Mercedes-Benz has been named the most reliable car brand in a survey of over 100,000 UK drivers, according to the Auto Express Driver Power poll. Owners of the German marque awarded their vehicles an average reliability score of 92.42 percent.
At the other end of the spectrum, the American brand Jeep recorded the lowest reliability score at 81.68 percent. MG and BYD, described as Britain's two best-selling Chinese car makers, also featured among the ten least reliable manufacturers. Between them, MG and BYD have registered more than 100,000 sales in the UK in 2026.
Steve Walker, head of digital content at Auto Express, stated that the survey aims to help motorists avoid the additional expense and inconvenience associated with less dependable vehicles. "The Driver Power owner satisfaction survey gives us a unique and exclusive insight into the reliability of new cars in the real world because the data comes directly from people who own and use the cars," Walker said.
Mercedes-Benz not only topped the reliability rankings but was also the highest-rated brand overall in the Driver Power satisfaction standings, which assess manufacturers across ten categories. "There's a reason you'll still see decades-old Mercedes models working as taxis in cities around the world. These cars have traditionally been built to withstand a serious amount of punishment and keep going," Walker noted. "This latest Driver Power result suggests that durability hasn't been lost as Mercedes has moved into a new generation of cars packed with technology."
Volvo secured second place for reliability with a score of 91.43 percent, despite recent issues affecting thousands of owners of its electric EX30 SUV, who were advised not to charge their batteries beyond 70 percent due to overheating concerns. Mazda completed the top three with a reliability score of 91.26 percent.
Other brands that ranked in the top ten for reliability include Honda, Toyota, Suzuki, Tesla, Skoda, Vauxhall, and Peugeot.
Jeep, while ranking lowest for reliability, still managed to be rated eighth overall for owner satisfaction. "Jeep has spent decades building an image around toughness and go-anywhere capability, so you might expect that reputation to translate into a strong reliability showing," Walker explained. "However, the fact that Jeep scores well in several other areas shows that owners aren't unhappy with their cars across the board, but reliability is clearly the area where the brand has the most work to do."
MG recorded a reliability score of 83.94 percent, ranking second from bottom overall for owner satisfaction. BYD posted a reliability rating of 85.14 percent, placing it sixth-lowest in the dependability standings but earning a 16th-place finish for overall owner satisfaction.
Cupra and Dacia also appeared among the brands with the lowest reliability ratings, scoring poorly for overall owner satisfaction. Land Rover received a dependability rating of 84.39 percent but was still ranked among the ten most satisfying brands to own.