Buy a Japanese or Korean car to remove the stress of servicing, is the message from the What Car? Servicing and Satisfaction Survey. The car-buying brand asked more than 8,300 UK motorists about their most recent car service, with each respondent scoring their dealer on politeness of staff, quality of work and value for money. We present the top 10 in reverse order.
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9= Toyota
Satisfaction rating: 88.8%
There’s no 10 place here, rather a tie for ninth position. First up is ever-reliable Toyota…
9= Jaguar
Satisfaction rating: 88.8%
Followed by Jaguar, which finishes in a credible position, above its three German rivals.
8. Kia
Satisfaction rating: 88.9%
Kia might offer the most complete ownership experience in the UK. Not only are its cars very good looking, but the servicing appears to be excellent and there’s a seven-year warranty for added reassurance.
7. Subaru
Satisfaction rating: 89.3%
Subaru owners are a happy bunch, especially when they drive cars aged 4-20 years. The off-road brand scored 100% for attitude of staff and 97.1% for quality of work. Impressive.
6. SsangYong
Satisfaction rating: 89.4%
SsangYong rarely gets the credit it deserves, so a sixth place finish is a great result. It finished top for attitude of staff at franchised dealers for cars aged 0-20 years, with a score of 98.3%.
5. Dacia
Satisfaction rating: 89.5%
Dacia is the ultimate ‘having your cake and eating it’ brand, with low sticker prices matched by a good performance in the Servicing Satisfaction Survey.
4. Hyundai
Satisfaction rating: 89.9%
Hyundai is 0.3% away from a top three finish, but this remains an impressive result for the Korean giant. Its five-year unlimited mileage warranty is one of the best in the business.
3. Lexus
Satisfaction rating: 90.2%
Along with a third place finish, Lexus was also rated number one for value for money at independent dealers. The question is: can you name the brand in second place?
2. MG
Satisfaction rating: 90.9%
If you guessed MG, well done. The Chinese-owned company finished second overall and first for value for money at franchised dealers for cars aged 0-20 years.
1. Honda
Satisfaction rating: 91.2%
Honda finishes top with a satisfaction rating of 91.2%. Speaking about the result, Steve Huntingford said: “[Honda scores] well in every area. And while the level of satisfaction with many brands plummets as cars age, Honda owners can expect attentive behaviour from staff and a high standard of workmanship throughout their cars’ lives.”