED MEDIUM-SIZE FAMILY HATCHBACKS
10. Citroen DS4
Reliability score: 51.0%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 14.4%
Average claim amount: £317
Around one in seven DS4 owners with Warrantywise policies have had to make a claim to cover the cost of repairs in the last 5 years
Now the DS Automobiles DS4, the crossover hatchback first hit showrooms in the UK with a Citroen badge on the front.
It appears in the list of lowest rated family hatches for reliability for one reason in particular – that claims to cover repair bills are, on average, being made for cars with relatively low mileage.
The average owner of the DS4 had to claim with just over 56,000 miles on the clock. The most common issues are related to electrical faults, though average claims amount to just £317 – and only one in seven have used their extended warranties between 2015 and the end of 2020.
9. Audi A3
Reliability score: 47.2%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 13.4%
Average claim amount: £686
While not many owners of the A3 used their extended warranties to cover the cost of repairs, those that did had been billed over £680, usually due to gearbox issues
Audi’s A3 is one of the most popular premium-branded mid-size family hatchbacks on the market – which makes a reliability score of below 50 per cent pretty concerning for many.
What weighs the score down is the high repair costs of £686 and the fact repairs tend to take over two days.
That’s because the most common serious issue is with gearboxes, which also go some way to explain why average claim amounts are pretty high.
8. VW Golf
Reliability score: 45.4%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 14.4%
Average claim amount: £700
The Golf appears in the list of the worst rated family hatchbacks for reliability, according to Warrantywise’s data. There are plenty of customers who drive the VW, of which 14% have made a claim in the last 5 years
If the A3 is one of the most popular mid-size family hatches, the Golf is unquestionably the biggest seller of all.
Warrantywise data tells a very similar story to the Audi, too – which shouldn’t be a surprise, given the two are sister models produced under VW Group ownership.
Average warranty claims amount to slightly more in this case (£700), though the Volkswagen is also most likely to suffer gearbox issues, among the other problems reported by drivers.
7. Peugeot 308
Reliability score: 44.1%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 15.2%
Average claim amount: £571
The Peugeot 308 hasn’t rated all that well, given that the most common reason for owners to make warranty claims in the last 5 years is to cover repairs to the engine
Engine problems are the cause of complaints of most Peugeot 308 owners. That’s according to the data for those with Warrantywise policies.
The average claim amount is relatively low – especially compared to some of the cars to follow – and just 15 per cent of owners have had to call on their provider to cover the cost of garage bills.
The average these garage bills amount to is £571.
6. Citroen C4
Reliability score: 43.5%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 15.2%
Average claim amount: £570
Owners of Citroen C4 family hatchbacks commonly have had to make claims in the last 5 years to cover the cost of air-con issues
The Citroen C4 has a very similar track record to the Peugeot 308 – or that’s what Warrantywise’s data suggests.
The percentage of drivers needing to turn to their warranties is around the same, as is the average claim amount.
However, the most common issue for the Citroen is with the air-con system, which is a far lesser issue than the engine problems experienced by 308 owners. However, claims are made on average with lower mileage.
5. BMW 1 Series
Reliability score: 36.1%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 17.1%
Average claim amount: £796
BMW’s 1 Series makes it into the top 5 least reliable family hatchbacks with 1 in 5 owners with extended warranties needing to turn to their cover for repair costs
BMW’s 1 Series hasn’t got the best track record for reliability, according to owners with Warrantywise policies.
The main cause of complaint is with engine faults, though there are other problems that are causing drivers to turn to their cover for garage bills.
The average claim-worthy receipt was £796 in the last five years, with one in five owners of the BMW hatchback using their warranties.
4. Alfa Romeo Guilietta
Reliability score: 26.1%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 17.9%
Average claim amount: £888
The Giulietta has only in recent weeks been removed from Alfa’s new-car line-up, having been in showrooms for over a decade
Alfa Romeo’s Giulietta hatchback hit the market in 2010 and has only in recent weeks been removed from the Italian company’s new car range – despite only minimal updated in the decade it has been in showrooms.
The most common complaint from owners is a regular issue for any Alfa driver – electrical gripes.
The average cost of getting problems rectified is £888, while most cars are off the road for up to 3.5 days with mechanics using diagnostic equipment attempting to discover what is causing the fault in the electronics.
3. Audi S3
Reliability score: 19.9%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 21.9%
Average claim amount: £1,046
One in five owners of Audi A3 models have made a claim on their extended warranty – and with the average claim amount being over £1,000, you can understand why
The top three cars with the worst reliability scores from Warrantywise are all models that combine family-friendly practicality and ferocious power and speed.
The first of these hot hatches in the list is the Audi S3 – the souped-up version of the A3 that has already featured in the standings.
Engine problems are the biggest cause of concern, though the data shows it is one of a number of various issues for which one in five S3 owners claimed on their policies in the last five years. And the claim amount is fairly big, at over £1,000.
2. Seat Leon Cupra
Reliability score: 18.7%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 18.6%
Average claim amount: £1,265
Electrical gremlins are the most common problems with Seat Leon Cupra models, according to the warranty data
What the S3 is to Audi’s A3, the Cupra is to the conventional Seat Leon. Potent yet ultra practical, it’s one of the best choices for those who want to do the school run in the quickest time possible.
However, Warrantywise doesn’t rate it highly for reliability. In fact, almost one in five owners of Leon Cupras have had to claim on their warranties.
Electrical issues are most commonly the cause of claims, though they must be fairly severe problems with the average claim amount being £1,265
1. Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG
Reliability score: 17.5%
% of owners who made a claim in 5 years: 15.2%
Average claim amount: £1,393
When launched, the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG was the most powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine in a production car. However, it is the turbo that is causing the most issues for owners
Taking the bottom spot in this list is Mercedes’ answer to a hot hatchback – the outrageously powerful A45 AMG, based on the A-Class.
The 2.0litre engine in the original A45 produces a massive 355bhp, at the time making it the world’s most powerful turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant in series production.
However, it’s the turbocharger that is the most frequent reason for owners turning to their extended warranties in the last five years. While just 15 per cent of owners have had to use their policies, the average value of claims are almost £1,400.
