The latest data from the Which? car survey suggests that with careful selection, you can secure a highly reliable vehicle for a fraction of the cost of a new one, which may actually cause more problems.

Fault-free motoring isn't exclusive to the newest and most advanced cars. In fact, the people replying to the survey identified three vehicles over 10 years old that, according to respondents, didn't experience a single breakdown in the year covered by the most recent Which?car survey.

Purchasing second-hand is an excellent way to save money, but as a car ages, its treatment by previous owners becomes increasingly crucial to its lifespan. Regular servicing, fluid top-ups, and careful driving all contribute to a car's long-term reliability, but without a list of known reliable cars, it's challenging to begin.

Using information from the Which? car survey, the consumer group compiled a list of the most dependable 10-15 year old cars available for purchase.

Topping the models with five-star 10-15-year reliability is the Lexus CT – a full hybrid hatchback first launched in 2011 and discontinued in 2020. According to our survey respondents, models of this car over 10 years old experienced zero breakdowns in the preceding 12 months, and only 13% of owners reported any type of fault.

When issues did arise, these cars spent just over a day off the road for repairs on average, significantly less than the average of 4.5 days for cars of this age.

The Lexus CT can be purchased second-hand for between £5,000 and £10,000. Other older models that have proven reliable include the Honda Jazz (2008-15), Skoda CitiGo (2012-19) and a BMW in the form of the X1 (2009-15). Owners have given it a solid four-star rating out of five in the survey.

Which? top 10 reliable cars based on owner fault reports

1. LEXUS CT HATCHBACK HYBRID (2011 to 2020)
2. MAZDA MX-5 CONVERTIBLE (2005 to 2015)
3. LEXUS RX HYBRID (2009 to 2015)
4. HONDA JAZZ HATCHBACK (2008 to 2015)
5. SKODA CITIGO HATCHBACK (2012 to 2019)
6. BMW X1 (2009 to 2015)
7. SUZUKI SWIFT HATCHBACK (2010 to 2016)
8. TOYOTA YARIS HATCHBACK (2011 to 2020)
9. SUZUKI ALTO HATCHBACK (2009 to 2014)
10. TOYOTA AURIS HATCHBACK (2012 to 2019)

Table notes: Breakdowns, time off road and faults (weighted for severity of each fault) all impact the overall reliability rating for each car. Data based on an online survey of 60,448 drivers who told us about the 71,002 cars they owned, conducted April 2024 to June 2024.

Despite some grumbles about limited rear legroom and our review pointing out issues with the boot and infotainment system, the overall feedback from owners was overwhelmingly positive. A third of owners specifically praised the car's reliability, while another third were effusive about its comfort.

Not far behind is the convertible Mazda MX5 – available from 2005 to 2015 – which also had zero reported breakdowns, followed by the Lexus RX Hybrid.

Other older models that have proven reliable include the Honda Jazz (2008-15), Skoda CitiGo (2012-19) and, surprisingly considering its usual performance in our survey, a BMW in the form of the X1 (2009-15).

To read the full report click here.