Cheapest & most reliable second-hand cars to buy and insure revealed including discontinued Hybrid & Mazda convertible

The Sun

20-05-2025

THE cheapest and most reliable second-hand cars to buy and insure have been revealed.
Tens of thousands of vehicles were examined as part of a huge study which uncovered that a discontinued Hybrid and Mazda convertible are among the most reliable cars.
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In the annual Which? Survey, thousands of Brits opened up about their cars and the issues that they've had with them.
The consumer advice company then crunched the numbers to determine how reliable a model is within its first four years of being manufactured, as well as those produced 5-9 years ago and 10-15 years ago.
The survey involved over 60,000 car owners who owned a total of 71,002 cars.
Lexus CT Hatchback Hybrid (2011 to 2020)
The Lexus CT200h is popular because of its low running costs and low-speed refinement.
Its petrol-electric parallel hybrid powertrain was previously used in the Toyota Prius, all the way back in 1997.
A second-hand model sells for between £5000 and £10,000 with prices varying slightly depending on the car's generation.
The Lexus CT received a refresh in 2014 and another in 2017 before finally being discontinued in 2020.
Mazda MX-5 Convertible (2005 to 2015)
The Mazda MX-5 debuted in its earliest form in 1989 but the convertible version first became available in 2005.
It won the Car of the Year Japan Award in its first year of being on the market and is known for its stylish exterior.
The vehicle also had simple on-board technology which was easy to use, alongside a sleek interior.
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Lexus RX Hybrid (2009 to 2015)
The Lexus RX Hybrid became popular for being a low-cost car to run.
The second Lexus vehicle on this list enjoyed an immense popularity whilst on the market, thanks to its half-electric and half-petrol engine helping the car go further.
It was also famed for being a particularly quiet car, making drives even more comfortable.
Honda Jazz Hatchback (2008 to 2015)
The Honda Jazz had a bigger boot than most of its competitors, including a Ford Focus, despite being one of the smaller cars on the market.
Inside, the car was fitted with a spacious interior and a series of flaps to prevent luggage from sliding around.
It also had a raised driving position which made driving much easier.
Skoda Citigo Hatchback (2012 to 2019)
The Citigo faced a lot of comparisons to the Volkswagen Up and Seat Mii during its time on the road.
Largely, this was due to all three cars having very similar engines, structures and gearboxes.
However, what set the Citigo apart was how smooth a ride it was.
Thanks to its three-cylinder engine, the car was exceedingly cheap to run and cost less than the Volkswagen Up.
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BMW X1 (2009 to 2015)
The BM1 X1 was shorter and narrower than the BMW 3 Series Touring range which gave it a more elegant exterior shell.
By the end of its production cycle in 2015, there were five cars in the BMW X1 range - five of which were diesel engines and one of which had a petrol engine.
The car was described at the time as 'stable' and 'composed', making it one of the more reliable vehicles on the market.
Suzuki Swift Hatchback (2010 to 2016)
The Suzuki Swift was famed for being a smooth drive, which was also quiet whilst driving on the motorway.
It received an update in 2013 which revised some of the car's interior, before a major update in 2014 which saw the car's diesel engine being swapped for a Dualjet petrol engine.
The five-speed manual gear box was easy to use and the dashboard technology was remarkably simple to use.
Toyota Yaris Hatchback (2011 to 2020)
The Toyota Yaris was hugely popular, thanks in part to its spacious and comfortable interior.
It also came with a hybrid option which offered reduced emissions with the trade-off of a fraction less boot space.
The Yaris was first launched in 1999 and helped set a new trend for cars across the world, with the implementation of a digital speedometer on the dashboard.
Suzuki Alto Hatchback (2009 to 2014)
The Suzuki Alto hatchback claimed to be one of the cleanest petrol cars on the market, when it first launched in 2009.
Although the car only measures 3.5 metres in length, its height ensures that driving always feels comfortable.
It also has a quick response time, which makes it easy to drive.
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Toyota Auris Hatchback (2012 to 2019)
Despite having a low profile, the Auris offers a great driving position and is surprisingly roomy.
It comes with a 350 litre boot and runs on a 134bhp 1.8-litre VVT-h engine.
The Auris also has a sleek design which makes it one of the more stylish cars to take out on the road.
The cheapest second-hand cars to buy and insure
Which? have compiled a list of the cheapest second-hand cars to buy and insure.
In order to create the list, the consumer adviser quizzed 60,000 Brits about their cars.
The best value second-hand cars are:
Lexus CT Hatchback Hybrid (2011 to 2020)
Mazda MX-5 Convertible (2005 to 2015)
Lexus RX Hybrid (2009 to 2015)
Honda Jazz Hatchback (2008 to 2015)
Skoda Citigo Hatchback (2012 to 2019)
BMW X1 (2009 to 2015)
Suzuki Swift Hatchback (2010 to 2016)
Toyota Yaris Hatchback (2011 to 2020)
Suzuki Alto Hatchback (2009 to 2014)
Toyota Auris Hatchback (2012 to 2019)