Revealed: the most reliable 4x4s
07 January 2010
According to the latest survey by Warranty Direct, you’re least likely to be left stranded by a Honda CRV than any other SUV, with the Suzuki Grand Vitara the second most reliable 4x4 on the market.
With eight of the ten most dependable 4x4s being Japanese, you’re better off buying a Toyota , Nissan or Mitsubishi than a Mercedes or Audi according to the report.
Top ten most reliable 4x4s gallery:
Encouragingly, the Land Rover Freelander (2003-2006 model) is the seventh most reliable car in the segment, but unfortunately the post-2002 Range Rover and all versions of the Land Rover Discovery don’t fare so well – they sit near the bottom of the pile.
By far the least reliable four-wheel drive is the first-generation Audi Allroad, with more than half of all examples recording a fault in a typical year. The Volkswagen Touareg has a disappointing record too, and the original BMW X5 fares little better – respectively, these two models are second and third from bottom in the survey.
Other premium manufacturers aren’t necessarily any more dependable, as Warranty Direct’s Duncan McClure-Fisher confirms: “The biggest surprise must surely be the poor performance of the the XC90 . It’s not what you’d expect from a manufacturer with Volvo’s reputation, but I’m signing cheques every day on XC90 repairs.”
Top Ten least reliable 4x4s gallery:
The data comes from Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index, which tracks the cost and frequency of repairs made under its warranty products.
Looking for a reliable 4x4? Auto Trader currently lists more than 1,100 used Honda CR-Vs and 700 used Suzuki Grand Vitaras.
Richard Dredge
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