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TRUSTY MOTORS

The top 10 most reliable hatchbacks – and the most popular aren’t always the best performers

These are the new hatchbacks least likely to cost you in repair bills

THE most reliable hatchbacks on the market have been revealed.

A recent study has found the new models least likely to rack up repair bills for their owners.

 The most popular motors aren't always the most reliable
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The most popular motors aren't always the most reliable

Using their Reliability Index, Warranty Direct crunched the numbers on more than 50,000 motors to find out which new hatchbacks caused their owners the least amount of problems last year.

And the Volkswagen Polo proved the most trustworthy new hatchback, despite only being the sixth most popular model among UK drivers.

Drivers spent an average of just £184 in repairs for Polo models.

The most popular car in the category, Ford Fiesta, came in a close second while the high-selling Focus cost drivers around £283 in servicing.

 The VW Polo proved the most reliable hatchback last year
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The VW Polo proved the most reliable hatchback last year
 The Ford Fiesta was the best selling hatch in 2017, and almost second most reliable
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The Ford Fiesta was the best selling hatch in 2017, and almost second most reliable

On the other end of the scale, the Audi A3 came in last place for reliability and second last for popularity.

The German hatch had a staggering average repair cost of £439, with 27 per cent of claims being made for expensive engine issues.

More expensive models seemed to score worse in reliability rankings, with the Mercedes A-Class in seventh place and the BMW 1 Series in eighth.

 The MINI Cooper came in halfway through the list
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The MINI Cooper came in halfway through the list

Simon Ackers, CEO of Warranty Direct, said:“When buying a new car, motorists should look beyond the initial purchase price and examine resources such as the Reliability Index to get a better indication of whether a particular model is suited to their individual needs.

“According to sales, the Polo was only the 6th bestselling hatchback of last year, but it’s actually the most reliable model currently on the market.

"In addition to this, the most expensive model may not actually be the most reliable, so it’s always worth doing your research before purchasing your next vehicle.”