'I'm a motoring expert and this used car is officially the UK's most reliable'

A motoring expert has said that one of the most reliable cars in the UK people can buy is one they can no longer purchase new. Just last week, a mechanic revealed what he believed to be the most reliable car in the world. But new research suggests there could be another player in the market.

Earlier this year, a group of motoring experts conducted research to find out what the most reliable cars in the UK were. They came to their verdict by assessing which cars had the highest rate of MOT pass rates. The higher the number of passes, the more reliable they were considered to be, cars with lower pass rates were therefore theoretically less reliable.

Speaking to ReachPlc, tyre content manager Nyo Logan, explained that a popular small car had defeated vehicles from other more premium brands. In research conducted by Blackcircles, Nyo found that the Suzuki Ignis, a small city car with an SUV-type design, had shown itself to be statistically the most reliable car in the UK.

Whilst this may be positive news for people looking for a vehicle that could have fewer mechanical issues over its lifetime, there is one hurdle facing potential buyers in that the Ignis is now longer on sale.

Despite this, Nyo explained that the Ignis was still a sound buy, even if they were only available on the used market. He said: "Despite Suzuki discontinuing their Ignis model production in the UK this year, the compact crossover SUV has become a popular choice for those buyers looking for a subcompact model.

"The crossover design means that this small car is city and commuter-friendly, whilst also providing SUV capabilities such as four-wheel drive.

"Our test results are in, and this is a car you can trust! The research shows that more than nine in ten models passed their MOT on average in the UK in 2024/2025."

While the Ignis may no longer be available new, the cars that came in second and third are still in production. Following in the Suzuki's wheeltracks are the Lexus UX and Porsche Macan SUVs.

The Suzuki's MOT pass rate was 94.64 percent, while the Lexus and the Porsche's were 94.20 percent and 93.41 percent respectively.

Commenting on these cars, Nyo added: "The top three is made up of SUV's and the Lexus UX and the Porsche Macan follow in second and third on our podium.

"There were 5,583 MOT tests carried out on Lexus UX vehicles, and 5,259 tests passed, whilst 3,453 tests were passed for the Porsche Macan out of 3,697 tests completed."

The data over MOT pass rates comes as concern grows over whether we could see these rates fall in the future, not because of the cars themselves, but because of the deterioration of the roads they drive on.

Earlier this year it was reported that the cost of damage caused to cars by potholes had reached £1.7bn. Such damage could run the risk of leading to an MOT failure later on.

Speaking about the problem, Kwik Fit's Dan Joyce warned: "It's concerning to see that the downward trend of the last two years has gone into reverse in the latest figures.

"Anything which adds unnecessary costs to motorists is especially unwelcome in the current economic climate but even the financial burden is outweighed by the risk to safety. The main components which bear the bulk of the damage - tyres and wheels, suspension and steering - are interlinked.

"Even if a car is driveable after hitting a pothole, the impact may have compromised its handling, as can be seen by the fact that many drivers have had to have vital ADAS technology recalibrated."