Best used cars on a budget: The most reliable older models that cost from as

As Britons face steepening living costs, it’s unsurprising to see the average age of cars on our roads reach an all-time high.

Records show the typical motor owned by UK drivers is nine years and ten months. This is up from seven years and five months a decade earlier and only six years and a month 20 years ago.

While this is a reflection of tightening purse strings and drivers not wanting to splash out on replacement vehicles, it’s also indicative of cars being built to a higher standard than before and being able to endure the test of time for longer.

And exclusive data shared with the Daily Mail and This is Money has identified which older models in this age bracket are proving most reliable.

Used car warranty provider Warrantywise has delved into its Reliability Index to pick out the eight to 12-year-old models (those first registered between 2013 and 2017) with the highest scores.

For those on particularly tight budgets, these 12 models are their best options in terms of avoiding breakdowns and costly repair bills… in theory.

With examples available with below-average mileage for as little as £3,000, this is a countdown of today’s second-hand car bargains. 

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The long-running Reliability Index ranks vehicles by overall dependability and shares both the highest and average repair costs seen in the last five years for each model based on its warranty data.

Only cars with more than 250 warranties in place are featured in the order to ensure the data is robust. 

And the rating for each of these cars is based on a multitude of factors. This includes repair request frequency, average vehicle age at the time a fault occurs, average mileage and average labour time between 2020 and 2025.

Antony Diggins, managing director at Warrantywise, said: ‘With cars on the road for longer than ever before, our data reveals some surprising insights about which models truly deliver long-term value. 

‘While Toyota and Honda continue to dominate for reliability, what’s particularly striking is how repair costs can vary dramatically even among dependable vehicles. 

‘This transparency is crucial as drivers navigate an increasingly complex used car market.’

Here’s the countdown of the 12 most reliable older cars – and how much they typically cost second-hand today.

=10. Mini Hatch – 79.6 Reliability Score

With the data focussing on eight to 12-year-old cars, the Mini applicable is the previous generation car on sale between 2014 and 2024.

A ten-year-old example with less than 60,000 miles on the clock can be had for £5,500 today, though this does limit buyers to the diesel-engined variants.

While the average claim made in the last five years is relatively high at just over £1,000 to cover repairs, requests on warranties are relatively infrequent. 

=10. Citroen C1 – 79.6 Reliability Score

The last generation of Citroen’s C1 (produced between 2014 and 2022) is the relevant model here. 

Buyers can snap up a 2015-plate model with under 60k on the clock for around £3,000 today. That means it is not only a great cheap second car, it’s also an ideal first motor for any new licence holder offering extremely low insurance costs.

The average repair bill over the last five years, according to Warrantywise data, is £800. But given the relatively high reliability score, major issues are somewhat limited.

=10. Ford Ka – 79.6 Reliability Score

The bulk of the Ford Kas falling into the eight to 12-year-old bracket are the generation produced between 2008 and 2016.

Like the Citroen C1, second-hand prices for a ten-year-old example with below average mileage are around the £3k mark, making this a real bargain option.

Average repair bills over the last five years are among the lowest of the 12 cars featured, though one repair bill in that period has been as high as £2,000. 

9. Renault Clio – 80.3 Reliability Score

The Clio represented in the study is the fourth-generation car on sale between 2013 and 2019.

Used buyers can snap up a second-hand example with below average mileage for…