09 November 2011 by Parkers Team

  • BMW’s 3-Series retains the top position
  • German and Japanese brands dominate
  • Honda loses overall lead, overtaken by BMW

The BMW 3-Series has once again been named as the most reliable car in the UK, after a survey of 1.2 million vehicles.

Fleet News's survey, the FN50, is a comprehensive annual report on the contract hire and leasing industry. It covers 1.2 million vehicles operated by the top 50 leasing companies in the UK.

Following behind the BMW in the reliability stakes was the Honda Accord, maintaining its second place, trailed by the Volkswagen Golf in third position.

The Japanese manufacturers continue to face strong competition from the German brands. Six of the cars in the top ten are German, with three of those placed the top five.

Last year Honda and Volkswagen held joint first place in the manufacturer reliability results, with BMW third. This year, however, BMW has taken the top spot. Audi muscled in on second place while Honda dropped to third place. As a result, three of the top five manufacturers are now German.

Tim Abbott, managing director at BMW UK, said: “We are delighted to have won the overall honour in the FN50 reliability survey. The outgoing BMW 3 Series Saloon and the 3 Series range overall has been and continues to be an outstanding success for us."

“Awards such as this ensure customers can buy a class-leading vehicle safe in the knowledge that only years of enjoyable, hassle free motoring in a premium car await.”

The FN50 most reliable cars:
1. BMW 3-Series
2. Honda Accord
3. Volkswagen Golf
4. Audi A3
5. Toyota Avensis
6. Nissan Qashqai
7. Volkswagen Passat
8. Audi A4
9. Mazda 6
10. BMW 5-Series

The FN50 most reliable car manufacturers:
1. BMW
2. Audi
3. Honda
4. Volkswagen
5. Toyota
6. Nissan
7. Mercedes-Benz
8. Ford
9. Lexus
10. Skoda

Vans were also included in the reliability survey. The results are covered in a separate story here.