The sound of your car sputtering to a halt as it breaks down mid-journey is one that fills every driver with nothing but deep dread. Few things are as anxiety-inducing as knowing your car is about to stop. The concern of how you're going to finish your trip, get home safely and then, the realisation of an impending bill from the mechanics.

Even though manufacturers promise quality, thousands face eye-watering repair costs for their motors. But the people at automobile magazine WhatCar? are striving to ensure motorists know which vehicles offer the most reliable service.

WhatCar? carried out a survey in partnership with MotorEasy to find out from owners which were the most reliable cars in the UK. The method they used to identify the winners and losers involved a survey of 32,493 owners of cars in the UK that were up to five years old, with the data covering 30 brands and 227 different models, reports the Mirror.

For the survey, owners were asked if their car had experienced any faults within the previous 24 months. From this, those cars that had encountered issues were subsequently rated based on the cost of the repairs and how long they took; the overall score was then expressed as a percentage.

After crunching the numbers, it was revealed that the title for the most reliable car in the UK was shared between four models, but this wasn't the only significant finding. While Hyundai had two models in the top ten, Toyota outdid them with three.

The Toyota GR Yaris achieved joint first place, sharing the top spot with the Hyundai i10, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Kia EV3, all achieving a flawless 100% score. The Toyota RAV4 SUV secured seventh place, whilst the Toyota Aygo X city car claimed fifth position.

This marks another accolade for Toyota's latest vehicle releases, following the Toyota Aygo X's triumph in WhatCar's 2024 Reliability Survey. Toyota has been making significant strides in the automotive sector in recent years, earning recognition not only for dependable vehicles but also for the diverse range of models in its lineup.

The Japanese manufacturer produces an extensive portfolio spanning city cars through to Le Mans prototypes, encompassing family-oriented SUVs, estates, and MPVs alongside Dakar trucks, world rally cars, and hydrogen-powered saloons.

Commenting on this year's findings, WhatCar?'s consumer editor Claire Evans remarked: "One in four cars aged up to five years old went wrong, and although most were fixed by the car makers, when they didn't step up and do this, it left some owners with eye-watering bills. Buying brand new isn't a guarantee you'll get a reliable car, as the Tiguan shows, and there can be big differences in dependability between models from the same brand, so it's vital to check the What Car? Reliability Survey findings for any model you're considering buying."

6. Vauxhall Grandland petrol (2024-present) - 99.6% reliability rating.

UK's top 10 most reliable cars revealed with same brand featuring three times | Wales Online