Most and least reliable electric and hybrid cars revealed

The reality of electric vehicle ownership is edging ever closer for many motorists.

With Boris Johnson’s plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars at the end of this decade, the prospect of driving battery-powered models is not too far down the line for more than the small bunch who do now..

One benefit of switching to electrified cars should be a leap in vehicle reliability.

Fewer moving parts, a solid dependability record of hybrids over the last two decades and rapidly improving technology should make EVs less susceptible to breakdowns than motors with internal combustion engines – well, that’s the theory.

Is it true? Drivers who have already made the transition to cars powered by electric motors have had their say on which models on the market today are proving dependable. Here’s a rundown of the 10 best – and the three worst – battery electric and hybrid models in terms of reliability… 

The rankings for electrified car reliability have been revealed by What Car?.

Using feedback from nearly 13,000 owners in the previous 12 months, its reliability survey rates a massive 175 models from 31 brands. 

While electric and hybrid cars are still some way from becoming the mainstream fuel type, with around 750,000 ultra-low-emission battery electric and plug-in hybrid models on the road today, they (including conventional hybrids) are currently making up around one in five of all new cars sold in Britain at the moment and will ultimately become a more common sight on our streets.

And, with ownership levels expanding, it’s no surprise that of the 175 cars with reliability ratings from What Car? some are electric and hybrids.

It scores reliability based on how long each problem kept a car off the road and the cost of any repairs. It then provides a rating out of 100 per cent.

As you’ll see below, all the cars performed exceptionally well (even the three in the least reliable list). All models in the top 10 had a reliability rating in excess of 97.8 per cent, meaning you’ll be in safe hands no matter which one you go for. 

This list covers models that are between zero and five years old. Here’s the countdown of the best and worst, according to the owners who drive them.

10. Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (2014-present) 

Reliability rating: 97.8%

Price new: From £35,815

The Mitsubishi Outlander has been the nation’s best-selling plug-in hybrid model for years.

It combines the practicality of an SUV with a greener-than-diesel drivetrain, which includes 28 miles of electric-only range – granted you fully charge the battery before using it.

What Car?’s survey results found that 14 per cent of owners of the Outlander PHEV had experienced a fault in the last year, though most were minor niggles relating to bodywork, interior trim and non-engine electrics. The highest repair bills amounted to £750, say drivers.

=8. BMW i3 (2013-present)

Reliability rating: 97.9%

Price new: From £33,805 (including PiVG)

When the i3 first hit the market some eight years ago, it was seen very much as an early peek into the future. It was one of the first mainstream electric cars to store the batteries in the chassis floor, improving both interior space and weight distribution – meaning better handling.

It was originally available as either a pure-electric model or a range-extending plug-in hybrid, but the latter was dropped from the range in 2019.

Some 13 per cent of i3 owners said they had experienced trouble with their cars in the past 12 months, mostly infotainment and interior trim issues. All of the affected cars could still be driven, with repairs taking less than a day for a third of keepers. However, two thirds were without their cars for over a week while BMW put them right – under warranty.

=8. Honda CR-V Hybrid (2018-present)

Reliability rating: 97.9%

Price new: From £30,880

Honda only recently brought hybridisation to the CR-V SUV, though it is a self-charging hybrid and not of the plug-in variant. 

It scores well with owners with just 8 per cent of examples reported on in the survey having a problem in the last year.

All had the same issue, linked to the non-engine electrics. This means they were pretty simple to resolve, with all cars fixed within a day and – due to being so new – covered by Honda’s manufacturer warranty. 

7. Toyota Corolla (2018-present) 

Reliability rating: 98.4%

Price new: From £24,885 (Toyota currently offering £500 off hybrids)

This is the only UK-built model to feature in the list. Produced in Burnaston, Derbyshire, the Corolla is Toyota’s offering against popular family hatchbacks like the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and VW Golf.

The Japanese firm has one of the longest backgrounds with hybrids – dating back to the first-generation Prius sold before the turn of the century.

Of owners who responded to What Car?’s latest survey, just 5 per cent said their motor had a fault. Slightly concerning is that all of these were issued with the 12-volt battery. However, drivers claim they were off the road for no more than a day being sorted, which was covered for free under warranty.

6. Hyundai Kona Electric (2018-present) 

Reliability rating: 98.5%

Price new: From £27,950 (including PiVG)

With up to 278 miles on offer from a fully charged battery, the Kona Electric is one of the top choices on the market right now – and, like many new cars, is subject to extending waiting lists.

Drivers who already have one parked on their driveway say they’ve been pretty fault free in the last year. Just 7 per cent went wrong, with the ancillary battery being the only area affected. 

This wasn’t an issue that prevented owners from being able to drive their cars. And, being such a recent model, all issues were easily covered within Hyundai’s 5-year new-car warranty. 

5. Lexus RX (2016-present) 

Reliability rating: 99.1%

Price new: From £52,515

The RX has been a long-running hybrid SUV and the latest iteration combines the latest petrol-electric drivetrain in a premium package. As far as executive SUVs go, it is understated but packed with quality.

Lexus has always been at the sharp end when it comes to reliability surveys and the RX maintains this record with just 4 per cent of owners saying theirs went wrong in the 12 months before completing the survey. 

Non-engine electrics were the only issue and all work was done for free, in most cases in a day or less.

4. Toyota RAV4 (2019-present) 

Reliability rating: 99.2%

Price new: From £36,350 (Toyota currently offering £500 off hybrids)

Given that Lexus and Toyota are sister brands, it is little surprise that they share their impeccable tradition of making very solid cars with bulletproof reliability records.

The latest RAV4 compact SUV is a prime example of this. Just 7 per cent of owners who have one and responded to the What Car? poll said they had endured a problem with the car in the previous 12 months.

Like the Corolla hybrid mentioned previously, it was again the battery being the only area affected – and similarly repairs took a day or less to complete and were done for free.  

3. Lexus NX (2014-present) 

Reliability rating: 99.3%

Price new: From £36,075 

If you want a more premium-feeling option to the Toyota RAV4, the Lexus NX is the closest thing. Compact, classy and powered by a hybrid powertrain, it could tick the boxes for plenty of buyers.

And only 6 per cent of those who already own an NX reported a fault on their car, with issues with the infotainment being the most common. There were also some complaints with the bodywork too, says What Car?’s report.

All of the cars remained driveable and were put right in a day or less, with the cost covered by the warranty. 

2. Tesla Model 3 (2019-present)

Reliability rating: 99.4%

Price new: From £40,990 

Arguably the electric car of the moment, the Tesla Model 3 is the most affordable car sold by the US maker, and also the one experiencing the highest demand.

Its – relatively – affordable price tag by Tesla terms, and a range of 278 to 360 miles (depending on trim) has seen it become one of Europe’s most desirable new models in the last year or two.

What Car?’s report found it was not only the most dependable executive car – beating all petrol and diesel rivals – but also the highest-scoring electric car. Just 5 per cent of cars suffered a fault, according to owners. What’s more, they could all still be driven and were fixed in a day or less at no cost to owners.

1. Toyota Yaris Hybrid (2011-2020) 

Reliability rating: 99.5%

Price new: No longer available 

There’s a new Toyota Yaris in dealers today – and it’s rather good too, picking up a raft of awards in the last six months.

This rating is based on the car it replaced, which appears to be a solid choice if you’re in the market for a dependable supermini with a slightly greener engine than convention. 

Owners says it’s incredibly dependable, with a mere 5 per cent of the cars belonging to drivers filling in the survey having a fault during a year-long period. There were no notable recurring issues, with all affected models fixed in a day or less for free.

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk