Safe and comfortable: the best cars for families are named

Family hatchbacks are one of the key segments of the entire car market. They are often bought for both private and business needs, even as demand for SUVs is growing. And it's all about reliability.

However, even here you can come across an unsuccessful model. That's why What Car magazine conducted a survey of 21,732 motorists to find out which family cars do not cause complaints either in terms of comfort or safety. The survey participants were asked to tell us how often their cars broke down, how expensive the repairs were, and how long the car was idle when it was broken. According to the survey, the top ten best family cars under 5 years old were as follows.

Gasoline Skoda Octavia 2013-2020 model years

Reliability rating of 99.3%

The gasoline version of the previous generation Octavia received an almost perfect reliability rating. And it outperformed the updated version of the same model. All problems with this generation were minor, and they could be fixed in a day at most.

Mercedes A-Class hybrid from the 2018 model year

Reliability rating of 98.7%.

Hybrid versions of the A-Class break down less often than gasoline versions (11% vs. 21%), and if they do, they are repaired faster. It took less than a day to repair the hybrid, while the gasoline equivalent took more than a week to repair.

BMW 1 Series 2019-2024 model years

Reliability rating of 98.6%

Don't discount the first series just because it's the cheapest BMW model. It has proven to be the most reliable of the German manufacturers. Only 8% of owners encountered problems, which were mostly unrelated to the engine. All the cars remained drivable, and two-thirds of the breakdowns were fixed in less than a week.

Honda Civic from the 2022 model year

Reliability rating of 97.6%

According to owners, the latest Honda Civic suffered from far fewer malfunctions than its predecessor – only 8% of new models failed compared to 27% of the previous generation. Steering problems were the only area of concern. However, repairs took more than a week on average.

Hybrid Hyundai Ioniq 2016-2022 model years

Reliability rating of 96.5%.

The hybrid versions of the Ioniq are more reliable than the all-electric versions: only 20% of Ioniq hybrids broke down, compared to 47% of electric vehicles of the same model. The body, braking system, and satellite navigation/infotainment system were the main problems for their owners. The good news is that 75% of the cars were repaired in one day or less.

Toyota Corolla from the 2018 model year

Reliability rating of 96.4%.

Problems with the electrical system and the 12-volt battery were the main complaints of 15% of Corolla owners. Almost a third of the model's owners faced such breakdowns. And 28% of them were under repair for more than a week.

Citroen C4 from the 2020 model year

Reliability rating of 96.2%.

Problems with electricity, air conditioning, and satellite navigation/infotainment systems were the most troublesome for Citroen C4 owners. 17% of their owners experienced breakdowns, and half of them took more than a week to fix.

Kia XCeed from the 2019 model year

Reliability rating of 95.6%.

Most often, the owners of these cars complained about problems with the body. There were also some concerns about the 12-volt battery and the satellite navigation/infotainment system. However, all the cars were repaired in less than a week, and a third of them took less than a day to repair.

Mini Clubman 2015-2024 model years

Reliability rating of 95.5%.

The body was the only area that raised any concerns among Countryman owners. 15% of owners complained about problems with it. All the broken cars spent less than a week in the repair shop, and two-thirds of them left the workshop on the same day.

Gasoline Ford Focus from the 2018 model year

Reliability rating of 94.9%.

Choose a gasoline-powered model if you want a reliable Focus. These models had a malfunction rate of just 9% compared to 33% for the diesel counterparts. Problem areas include the 12-volt battery, the body, and non-engine electrical systems, including the satellite navigation/infotainment system. More than half of the broken Ford Focus (53%) spent more than a week in repair.

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