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Compare the best reliable small cars

High quality reliable small cars from rated and reviewed dealers

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Rated 4.5/5 from 60,970 reviews
Last updated June 25, 2024 by Tom Wiltshire

Compare the most reliable small cars

Not much can ruin your day like a broken-down vehicle - and nothing's more frustrating than having a car that's so unreliable you don't trust it to get you anywhere.

With a classic car, breakdowns might be part of life - but chances are that in your daily driver, you want dependability. Nobody wants to be 'that person' who shows up late to everything because the car's broken down again.

Owning a small car doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice reliability, either - in fact, some of the cars on this list are among the most reliable on sale overall. Our expert road test team has come up with the best small cars that are reliable, based on criteria like MOT pass rates, overall industry protection and reliability surveys. We've also chosen ones that you won't hate to own - who wants a reliable car if you never want to drive it?

Toyota Yaris Hybrid

1. Toyota Yaris

8/10
Toyota Yaris Hybrid review
Most small cars tend to rely on conventional petrol engines to reduce costs, very few offer a more complex self-charging hybrid setup like the Toyota Yaris does. But don't panic that the extra complexity means poor reliability - Toyota has engineered its hybrid system so thoroughly that they're almost legendarily long-lived. Just take a look at the mileage of your next minicab - if you're in a big city, chances are it's a Toyota Hybrid and it's ticking close to 500,000 miles. If the worst does happen, Toyota's warranty is automatically extended by a year each time you service - to a maximum of ten years or 100,000 miles, making it the longest warranty in the business.
Kia Picanto
2024
Smart Spender Award
Highly Commended

2. Kia Picanto

7/10
Kia Picanto review
Two decades ago you'd only recommend a Kia to bargain-hunters who didn't really care what they drove. How the times change. The Picanto is Kia's smallest car but it's still a quality product - it's really fun to drive, feels very solid and is backed up with an impressive seven-year/100,000 mile warranty. The Picanto's mechanicals aren't just simple and hardwearing, they're long-lived. This Picanto uses many of the same components as the older models, meaning there's a huge stock of spare parts and expertise so if it does break down, you won't have any trouble getting it fixed.
Honda Jazz

3. Honda Jazz

7/10
Honda Jazz review
The Honda Jazz is the small car that thinks it’s a big one. You’ll fit four burly adults inside without a problem, and the smooth and efficient self-charging hybrid petrol engine will manage 63mpg in combined driving. Honda regularly scores highly in reliability surveys, and the Jazz has acquired a reputation for being one of the most dependable cars the brand makes, something reinforced by its excellent MoT pass rates.
Mazda MX-5

4. Mazda MX-5

9/10
Mazda MX-5 review
The original Mazda MX-5 revitalised open-roofed motoring thanks to its combination of back-to-basics driving fun and reliability levels that let you enjoy it every day. The latest model continues to offer the same attributes and while the standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty is pretty standard, the MX-5 is regularly rated as the most reliable roadster on sale. For the full-on roadster experience, make sure to get yours with a manual transmission.

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Suzuki Swift

5. Suzuki Swift

7/10
Suzuki Swift review
The Suzuki Swift is spacious, offers low running costs and is fun to drive, with just 83hp on offer, though, the one thing it isn’t is swift. The latest model is an improvement from the old one in terms of interior plushness, but mechanically they're very similar so there should be no new issues introduced. It’s efficient too, with a combined average of 60mpg. All models come with as standard is a three-year/60,000-mile warranty which is extendable to seven years and 100,000 miles with regular servicing. Swifts regularly rank very highly in reliability surveys, too.
Toyota Aygo X

6. Toyota Aygo X

7/10
Toyota Aygo X review
Toyota has spent decades building a reputation for being one of the most reliable manufacturers around and now offers an innovative warranty which adds a 12-month/10,000-mile extension to the standard three-year warranty after every service up to a total of 10-years/100,000-miles. The great little Toyota Aygo X city car also benefits from this offer so you can cruise around town for up to 10-years knowing that you’re covered should anything go wrong.
Mazda 2

7. Mazda 2

7/10
Mazda 2 review
It's hard to go wrong with a Mazda 2. Despite it being one of the oldest designs of small car on sale, it still feels fresh especially on the road where it corners keenly and rides bumps well. That age is good for reliability too, as it's had long enough for most of the sticking points to be ironed out. What you're left with is a small car which, while it doesn't have the flashy tech or modern look of other hatchbacks, won't let you down.
Toyota Corolla

8. Toyota Corolla

8/10
Toyota Corolla review
Okay, this is pushing what we'd call a 'small' car to its limits - but the Corolla is so reliable that we can't not include it. It features the same 10-year/100,000 mile 'Relax' warranty as other Toyota models (above) but unlike the Yaris uses the even-more reliable 1.8-litre hybrid system. This is the one regularly pushed past half a million miles in taxis. The Corolla's additional space is nice to have, too, and a larger car might be more suitable to your needs.
Skoda Fabia

9. Skoda Fabia

9/10
Skoda Fabia review
Skoda uses the same parts and engines as Volkswagen, yet as a brand almost always performs higher in reliability surveys. Why? Well, perhaps Skoda owners pay less and so don't complain as much - but more likely it's because the brand's dealer network is extensive and extremely highly-rated. The Fabia is a pretty reliable small car - it's so simple that there's not a lot to go wrong - but if you do have a problem you can be assured of great service when you take it to be fixed.
Hyundai i20

10. Hyundai i20

7/10
Hyundai i20 review
The Hyundai i20 is superb around town, has a great infotainment system and comes with a perky 100hp petrol engine which also helps keep running costs low. Its five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty is one of the more generous around and is great for those who cover a lot of miles but don’t want to spend extra on extended warranties.

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Advice about reliable small cars

Reliable small cars FAQs

There are a number of great small automatic cars on sale today, and thanks to modern technology not only are they refined and well-specced, but they’re reliable too. However, a lot do use really awful automatic gearboxes and should be avoided. We'd say the Toyota Yaris is a great choice, but if you'd prefer a more conventional auto than Toyota's CVT then take a look at the Skoda Fabia.

There are almost none on sale any more. The smallest cars you'll find with a diesel engine are around the size of the Volkswagen Golf - if you want anything smaller, you'll have to look on the used market. And you might have to look hard - not many small diesels were sold in the last few years, which is why they were drawn off sale.

Some of our favourites were the Citroen C3 diesel and Renault Clio diesel, though neither had a particularly sterling reputation for reliability.

The Toyota Yaris Hybrid has regularly topped customer satisfaction surveys thanks to its fun driving characteristics, economical self-charging hybrid engine and legendary reliability.

The CVT automatic tends to hold onto the gears when pressing on, but its smooth and refined most of the time and it’ll deliver 69mpg in mixed driving and rather impressive 60mpg around town.

There are plenty of solid used cars for sale which have proven their reliability over years of hassle-free ownership.

The Honda Jazz, Toyota Aygo and Toyota Yaris regularly top owner satisfaction survey charts and either of these used small cars should provide years of reliable service at greatly reduced prices.

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