There are many important factors when it comes to deciding what car to buy including its economy, size, and a driver’s purpose for buying the car.

If you need to lug around amount people and large objects, you likely won’t buy a city car. You would probably be better off buying an SUV instead. Another factor is reliability as you’ll need to assess the likelihood of it breaking down.

With that in mind, renowned motoring publication Auto Express surveyed its readers as part of its Driver Power Survey in their bid to find the nation’s most dependable car.

Their research found that reliability was the second most important thing buyers looked for behind price when it came to buying a new car and the motor coming in first was a surprising favourite.

According to Auto Express data, the Mk 3 Toyota Aygo X city car, which was first launched in 2022, is the UK’s most reliable. This had a Driver Power reliability score of 94.09 percent.

While reviewing the Aygo X, the Auto Express experts pointed out that owners had praised the car for its “ride quality and braking performance” as well as its fuel economy. However, they countered that the Aygo X had lost marks for poor rear space, but that this was due to it being so small.

They added: “The Toyota Aygo X takes top honours this year as the most reliable car in the UK… The city car sector is fiercely competitive, but the Toyota Aygo X clearly nails its brief and has been a hit with its owners.”

Coming in second behind the Aygo X was the Mazda CX-30, which is also still in production and scored 93.37 percent. This car was praised for how well it drove and how high its quality was.

However, the car lost marks for relatively high fuel economy and running costs. Auto Express remarked: “However, it did score well when it comes to other running costs like VED road tax and insurance.”

In third behind the Mazda and Toyota was the Mk1 Tesla Model 3. Another car that is still in production and the one named the best overall to own in the country by the survey, the car was praised across almost all areas.

The Tesla, which is also a popular company car, had its smooth powertrain highlighted as well as the overall driving experience of being behind the wheel as well as value for money.

Auto Express’ rankings of the cars on Britain’s roads come as other experts warn Britons to be careful when buying a used or nearly used car. Speaking to the Express, Managing Director of AA Cars James Hosking said it was worth getting an inspection just in case.

He explained: “When you’re making one of the biggest purchases of your life, it’s worth investing in an inspection to check whether you’re making a good decision. You wouldn’t buy a house without getting a survey, so why should a used car purchase be any different?”