Want you car to start in the morning? Buy Japanese. Otherwise - you guessed it - choose French
Top Gear would like to propose a new addition to the great lexicon of similes. Since there seems to be no accepted standard for 'as reliable as...', we'd like to propose 'as reliable as a Japanese automobile'.
OK, it may be not be snappy, but at least it's accurate, with seven of our ten most reliable cars hailing from Japan. Three Hondas - the Jazz (3rd), S2000 (7th) and CR-V (8th), join the Toyota MR2 (2nd), Lexus RX3000, Suzuki Ignis (5th) and the Mazda 3 (10th) in the upper echelons of the customer satisfaction league.
But it was a car from the continent rather than the far East that topped the reliability chart. The BMW X3 chugs dependably into first place, with owners finding the SUV's engine and gearbox as sturdy as a rhinoceros bouncer.
It's not a great result overall for the German manufacturers though, with the most reliable Porsche (the 911) placing just 48th. Even bullet-proof Audi can only muster a best placing of 63rd with the old-style TT.
'Which cars are fighting a losing battle against reliability? You guessed it: they're French'
Which cars are fighting a losing battle against reliability? You guessed it: they're French. Eight out of the ten least reliable cars come from across the Channel, with the Peugeot 807 propping up the table.
The dismal people-ferrier is joined by two further Peugeots (the 307 and 407), a pair of Citroens (C3 and C8) and a trio of Renaults (the Megane, Espace and Scenic), with only the Range Rover and Ford S-MAX preventing a Gallic whitewash of the bottom ten.
In fact, the highest place Peugeot can manage is a miserable 134th for the now-defunct 206, while the highest-placing French car is the Renault Modus in, erm, 88th spot. As unreliable as une voiture Française? Malheureusement, oui.
February 14, 2007
Honda's S2000 wins for the third year on the trot, but the big story belongs to Skoda and Fiat
February 14, 2007
Tough luck if you own a French car - Peugeot, Citroen and Renault all lurk in the bottom ten
February 14, 2007
Big scores for Lotus, Subaru and Mitsubishi, while Peugeot and Mercedes lurk at the bottom
February 14, 2007
Want you car to start in the morning? Buy Japanese. Otherwise - you guessed it - choose French
February 14, 2007
Good news for Jaguar as the XJ takes second place, otherwise it's Japan trouncing France again
February 14, 2007
Fiat's Panda does well and Skoda puts in a fine showing. Steer clear of SUVs and MPVs, though...
February 14, 2007
Can you spot the theme here? Japanese cars do well, European cars prop up the bottom of the table
February 14, 2007
All 35 manufacturers rated and listed from good to bad. Or Skoda to Peugeot, if you prefer
February 14, 2007
It's the UKs biggest and most accurate independent driver satisfaction survey there is - here's how it works
You need cash to buy a motor - our guide to finance will help
Buying a personalised plate? Check out our buyer's guide
