Honda sweeps board in reliability study

London, July 3: Honda has emerged the big winner in this year's ''Which? Car'' reliability study of new models with its Jazz supermini topping the overall table with a rating from owners of 96 per cent.

The Japanese manufacturer also either won or shared top spot in the medium car bracket with the previous generation Civic; in the large car group with the Accord; in the people-carrier section with the FR-V and among off-roaders with the old CR-V.

Its only notable failure was the latest Civic which had a poor reliability rating of only 82 percent compared with an overall average for new cars of 88 percent.

Civic owners have reported problems with the fuel system, steering and suspension.

Which? Car said the least reliable new model in its survey of 93,365 motorists was the Land Rover Discovery 3, ''not as big and tough as it thinks it is,'' with a rating of 79 percent.

Other notable disappointments, it added, were the VW Passat, contrary to Volkswagen's reputation for reliability, the Peugeot 307 and Renault Megane, all with 82 percent.

Which? Car also includes a manufacturers' league table, which Honda also won with an overall reliability index of 86 percent. Toyota was just one point behind in second place.

Behind them, half a dozen Far Eastern makes vied for third place: Daihatsu, Hyundai, Lexus, Mazda, Subaru and Suzuki all of which score 82 percent.

Land Rover was bottom of the reliability table on 68 percent, just behind Renault and Fiat.

The full list is on www.which.co.uk/cars

Reuters>