Honda has been named the most reliable used car manufacturer in the UK for the ninth consecutive year, following research by What Car? and Warranty Direct.

The Japanese manufacturer topped the annual survey of 37 manufacturers, which analyses 50,000 live Warranty Direct policies on three to eight-year old vehicles.

Japanese and South Korean manufacturers dominated the annual study of the most reliable brands, with Suzuki and Toyota claiming second and third place.

At the opposite end of the scale, luxury and prestige marques Bentley and Porsche are the most likely to break down.

What Car? editor Jim Holder said: “Honda’s success in the reliability index is chiefly down to low failure rates. However, when things do go wrong, the cars are also relatively cheap to fix.

“Reliability is always one of the key attributes buyers look for when considering a used car purchase, so manufacturers that consistently demonstrate durability will always do well with the consumer.”

Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index analysed by What Car? experts, calculates each vehicle’s reliability using a complex formula that takes into account its failure rate, age, mileage and cost of repair. The lower the RI number, the more trustworthy the car.

Warranty Direct managing director, David Gerrans, said: “It is imperative that consumers research their intended purchases thoroughly before taking the plunge. Not taking the time to look over something as easy to use as our Reliability Index could mean making the wrong choice and inadvertently landing yourself with a car that causes you nothing but hassle and a financial headache.”

Overall, the most reliable models are the Honda Jazz and Mitsubishi Lancer, both of which also carry reasonable average repair costs. The least reliable model, the Audi RS6, is also the most costly to fix, with an average repair bill of £1003.25.

The full results were as follows:
1 Honda
2 Suzuki
3 Toyota
4= Chevrolet
4= Mazda
6 Ford
7 Lexus
8 Skoda
9= Hyundai
9= Nissan
9= Subaru
12= Daewoo
12= Peugeot
14 Fiat
15 Citroen
16 Smart
17 Mitsubishi
18 Kia
19 Vauxhall
20 Seat
21 Renault
22 Mini
23 Volkswagen
24 Rover
25 Volvo
26 Saab
27 Land Rover
28= BMW
28= MG
30 Jaguar
31 SsangYong
32 Mercedes-Benz
33 Chrysler
34 Audi
35 Jeep
36 Porsche
37 Bentley