Skip advert
Advertisement

German cars 'among worst for engine failures'

Audi, BMW and VW ranked in the bottom 10 of a study into engine reliability

German manufacturers no longer most reliable

German-made cars are not as reliable as many believe, according to new research. Warranty Direct has studied its claims data to compile a list of the manufacturers with the most reliable engines - and Audi, BMW and Volkswagen all finished in the bottom 10 out of a total 36 makers.

Advertisement - Article continues below

In fact, the only firm whose cars had a worse engine failure rate than Audi was MG Rover. MINI wasn’t much better, finishing third from bottom, while its parent company BMW came seventh from bottom. And, despite its reputation for rock-solid reliability, Volkswagen came ninth from bottom.

Honda scooped the gold medal – the study found that just one in every 344 Honda engines failed, compared to one in every 27 Audi engines. Despite its recent recall woes, Toyota came second and Mercedes managed to outperform its fellow German brands with a respectable third-place finish.

Duncan McClure, Warranty Direct Managing Director, said that engine failures are the worst for motorists as they’re the repairs that can lead to the highest costs because of the parts and hours of labour required to fix them: “The nuber of failures may be low compared to areas such as axle and suspension damage but engine repairs almost always result in costs reaching the thousands for motorists who aren’t covered by a warranty.”

An engine failure on a Range Rover Vogue recently led to Warranty Direct’s highest ever claim of £13,000.

Top 10 manufacturers

 ManufacturerFailure rate (%)Failure rate (1 in x)
1Honda0.29%1 in 344
2Toyota0.58%1 in 171
3Mercedes0.84%1 in 119
4Volvo0.90%1 in 111
5Jaguar0.98%1 in 103

Bottom 10 manufacturers

 ManufacturerFailure rate (%)Failure rate (1 in x)
1MG Rover7.88%1 in 13
2Audi3.71%1 in 27
3MINI2.51%1 in 40
4Saab2.49%1 in 40
5Vauxhall2.46%1 in 41

What’s your view? Do you think German manufacturers still deserve their reputation for building the most reliable cars?

To discover the most reliable cars on the market today, visit our sister site Carbuyer.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Volkswagen Transporter Shuttle 2025 review: makes 7-seater SUVs feel cramped
Volkswagen Transporter e-Shuttle - front

New Volkswagen Transporter Shuttle 2025 review: makes 7-seater SUVs feel cramped

The Ford-based Volkswagen Transporter Shuttle is refined, good to drive and has plenty of space in all three rows
Road tests
14 Feb 2025
It’s not just electric cars that are overpriced
Opinion - expensive cars

It’s not just electric cars that are overpriced

Not matter how good a new car might be, Mike Rutherford thinks it will ultimately fail if it's overpriced
Opinion
16 Feb 2025
Ford Capri vs Cupra Tavascan: similar, stylish but only one can win
Ford Capri and Cupra Tavascan - front tracking

Ford Capri vs Cupra Tavascan: similar, stylish but only one can win

Ford brought back the iconic Capri name for its new coupé-SUV, which shares its platform with the fresh Cupra Tavascan. Which is the top dog?
Car group tests
15 Feb 2025

Find a car with the experts