The Citroën Berlingo Multispace and Suzuki SX4 are reliability royalty according to the latest statistics from automotive warranty specialist, Warranty Direct.

The company analysed data from more than 50,000 live policies to compile a chart of the best-performing MPV and crossover models.

Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index takes into account factors such as how frequently a car breaks down, typical repair costs, how long it takes to fix and average age and mileage. The lower a car’s Reliability Index, the more reliable it is.

According to the figures, the best-performing MPVs trump their crossover cousins and the reliability queen of the MPV sector is the Citroën Berlingo Multispace (1997-2008), with fewer than two in 10 models experiencing a fault in any given 12-month period.

Citroën has three entries in the MPV reliability chart as the big-selling Xsara Picasso ranks third and the latest Berlingo Multispace eighth.

Ford also has a trio of entries in the MPV top 10. The latest Ford C-MAX takes the runner-up spot and its predecessor, the original Ford Focus C-MAX, is ranked ninth. Tenth place goes to the practical Ford S-MAX.

MOST RELIABLE FAMILY MPVS

RANK	MAKE	MODEL	PRODUCTION	RELIABILITY INDEX	AVERAGE REPAIR COST
1	Citroën	Berlingo Multispace	1997 – 2008	37	£199.54
2	Ford	C-MAX	2010 –	49	£288.54
3	Citroën	Xsara Picasso	2000 – 2010	52	£215.34
4	Chevrolet	Tacuma	2005 – 2008	55	£482.62
5	Renault	Scenic	2003 – 2009	70	£285.93
6	Skoda	Roomster	2005 –	75	£365.94
7	Citroën	Berlingo Multispace	2008 –	84	£276.47
8	Fiat	Doblo	2001 – 2010	102	£262.49
9	Ford	Focus C-MAX	2003 – 2010	106	£315.25
10	Ford	S-MAX	2006 –	109	£401.15

Only vehicles available in new car showrooms as recently as 2007 were included in Warranty Direct’s analysis and Japanese brands dominate the top of the crossover chart.

Suzuki took top spot with the SX4 crowned the most reliable high-riding, two-wheel drive model. With the lowest breakdown rate and average repair cost in its class, the Suzuki SX4 finished comfortably ahead of the original Nissan Qashqai.

The closely-related Kia Sportage (2005-2010) and Hyundai Tucson crossovers fought it out for third place, with the Hyundai winning the battle of the South Korean brands to claim the bronze medal position.

MOST RELIABLE CROSSOVERS

RANK	MAKE	MODEL	PRODUCTION	RELIABILITY INDEX	AVERAGE REPAIR COST
1.	Suzuki	SX4	2006 –	24	£182.87
2.	Nissan	Qashqai	2007 – 2013	68	£343.51
3.	Hyundai	Tucson	2004 – 2009	69	£226.36
4.	Kia	Sportage	2005 – 2010	93	£299.21
5.	Toyota	RAV4	2006 – 2012	106	£432.82
6.	Ford	Kuga	2008 – 2012	129	£379.93
7.	Volkswagen	Tiguan	2008 –	170	£320.81
8.	Vauxhall	Antara	2007 –	230	£414.66

 

Motorists torn between the practical nature of a family MPV and the rugged appeal of a crossover model should take note - the top-performing people carriers in the chart logged an average Reliability Index of 73.9, compared to 111 for their taller-riding rivals.

This trend was also reflected in other areas of the study - average repair costs for models in the MPV list averaged £309.33, compared to £349.40 for the best of their crossover counterparts.

When it comes to individual faults, MPVs are most likely to suffer from electrical gremlins, accounting for an average of 29.6% of faults, while crossovers are most commonly afflicted by axle and suspension issues – responsible for 28.3% of faults.

David Gerrans, managing director of Warranty Direct, said: “Reliability is a crucial part of any car-buying decision, especially for busy families with already strained household budgets.

“Both MPVs and crossover models are aimed squarely at family motorists and this analysis of our comprehensive database will make essential reading for anyone considering a family model.”