Nissan Leaf tops medium car reliability category

Consumer.org.nz has conducted a survey to see which cars are reliable, have the most satisfied owners, and which cost the least to maintain and repair.

The Nissan Leaf came out as ‘overall best model,’ while the Ford Territory took out worst model. The survey examines 94 models across 19 makes and interviewed the owners of 9736 cars to see which cars are best to own.

The website analysed models with more than 30 samples.

The reliability index calculates from serious, major and minor faults. Owners revealed what faults have happened in the past year and how satisfied they were with their car. A rating from eight to 10 is “very satisfied.”

The survey was conductedduring June and July this year.

In the ‘small car’ category, the Toyota Yaris/Vitz/Echo is the most reliable car, with an index score of 78%. The higher the score, the higher the reliability. The sample had more pre-2010 cars than average, the survey says, but few own

ers reported troubles with the engine, transmission, drive system or chassis.

The Holden Barina, 30%, scored least. A whopping 81% of owners would not choose a Barina again, and common faults reported were with the climate system and engine cooling.

In the medium car reliability category, 89% voted for the Nissan Leaf. Not only was the petrol savings a highlight, owners reported very satisfied with the vehicle’s comfort, driving performance and safety feature. Only 1% spent more than $500 on unscheduled repairs in the past year.

The Peugeot 306, 307 and 308 was voted the least reliable in this category (22%), with the highest proportion with serious faults analysed. A serious failure in the engine or transmission was reported by 27% of owners.

In large cars, the Toyota Aurion (72%) came out on top. Only three large car models came out with an average reliability index score higher than 54%, and 7% of owners reported serious or major faults with their Aurion.

The Ford Falcon, 18%, was voted least reliable. Owners reported serious or major faults in 42% of Falcons, the source of problems most likely to be the suspension and brakes. Problems with the engine, drive system, steering, exterior lights, body hardware and interior equipment was more than average.

In the SUV crossover reliability category, the Subaru XV stays top, 88% of the data reported as trouble-free. The Ford Territory, at 15%, is the lowest ranking vehicle on the survey. A quarter of owners spend more than $1000 on regular servicing and preventative maintenance in the past year and 40% spent over $500 on unplanned repairs.