Your guide to the most reliable family cars

When shopping for a family car, reliability has to be a top priority. To help you out, we’ve taken a look at WhatCar’s 2018 reliability survey to give you an idea of reliability on the market…

Here are the top 5 most reliable family cars

1. Hyundai i30

Score: 98.9%

Ranking top of the What Car? survey for family vehicles, was the Hyundai i30. While no longer on sale, a second-hand i30 is still a great buy thanks to its impressive reliability record. The only area which reported issues was the gearbox/clutch, and all faults were fixed for free in under a week.

2. Audi A3

Score: 98.4%

The iconic German brand has long been known for its reliability, and while as many as 23% of Audi A3 owners reported faults, those issues were so minor that all cars were back on the road the same day with no cost to the owner.

3. Skoda Octavia

Score: 97.3%

The Czech brand has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, as evidenced by only 10% of diesel Skoda Octavias suffering a fault. Issues ranged widely but affected cars generally remained driveable and were fixed for less than £200.

4 = Mazda 3

Score: 97.2%

Mazda has a pretty good reputation for reliability, and the Mazda 3 continues this trend. While the earlier models of the Mazda 3 suffered a few quality issues, the newer models don’t seem to have that problem. What’s more, every new Mazda 3 comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, so you can rest assured that any faults will be taken care of, and not put you out of pocket.

4 = Seat Leon

Score: 97.2%

The Leon is Seat’s answer to the VW Golf in a more affordable package with a rather solid, if unremarkable, reliability record, as has Seat on the whole. Not only is the Seat Leon one of the most reliable family cars on the market, it’s also one of the most affordable too.

And the 5 least reliable family cars are…

1. Nissan Qashqai, diesel

Score: 79.7%

Rated as the survey’s least reliable family car, 47% of diesel Nissan Qashqai drivers reported faults. While many were still driveable and most issues were fixed under warranty, some owners still had to fork out up to £300 for repairs.

2. Peugeot 308

Score: 81.5%

Nearly half of Peugeot 308 owners had a problem. The majority of issues were electrical, but there were also concerns surrounding the heated seats, infotainment system and parking sensors.

3. Nissan Qashqai, petrol

Score: 85.3%

The petrol Nissan Qashqai had almost as many problems as its diesel alternative. 19% of reported issues were down to the battery, while a further 12% were engine-related, costing some owners up to £500 in bills.

4. Nissan Pulsar

Score: 86.5%

45% of Nissan Pulsar drivers experienced faults with their car, of which 27% were engine-related issues. While all cars were fixed for free, many owners spent more than a week without their vehicle.

5. Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Score: 86.9%

Just under a third of Mercedes-Benz A-Class owners reported issues, 13% of them with the engine. Although most of these cars took less than a week to get back on the road, some fixes cost the owners up to £500.

So there you have it, your guide to the most reliable family cars, and the least. Fingers crossed it’ll help give you guidance on your car-buying journey.

Packing up your family car and heading to the seaside this summer? Be prepared for back-seat distractions and find out more about the dangers your kids can pose while on the road with our ultimate guide.