News Release
Suzuki Emerges Tops in British Reliability Survey
14 October 2008
A major reliability survey to determine the most reliable make of car in Britain has been won by Suzuki.
Warranty Direct, a leading independent automotive warranty specialist in the United Kingdom, carried out the annual reliability index survey.
A total of 35 car brands were analysed with Suzuki achieving the lowest – or best – index rating.
Suzuki scored an index rating of 33.52 to finish ahead of Honda (34.00), Mazda (37.51), Skoda (49.98), Toyota (65.22) and Hyundai (65.34).
The winning make was seven times better than Porsche, the worst performing marque with a score of 240.01.
Five of the top ten most reliable brands were Japanese, three were European and two were Korean.
Infrequent visits to dealers and service departments, quick repair times and longevity of the product helped to push Suzuki into the top position.
The survey looked at maximum labour costs, average repair charges and the reliability of axles and suspensions, cooling and heating systems, electrical components, engines, fuel systems and transmissions.
Warranty Direct accounted for all factors of a repair, including the cost of parts and frequency of failures.
Results were based on policies and claims from extended motor vehicle warranties issued by Warranty Direct. The company offers protection on most makes of cars under ten years of age and with up to 160,000 kilometres.
Because the policies are unique in not having a wear and tear exclusion clause caused by non-insured parts, the reliability index is claimed to be more comprehensive.
At just 1.586 days each year, Suzuki’s average time off road during repairs was the lowest of all motor manufacturers.
Average repair costs for Suzuki were NZ$622, the second lowest in the survey.
Warranty Direct analysed makes and models to determine the index rating, averaging the results over a large numbers of vehicles.
In the case of the Suzuki Vitara, for example, a remarkably low reliability index of 28.51 was achieved.
The average age of a Grand Vitara was 6.62 years, the average mileage 82,598 kilometres and the time off road was 1.46 days with typical repair costs equivalent to NZ$521.
British motor vehicle servicing and repair costs are generally more expensive than those in New Zealand.
Suzuki has also ranked highly in a United States reliability index, finishing ahead of Toyota, Ford, Honda, Nissan and Volkswagen.
“Results of these surveys are good news for Suzuki owners because they substantiate the quality and engineering integrity of the brand,” said Tom Peck, General Manager of Marketing for Suzuki New Zealand Limited.
Suzuki has been one of the fastest growing motor vehicle franchises in New Zealand in recent years.
