Breakdown statistics: These are the tops and flops
GOOD TO KNOW The ADAC breakdown statistics for the year highlight the tops and flops of the model series. The Toyota Aygo is once again particularly reliable. The model years 2010 to 2017 performed particularly well. The Smart Forfour, on the other hand, proves to be a budget killer, suffering a particularly high number of breakdowns in the 2015 to 2016 model years. Battery and starter [...]
The Smart Forfour, on the other hand, is a budget killer, suffering a particularly high number of breakdowns in the 2015 to 2016 model years. The battery and starter motor are the main causes of breakdowns here.
The Fiat 500 often weakens in the 2014 and 2015 model years because of the battery or the shift linkage.
Good results for small cars
In the small car class, the picture is positive. Audi A1, Citroën C3, Fiat Punto, Honda Jazz, Mazda CX-3, Mini, Mitsubishi Space Star, Peugeot 2008, Renault Captur, Suzuki Vitara and Toyota Yaris are all reliable.
The Hyundai i20 from 2011 to 2014 draws attention as the problem child. The Opel Meriva from 2017 also has high breakdown rates. In the Hyundai i20, the problem is often with the spark plugs or the ignition lock. In the Opel Meriva, the defect is conspicuously often associated with the cooling system: Leaky hoses and defective water pumps are repeatedly noted as the cause.
Premium brands with a clean slate
If you are considering a car from the lower mid-range, the German premium brands are generally the right choice. Specifically, the Audi A3 and Q3, the BMW 1 and 2 Series, and the BMW X1 stand out positively.
At Mercedes, the A- and B-Class and the CLA and GLA series shine with a clean slate. The Hyundai Tucson, Mitsubishi ASX, Skoda Rapid and VW Beetle are also reliable.
Battery is often the culprit
As in previous years, the Nissan Qashqai is particularly bad. The highest breakdown score overall this year is for the Kia Ceed built in 2011. In the Qashqai, the battery is almost exclusively responsible for the breakdowns across all model years. In the case of the Kia Ceed, it's a bouquet of different breakdown causes.
Fuel pump or generator
Audi A4, A5, Q5, and BMW 3, 4, and X3 are almost universally puncture-proof. And Daimler seems to be getting a handle on its problems with the older Mercedes C-Classes.
Among the mid-size vans, the Ford S-Max, Seat Alhambra and the widespread VW Sharan scare with a high breakdown frequency. In the Ford S-Max, not only does the battery frequently go on strike, but also the particulate filter, the fuel pump or the alternator.
The poor results for Seat Alhambra and VW Sharan are mostly due to problems with exhaust gas recirculation.
Familiar picture at BMW and Audi
In the upper mid-range, the Audi A6 and BMW's 5-series deliver the usual good picture. At least among the younger models, Mercedes has a slight lead over its competitors Ford Tourneo, Opel Vivaro, Renault Trafic and VW Transporter with the Vito, Viano and V-Class.
The nine- and ten-year-old E-Classes from Mercedes now present a habitually poor picture. Problems with components such as the starter motor, ignition lock and battery are joined by worn hoses and steering defects. Only the E-Classes built from 2013/2014 onwards show an improvement.
Calculation 20 years old vehicles
Thanks to a new database from the ADAC, it was possible to calculate breakdown rates even for vehicles up to the ripe old age of 20 years.
In this age range, however, only a few model series still meet the requirement of having at least 7,000 vehicles in the fleet for each year of first registration. For this reason, only 26 model series that have sold relatively well in Germany over all years have been included in this evaluation, not 113.
Toyota Yaris with great reliability
The Toyota Yaris is absolutely top. Without exception, it demonstrates very good or good reliability across all model years.
Of the German brands, the Audi A3 and A4 deserve a positive mention. The Mercedes A-Class also knows how to convince in most years.
The BMW 5 Series is an example of a positive development: the old vintages suffered badly from battery problems, but they were resolved with the new model at the turn of 2010/2011.
The Automobile Club is pleased to see how well the Renault Twingo from the registration years 2002 to 2013 performs. The small car only starts to weaken when it is younger (from 2014). But the causes of breakdowns are manageable - usually the starter motor or the battery is the cause.
