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Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
The 10 most reliable used small cars that rarely suffer major faults
City cars and superminis are some of the most versatile vehicles on the road and appeal to a wide range of people. They're not just ideal for new drivers seeking the cheapest form of motoring available, families often pick them up for use as second vehicles for school runs and commutes, city dwellers love their and tiny dimension for navigating busy streets, and downsizers often turn to them when they no longer need a large motor. Fortunately, to cater for such high demand are plenty of quality examples on the market. In fact, a third of used car transactions last year were small models, with 2.5million superminis changing hands in Britain in 2024. But which of these compact cars can be depended on to start first time, rarely breakdown and not drain your bank account when faults do arise? Warrantywise has revealed which 10 small motors are most reliable, based on the volume of claims made by extended warranty customers over the last three years. Each model has been given a rating out of 100. The scores and rankings are based on the frequency of faults recorded for each model. It also takes into account the car's average age and mileage at the time of repair and how long it typically took to get it back on the road again. For each model, we have also listed the average cost of bills to fix them and the highest claim amount paid out between 2022 and 2025, with some proving more expensive to keep running than others. The data is based on vehicles that are between four and 10 years old. Antony Diggins, managing director at Warrantywise, said the data back up the theory that superminis are 'one of the safest bets you can make in the used car market'. He added: 'At a time when people are being more careful with their money, it's reassuring to know that you don't have to spend big to get a dependable car. 'With a number of these superminis not requiring major repairs until they're nearly a decade old, and many models showing excellent cost-per-mile performance, they are an especially wise buy in today's market.' But that's not to say every supermini is bulletproof or inexpensive to fix. Analysis of the records show electrical issues account for over half of supermini repairs, with engine faults making up just over 30 per cent. In terms of cost to repair, some can ring in close to £10,000 to resolve a significant mechanical problem. However, it's important to take into consideration that Warrantywise customers are only likely to make claims for costly problems, such as complete engine failures or gearbox replacements. Here's a countdown of the best performers... =10. Mini Hatch - 75.9 reliability score The Mini Hatch is one of the most desirable small cars. Extended warranty claims aren't too frequent, but there are instances of incredibly high repair cost payouts in the last three years Average repair claim: £1,118 Most expensive repair claim: £9,224 There are few superminis more desirable than the Mini Cooper. It's iconic name, retro looks and fashionable appeal makes it one of the most popular new superminis - and an in-demand second-hand model too with prices for 10-year-old examples with around 50,000 miles on the clock ringing in around £7,000 - usually less if you opt for a diesel. Warrantywise scores it 75.9 for reliability. But repairs are far from cheap. The average used warranty claim amounts to more than £1,100, while the biggest seen over the three-year period is in excess of £9,000. =10. Hyundai i20 - 75.9 reliability score Average repair claim: £871 Most expensive repair claim: £4,444 Hyundai's i20 is often overlooked but is a worth rival to more popular models of similar size, such as the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa. The Korean offering is typically better equipped and sold with more features as standard. A decade-old i20 can be had for around £6,000 today. Based on the volume of claims, the age and mileage at the time of repairs and how quickly they were fixed, the i20 scores the same 75.9 reliability rating as the Mini. However, the Hyundai appears less expensive to fix when big issues occur. The average bill of £871 is slightly easier to stomach than that of the Mini, though one owner claimed for a £4,444 repair. 9. Dacia Sandero - 77.8 reliability score Average repair claim: £615 Most expensive repair claim: £3,217 The Dacia Sandero for over a decade has been the epitome of cheap motoring. The nation's least expensive new motor for years, it has proved popular among Britons on tighter purse strings or on the market for an uncomplicated motor that's not laden with tech. Used examples dating back to 2015 with around 50k on the clock can be had for less than £4,000 today, making this a truly inexpensive car to get your hands on. And it's relatively affordable to put right when serious issues occur. When owners with extended warranties have made a claim to cover the cost of a big repair bill, the average amount is £615 - which is one of the least expensive among superminis of this size. The biggest repair claim in the last three years has been for just over £3,200. 8 Hyundai i10 - 78.4 reliability score Average repair claim: £855 Most expensive repair claim: £3,774 Hyundai's i10 is more city car than supermini, being smaller in scale than its i20 sibling already mentioned in this list. Warrantywise rates it as the eighth most reliable used small motor based on severity of repairs and the time to fix them. In terms of claims made by the average i10 owner, they've utilised their extended cover for bill of £855. However, one driver in the last three years has claimed for a repair amounting to more than £3,750. Strong reliability, a low insurance grouping and typical price of £5,000 for a 10-year-old model with 50k on the clock makes this a very good option for younger drivers who've just passed their test. =6. Renault Clio - 79 reliability score Renault's Clio has been around for some time, with the first-generation car dating back to 1990. Warrantywise gives it a 79/100 reliability score Average repair claim: £721 Most expensive repair claim: £4,928 France's perennial small car, the Renault Clio, has always been a popular option in the UK, amassing over 1.3 million sales since it first hit showrooms way back in 1990. For those looking for an affordable small car, you can find plenty for sale online for around £5,000 with well under average mileage of 50k on the clock. WarrantWise says it's one of the top supermini performers in relation to receiving a low volume of claims from owners in the last three years. Those who have used their extended warranties to cover large repairs have been paid out on average £721. However, one owner put in a successful claim of almost £5,000. =6. Ford KA - 79 reliability score Average repair claim: £628 Most expensive repair claim: £2,430 Ford's KA wasn't a particularly big seller in Britain a decade ago, likely because visitors to showrooms ran by the blue oval brand were shifting Fiestas in record numbers at the time. But Warrantywise reckons it might be worth a look-in as a cheap small runaround today. Used examples of the company's city car can be hand for well under £4,000 today, even if you're looking for something with below-average mileage. As well as getting one of the best reliability scores from the warranty provider, it's also relatively affordable to fix when big things go wrong, averaging £628 per claim over the last three years. 5. Peugeot 108 - 80.3 reliability score Average repair claim: £550 Most expensive repair claim: £3,546 French cars and reliability aren't two things that have always gone hand-in-hand. But the 108 is a slightly different story, thanks to Peugeot's collaboration with Citroen and Toyota to produce a shared-platform city model that are mechanically very similar. For a decent example that was first registered in 2015, you should need to pay only around £4,500. And the 108 then is a pretty dependable motor, with Warrantywise suggesting it receives a small volume or repair claims from owners for major garage bills, hence its 80.3 score out of 100. The average price of a claim over the last three years in £550, while the most expensive since 2022 was for £3,500. 4 Citroën C1 - 82.8 reliability score Average repair claim: £673 Most expensive repair claim: £2,715 You've only just read about the C1's sister model - the Peugeot 108 - moments ago, so it should come as little surprise to see the Citroën appear in fourth spot in Warrantywise's list of most dependable small cars. Again, a good one with 50,000 miles on the clock should cost between just £3,500 and £4,000 and be an ideal first new motor for any new driver. Those owners who did make claims for significant repairs did so for bills amounting to an average of £673. The biggest claim in the last three years is £2,715. 3. Kia Picanto - 86.8 reliability score Average repair claim: £438 Most expensive repair claim: £2,324 Another city car that's proving reliable is the Kia Picanto, which is produced on a shared platform with the Hyundai i10 (in 8th in this countdown). Between £4,500 and £5,000 should get you a good condition example today. Based on the volume of claims made by Warrantywise customers, time off the road being fixed and the severity of issues relating to age and mileage, it is third overall in terms of the most dependable small cars. The average repair claim for major issues was £438 over the last three years, with the biggest of all being just over £2,300. =1. Suzuki Swift - 88.6 reliability score Average repair claim: £784 Most expensive repair claim: £3,993 There's no outright winner in the supermini segment in terms of dependability, according to the Warrantywise Reliability Index. Based on the 2022 to 2025 data, the Suzuki Swift is the joint best, with a score of 88.6 out of 100 for the durable Japanese supermini. It's roomy, good to drive and - according to the warranty provider - not a motor that typically suffers lots of problems. They're good value too, with standard (non-Sport) examples available for around £5,000. When something pretty serious does go wrong, the average claim made by customers is £784. And the biggest in the last three years in just shy of £4,000. =1. Toyota Aygo - 88.6 reliability score Average repair claim: £420 Most expensive repair claim: £1,297 It won't come as a huge surprise to petrolheads that a Toyota tops this chart - but it's not the Yaris. Instead, Warrantywise lists the Aygo city car as the joint most reliable small motor you should buy second-hand. As previously mentioned, it was produced in partnership with Peugeot-Citroen and is mechanically similar to the 108 and C1 respectively. However, it is slightly ahead of its two sister models in this department, scoring 88.6 in the Reliability Index. Average used prices are typically higher too, around £5,500 for a good example of a decade-old Aygo with £50,000 miles covered in its lifetime. An average repair claim of £420 in the last three years is the cheapest of all, while the biggest payout to cover a garage bill of £1,297 is also a lot more reasonable than any other car listed here.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Auto Trader Leads FTSE 100 Lower As Revenues Growth Slumps
Photo byAuto Trader shares hit the skids on Thursday, as fewer dealer listings due to vehicle shortages meant sales growth slowed substantially last year. At 788.2p per share, the FTSE 100 retailer was 14.2% lower on the day. Revenues rose 5% to £601.1 million during the fiscal year to March 2025, down from 14% in financial 2024. Sales at the core Auto Trader unit grew 7%, to £564.8 million. But at Autorama, its van leasing service, revenues reversed 12% to £36.3 million. Group operating profit rose 8% year on year, to £376.8 million, driven by a 4% increase at Auto Trader, to £394 million. Autorama's operating losses, meanwhile, narrowed to £4.3 million from £8.8 million in financial 2024. The Footsie firm announced plans to hike the full-year dividend to 10.6p per share from 9.6p per share previously. At Auto Trader, average revenue per retailer (ARPR) per month improved 5% to £2,854 during financial 2025. This was 'driven by a positive contribution from the price and product levers, with stock being negative,' the company said. The average number of retailer forecourts using its platform edged 2% higher year on year, to 14,013. A higher number of private listings meant live car stock improved 1% to 449,000 motors on average. New lease vehicle volumess, however, declined to 6,268 from 7,847 the previous year due to constraints in new vehicle supply. The business said that 'we continue to see strong levels of demand for used cars, with a record number of cross-platform visits and minutes spent on Auto Trader.' It added that 'this combination of high demand and restricted supply in key age cohorts has led to cars selling at a faster rate than any time in our recent history.' Auto Trader commented that supply issues persisted throughout last year for vehicles aged between three and five years old. Chief executive Nathan Coe commented that 'despite broader macroeconomic uncertainties, the UK car market is in good health and we continue to deliver against our strategy to improve car buying and retailing.' He added that 'we remain confident in the outlook for the business given our strong market position, the value we deliver for customers, and our unique data and technology capabilities.' For the current financial year, the FTSE 100 company said it expects Auto Trader sales to pick up speed, though projections were still below expectations. Full-year revenue growth of between 5% and 7% is anticipated. The retailer added that 'due to the comparative periods, growth will be stronger in the second half which we expect will benefit the start of financial 2027' Analyst Charlie Muggins of Wealth Club said that 'Auto Trader maintains an incredibly strong market position and the used car market remains in good shape. At some point, demand for used cars will moderate and supply constraints will ease, which should feed through to stronger revenue growth for Auto Trader. ' He added that 'for now though, market conditions aren't overly favorable. This means investors will likely need to moderate their growth expectations for the coming year.'
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Auto Trader shares fall 10% as it reveals dwindling retail sales
Auto Trader has claimed Britain's automotive market is in 'good health' with growing new and used car sales, defying another year of high interest rates and weak consumer confidence. The car selling platform said Britain's new car market grew 3 per cent over the last year, mainly driven by more sales for company fleet vehicles, but standard retail sales slipped 4 per cent year-on-year. Amid dwindling retail sales, Auto Trader shares fell 10 per cent in early trading on Thursday. It said it saw 'strong levels of demand for used cars', with 4 per cent more sales this year than last year, but supply levels remained below pre-pandemic levels. Auto Trader said used car pricing had been 'stable' over the last 12 months after declines in the previous financial year. The group said it saw a 5 per cent rise in the number of cars advertised through its platform, an average of 449,000 per month through the year. It said consumers made a record 81.6million visits to Auto Trader's platforms this year. Auto Trader's revenue came in at £601.1million for the year to 31 March, up 5 per cent compared with the previous year, while profits jumped 8 per cent to £376.8million. The growth in both markets came despite another year of high interest rates and inflation, which the company said put 'financial pressure' on customers. Auto Trader said that through much of the year, consumer demand exceeded the supply of used cars, meaning sales tended to happen faster. Nathan Coe, chief executive of Auto Trader, said: 'Despite broader macroeconomic uncertainties, the UK car market is in good health and we continue to deliver against our strategy to improve car buying and retailing'. He added that the company launched a new artificial intelligence product range called Co-Driver, which is helping to speed up searches on Auto Trader's platform. Coe said: 'The first wave of Co-Driver products has already successfully enhanced the quality of adverts, while reducing the amount of time it takes for retailers to advertise their vehicles. 'We see significant potential for the use of AI to improve the buying and selling of cars in the years ahead.' 'We remain confident in the outlook for the business given our strong market position, the value we deliver for customers, and our unique data and technology capabilities.' Having fallen 10 per cent earlier, Auto Trader shares were hovering down 9.78 per cent or 88.00p on Thursday. Mark Crouch, a market analyst for eToro, said:: 'Auto Trader has been something of a hidden gem for investors, though by now, the secret's well and truly out. 'The online car marketplace posted an 8 per cent rise in operating profit over the year, but shares stalled this morning after what many saw as an underwhelming earnings report. 'One of Auto Trader's biggest advantages, beyond its slick new AI-powered Co-Driver tools, is the sheer lack of serious competition. 'As Warren Buffett famously said, a great business has a 'moat' and Auto Trader certainly has that. With margins north of 60 per cent and a market cap ten times that of its nearest rival, makes it the clear go-to destination for online car sales in the UK. 'The UK's digital services tax has proved to be a bump in the road, however with that said, for long-term investors, it's been a smooth ride, and with the company still firing on all cylinders, today's dip may prove more of a pit stop than a sign of breakdown.' Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said: 'These numbers are middle of the road by the standards Auto Trader has set itself and the shares are being somewhat punished as a result. 'The sharp decline follows an increase of 23 per cent over the last year for the shares, as compared to a hike of 6.6 per cent for the wider FTSE 100, and continuing momentum which has seen a jump of 44 per cent over the last two years. 'Improving profits bring both higher expectations and indeed valuations and even after this latest drop, the shares are not obviously cheap on a historic basis. 'As such, the market consensus is likely to stay at a hold for the time being, albeit a strong one, as investors assess this disappointment even though the group's continued innovation and dominant UK market position bode well for prospects.'
Wall Street Journal
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Wall Street Journal
Auto Trader Group Pretax Profit Lifted by Strong Demand for Used Cars
Auto Trader Group AUTO -0.16%decrease; red down pointing triangle said pretax profit rose in its fiscal year, driven by strong demand for used cars. The London-listed digital automotive marketplace said Thursday that pretax profit for the year ended March 31 rose to 375.7 million pounds ($506.1 million) from 345.2 million pounds a year earlier. This was almost in line with a market consensus of 376 million pounds provided by Visible Alpha. Operating profit grew by 8% to 376.8 million pounds. Revenue rose by 5% to 601.1 million pounds on year, ahead of consensus of 511.6 million pounds. Average revenue per retailer per month rose 5% to 2,854 pounds, Auto Trader said. The board declared a final dividend of 7.1 pence a share, up from 6.4 pence a share in fiscal 2024, bringing the total dividend for the year to 10.6 pence a share. For fiscal 2026, Auto Trader expects growth to be stronger in the second half, spilling over into the start of fiscal 2027. Write to Cristina Gallardo at
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Mechanic exposes huge rip-off at car dealerships - and it's perfectly legal in most of Australia
A mechanic has questioned how many car dealerships are ripping off customers by selling them 'repairable write-offs'. Townsville-based repairman Dean Dalgleish claimed in a TikTok video in April he could 'get into trouble' for speaking out on the practice. A repairable write-off refers to a vehicle that is so badly damaged it is considered too expensive to repair and regarded as a total loss by an insurance company. The car, however, is not deemed to be a statutory write-off, meaning the vehicle can still be repaired and re-registered after passing safety inspections. Used car dealerships across most Australian states and territories are allowed to sell repairable write-offs, however sellers are legally obligated to inform their customers. NSW has stricter rules and the vehicles cannot be sold for road use due to safety concerns. Mr Dalgleigh asked how many customers were 'paying full price for bad cars' as he questioned the tactics used by car salesmen. 'I don't know, do you reckon they're getting away with it?' he said. Mr Dalgleigh said he was tempted to conduct inspections throughout the car yards just to see how prevalent the practice was. His video has been viewed almost 150,000 times and drew outrage from social media users. 'People spend hard earned money to buy a car, maybe to help their grandkids out, later to find they bought problems,' one wrote. 'Older couple I know just brought one from a car yard in Brisbane. I just did a service on it,' another said. 'When I put it on the hoist I could see where it had been picked up with a forklift.' A third added: 'Any car written off should never be back on the road.' Just last year the Queensland government proposed changes to the state's written-off vehicle scheme after concerns that substandard repairs were going undetected. The government suggested a more rigorous inspection process before repairable written-off vehicles could be re-registered. Since 2015, more than 417,000 vehicles were written off in Queensland, with about two thirds deemed repairable. Queensland is the only Australian state without a quality of repair process, which sparked concerns from the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) that substandard repairs were going undetected. TMR is keen to mandate that mechanics keep a repair diary with photographic evidence, or ensuring the vehicle had multiple inspections while it was being repaired. The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) backed the proposal to add a quality of repair saying it would ensure written-off vehicles were repaired to an industry standard. 'Poor quality repairs can lower the structural integrity and effectiveness of safety systems, including airbags and seatbelt pretensioners,' a TMR spokesperson said. The RACQ was also worried that written-off vehicles from interstate were being taken to Queensland where the cost of repairs was 'more economical' because of the lack of a quality of repair process. A TMR spokesman said it was hard to know how long it would take to implement its proposed changes.
