The Toyota Corolla is the most reliable family car while the Renault Espace is the least reliable, according to new research.
These findings come from a study by Warranty Direct which analysed around 30,000 breakdown claims on three to five year old cars from the family and MPV categories.
Most Reliable
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From this research a top ten list of the most reliable family-sized cars in the UK has been created. Coming out highest is the last generation Toyota Corolla, with just seven per cent of them breaking down on average each year.
The Corolla is closely followed in the top ten by the Honda Civic, the Honda Accord and the Mazda 3, just ten per cent of all these models suffer break down claims on average each year.
The fifth and six place spots are filled by two more Toyotas, the Auris and the Prius which have annual break down averages of 11 and 12 per cent respectively.
Overall the top ten for most reliable family-sized cars is occupied by as many as seven cars from Japanese manufacturers.
The list also featured two Ford models, the C-Max and Mondeo, which came seventh and eight respectively.
The top ten is rounded up by the Nissan Qashqai and the Peugeot 308 with 16 per cent annual break down rates.
Top ten most reliable family-sized cars
1. Toyota Corolla
=2. Honda Civic
=2. Honda Accord
=2. Mazda3
5. Toyota Auris
6. Toyota Prius
7. Ford C-Max
8. Ford Mondeo
=9. Nissan Qashqai
=9. Peugeot 308
Least Reliable
Warranty Direct also compiled a top ten of the least reliable family-sized cars in the UK. This particular list is fully occupied with European-based cars, particularly from French manufacturers.
Sharing the unwelcome top spot on this list is the Renault Espace and the Mercedes R-Class, as both MPVs record an average yearly break down rate of 74 per cent in the UK.
Sharing third spot in the top ten least reliable is the Vauxhall Vectra, which was replaced by the Insignia in 2008, and the Renault Grand Scenic/Scenic. Both of these cars were found to have an average break down rate of 57 per cent each year.
The top ten featured three other cars from French manufacturers, including the Renault Megane, the Peugeot 807 and the 407. Two Volkswagen models, the Passat and the Touran, feature eight and tenth on this particular list as well.
The list also features the Skoda Superb as the sixth least reliable family car, a surprise entry given the recent public praise Skoda has received including in the 2012 Auto Express Drive Power survey. The Superb was rated the second most satisfying car to own in the Power survey table which featured three Skoda models within the top four.
Top ten least reliable family-sized cars
=1. Renault Espace
=1. Mercedes R-Class
=3. Vauxhall Vectra
=3. Renault Grand Scenic/Scenic
5. Renault Megane
6. Skoda Superb
7. Peugeot 807
8. Volkswagen Passat
=9. Peugeot 407
=9. Volkswagen Touran