Favourite rides test owners' patience

The trusty Toyota Corolla. Photo / APN

Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon and Volkswagen Golf have been rated the least reliable cars by Consumer NZ.

The three models - long among New Zealand's favourite vehicles - were bested by the humble Toyota Corolla and Honda Jazz, which came tops.

The results were based on reports from 8500 Kiwi drivers surveyed on car trouble experienced in the last year. The results were grouped by age: 2001-2003, 2004-2006 and 2007-2010.

Toyota and Honda came out the most trouble-free of all models and ages, while Ford and Holden had more problems than average and Subaru, Mitsubishi and Nissan rated consistently in the middle.

Mercedes Benz, Audis and BMWs made between 2001 and 2003 also needed more repairs than other cars, as did 2001-2007 Volkswagens. The top three problem areas reported were electronic systems, brakes and power-fittings.

Consumer NZ researcher Bev Frederikson said she recommended people buy the newest car they could afford.

"Later models will have better crash-test ratings and safety features such as anti-skid braking, stability control and multiple air bags," she said. "Take it for a test drive, get a mechanical inspection and check the history of the car on websites such as aa.co.nz, Checka or Carjam."

The full results of the Consumer NZ car reliability survey are published on its website tomorrow.