MOST RELIABLE 1
Nissan Leaf (2011-2018) What went wrong? Nothing
It was one of the earliest practical pure-electric family cars, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the best options if dependability is all. It stands out here as one of just three models to gain a perfect reliability rating; owners told us not a single car had put a foot wrong in the previous 12 months.
2 Lexus CT (2011-present)
The CT family hatchback upholds Lexus’s excellent reputation for durability; even at up to 10 years old, few cars put a foot wrong. Only suspension and non-motor electrical problems were reported, each by just 5% of owners, and all were fixed within a day, with repair bills ranging from £51 to £100.
3 Toyota Auris (2013-2019)
The Auris shares many mechanical bits with the CT, so it’s no wonder it’s almost as bulletproof. Only 12% of cars had glitches that affected the 12-volt battery, electric motor, steering and suspension. Although two-thirds were undriveable, all were sorted out in less than a week, and all at no cost to owners.
It’s the high volume of troubles that drags the Model S’s score down; its fault rate of 64% is by far the worst here. It’s not all bad news, though: nearly half of the affected cars were back on the road within a day, 36% were fixed for free, and only 9% of owners had to pay for things to be put right, spending up to £750.
2 Lexus RX (2009-2016)
Neither of the Lexus models in our bottom three has a poor reliability rating; it’s just they’re in a very high-scoring class. Although 21% of cars had an issue (with bodywork and steering), two-thirds were fixed within a day – a third at no cost to the owner. Most of those who did have to pay spent between £101 and £300.
3 Lexus NX (2014-present)
Only 13% of NXS suffered a fault, with the 12-volt battery giving the main cause for concern. What’s more, the cars weren’t kept off the road for long; two-thirds were rectified within a day and all were sorted out in less than a week. Even better, a third were fixed for free and no owners had to pay more than £300.