20 Best Cars in Europe (Almost Failure-Free)

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European topography is unlike any other continent in the world. About 1/3rd of Europe is covered with mountainous ranges. So, reliability becomes a subjective matter here. A car might be reliable in America but not suitable for Europe and vice versa.

In this article, we’ll cover the most reliable cars in Europe. These cars have a reputation of being almost failure-free.

SrCarReliability ScoreMaintenance Cost $
1Toyota iQ100311
2Hyundai i1099.6204
3Suzuki Swift99.3439
4Honda Jazz98.1515
5Skoda Kodiaq97.2555
6Mitsubishi Lancer9798
7Mini Cooper96.9846
8Hyundai Kona95.8468
9Vauxhall Agila95.7161
10Mazda CX-595.5282
11Lexus NX95.2681
12Citroen C195.1355
13Honda Insight94.8221
14Kia Picanto94.5217
15Renault Clio94.3354
16Honda Civic91.2488
17Vauxhall Corsa90.6465
18Toyota Yaris88.1260
19Volkswagen Polo81.4257
20Ford Fiesta75.2298

1. Toyota iQ

Toyota iQ has been declared as the most reliable car in Europe by the reliability index. A survey was conducted with more than 50,000 participants. In this survey, people found Toyota iQ to be a dependable car. The car hadn’t had any major fixing problems. Toyota cars are known for lasting more than 250,000 miles. Toyota iQ would be no different.

Reliability Score: 100%

Fixing Cost: $311

2. Hyundai i10

From the Korean manufacturer Hyundai, i10 has emerged as a game-changer in Europe. It has instilled confidence in its users. It was ranked at 6 among the most reliable cars by reliability index. However, it came 2nd in whatcar survey. Normally a Hyundai car can last for more than 250,000 miles but instances have been reported where the i10 has lasted more than 300,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 99.6%

Fixing Cost: $204

Also read: Are Korean Cars Reliable? Here are the Facts

3. Suzuki Swift

If there is one thing all Suzuki cars have in common, it is their reliability. Suzuki Swift has been ranked number 3 among the most reliable cars in Europe by whatcar survey. Suzuki Swift is known to report 97 problems per 100 vehicles. This is well below the industrial average of 150 problems per 100 vehicles. You can expect your Suzuki Swift to last for more than 250,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 99.3%

Fixing Cost: $439

Also read: Are Suzuki Parts Expensive? (with Examples)

4. Honda Jazz

Honda Jazz has not only gained a name for being a reliable car but it has grown extremely popular for its unmatched comfort and commendable safety. It has come out on top in most reliability surveys. It was ranked as the 5th most reliable car in Europe by reliability index. Like most Honda cars you can expect your Honda Jazz to deliver 200,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 98.1%

Fixing Cost: $515

5. Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq has been ranked as the number 1 large-sized SUV in Europe by the driver power 2021 survey. People were impressed by its quality and reliability. It was a brilliant all-around performer. Skoda Kodiaq can last very easily for 250,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 97.2%

Fixing Cost: $555

Also read: Is Skoda a Good Car? How Often Does it Break Down?

6. Mitsubishi Lancer

Lancer has been the best-seller of Mitsubishi for several years. The car has been loved by many due to the minimum maintenance costs and high reliability. Mitsubishi Lancer has been ranked as the second most reliable car in Europe by reliability index survey. The life expectancy of Mitsubishi cars is 200,000 miles or more. It has mightily cheap maintenance.

Reliability Score: 97.0%

Fixing Cost: $98

Also read: Do Mitsubishi Last Long? (and Costs of Maintenance)

7. Mini Cooper Hatchback

Mini Cooper hatchback is a very stylish compact car. It is admired for its punchy engine and adept handling. The car has been ranked as the 6th most reliable car in Europe by whatcar. The car has high reliability but life expectancy is not its strong suit, unfortunately. Still, you can find some Mini Coopers that have crossed 150,000 miles mark.

Trending Video: How to Easily Bring Back to Life any Old Car Battery and Save Tons of Money (click to watch)

Reliability Score: 96.9%

Fixing Cost: $846

8. Hyundai Kona

Hyundai Kona is a good family car. It is a subcompact SUV that is energized through a turbo-charged engine. It has been rated as the second most reliable car in Europe by driver power survey. You can expect your Hyundai Kona to deliver at least 250,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 95.8%

Fixing Cost: $468

9. Vauxhall Agila

Vauxhall Agila is an extremely agile car. It has a spectacular track record for reliability. Except for the wearing of clutch plates, Vauxhall Agila has been free from all sorts of faults. It is ranked number 3 in the reliability index survey. Vauxhall cars are known to last about 150,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 95.7%

Fixing Cost: $161

10. Mazda CX-5

Mazda CX-5 is a great subcompact SUV with bold looks. CX-5 owners have reported slight problems with steering systems and electronics malfunctioning. Otherwise, it is a great car overall. Mazda cars are durable and they are known to last no less than 200,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 95.5%

Fixing Cost: $282

11. Lexus NX

Lexus is the little sister of Toyota. It has inbuilt Japanese reliability. Lexus NX is a sporty and comfy car. It has been ranked as 3rd most reliable car in the driver power 2021 survey. Lexus NX can easily last for 150,000 miles but many units have even crossed the mark of 300,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 95.2%

Fixing Cost: $681

12. Citroen C1

Citroen C1 is placed at number 9 in the reliability index survey. Less than 12% of its owners reported a problem. Most of these reports were related to starter motor failure. Other than that car has performed well in all conditions. You can get 150,000 miles out of your Citroen C1.

Reliability Score: 95.1%

Fixing Cost: $355

Also read: Why aren’t French Cars Sold in the US? Will They be?

13. Honda Insight

Honda insight 2021 was awarded as the best electric and hybrid vehicle of the year. The car has impressed all of us with uncompromised safety and excellent fuel mileage. It is ranked as the 11th most reliable car in Europe by reliability index. Like other Honda cars, it can last up to 250,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 94.8%

Fixing Cost: $221

Also read: 5 Legit Reasons Why Honda Civic is so Popular

14. Kia Picanto

Kia has a strong reputation in the market for providing reliability, but it always lacked in producing low-maintenance cars. Kia Picanto has been one such car for Kia which is reliable and its maintenance costs are considerably lower. It has been ranked at 11th spot for reliability by whatcar. You can expect your Kia Picanto to last 200,000 miles at least.

Reliability Score: 94.5%

Fixing Cost: $217

15. Renault Clio

It was ranked number 9 by whatcar survey for reliability. It may last up to 150,000 miles and is regarded as a good car in Europe by many.

Reliability Score: 94.3%

Fixing Cost: $354

Also read: Are French Cars Reliable? 16 Things You Need to Know

16. Honda Civic

Honda Civic has been ranked as an excellent car by many surveys. It is reliable, long-lasting, and poses a lesser number of problems. These factors combine to make Honda Civic a good car. It may last up to 200,000 miles or more.

Reliability Score: 91.2%

Fixing Cost: $488

17. Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa was at number 14 in the whatcar survey. It is considered an above-average car for reliability. It is known to last about 150,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 90.6%

Fixing Cost: $465

18. Toyota Yaris

Toyota Yaris is a widely appreciated car in Europe. It is the cheapest Toyota car available on the market. But it has the same Toyota reliability in it, which makes it so desirable car for everyone. Toyota Yaris may last up to 250,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 88.1%

Fixing Cost: $260

19. Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo is the only German car on this list. It has had its ups and downs. The owners found problems with the air conditioning and on/off switch of this car. This Volkswagen car can typically last about 100,000 miles.

Reliability Score: 81.4%

Fixing Cost: $257

20. Ford Fiesta

Ford Fiesta was ranked as the 17th most reliable car by whatcar survey. Some slight issues have been reported with its engine. You can get approximately 100,000 miles out of your Ford Fiesta.

Reliability Score: 75.2%

Fixing Cost: $298

Also read: How Long Should a Clutch Last on a Ford Fiesta (Solved)

Why are Some Car Brands More Reliable than Others?

Through sheer precision and absolute optimization of manufacturing processes, some brands can produce more reliable cars than others. Reliability is the hard-earned outcome of systematic procedures. The car brands which follow strict quality control protocols succeed in providing reliability to their end-users.

Moreover, reliability cannot be achieved overnight. It is a continuous process, it keeps getting better, once you’re on the right track.

Today Japanese car industry takes pride in producing the most reliable cars in the world. But this reliability was missing from the Japanese cars in the beginning. The Japanese industrialists tell that they focused on quantity over quality at the start. They produced so many cars that the manufacturing processes were optimized automatically. Hence, the outcome of that is the reliability of Japanese cars today.

Which Car Brands are Generally the Most Reliable?

Honda, Lexus, Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia are some of the most reliable car brands worldwide and in Europe as well. It should come as no surprise that the top 3 out of 5 brands are from Japan. The entries at 4t and 5th are from South Korea.

Strictly in the context of Europe, the following are the 5 most reliable car brands. Their reliability scores and average maintenance costs are also given below.

  1. Honda

Reliability rating: 87%

Average repair cost: $773

  1. Lexus

Reliability rating: 87%

Average repair cost: $1,517

  1. Toyota

Reliability rating: 80%

Average repair cost: $828

  1. Hyundai

Reliability rating: 71%

Average repair cost: $786

  1. Fiat

Reliability rating: 71%

Average repair cost: $704

Which Car Brand Should You Avoid?

Following are the worst-rated car brands in terms of reliability and you must avoid buying these at all costs:

  • Porsche
  • Chevrolet
  • Audi
  • BMW
  • Mitsubishi

You must avoid buying cars of the following brands, due to their low reliability and high maintenance costs:

  1. Porsche

Reliability rating: 40%

Average repair cost: $2,137

  1. Chevrolet

Reliability rating: 53%

Average repair cost: $1,240

  1. Audi

Reliability rating: 53%

Average repair cost: $1,338

  1. BMW

Reliability rating: 53%

Average repair cost: $1,503

  1. Mitsubishi

Reliability rating: 56%

Average repair cost: $1,462

How to Make Sure Your Car Will be Reliable After Buying?

This is fairly dependent upon how well you take care of your car. If you take good care of your car by servicing at a regular interval then it is more likely to last longer than others. You must practice restraint and caution while driving, through this you can avoid failures to a great extent.

Hence, by following these two points you can make sure that your car will be reliable after buying.

There are two sides to the reliability of your car. One is the in-built capacity of the car to resist failures. Top manufacturers infuse reliability into their cars by the implementation of strict quality protocols. Another side is how well you take care of your car. A good maintenance schedule can add more than 100,000 miles to your car life.

References:

whatcar.com, northamericanmotoring.com, enginepatrol.com, autoexpress.co.uk, reliabilityindex.com, cars.usnews.com, osv.ltd.uk, drivevauxhall.co.uk, motorandwheels.com

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