Previously, I’ve looked at cars that best hold their value in the UK. I found out that cars like the Volkswagen Polo and Golf, and the Land Rover Range Rover have some of the lowest depreciation rates in the UK and may thus cost you less over the life of the vehicle. But which cars are the most popular with UK motorists? Which ones have the highest owner ratings? Let’s find out.
[top_pitch]
Which are the most popular cars and brands in the UK?
Zutobi collated owner reviews from three major sites: Parkers, HonestJohn.co.uk and Auto Trader, to find out the UK’s most popular cars and brands, as well as those that are not meeting expectations.
Here are the 10 best-rated cars according to their analysis.
Rank |
Car |
Average Rating |
1 |
BMW 5 Series Saloon |
4.67/5 |
2 |
Range Rover |
4.63/5 |
3 |
Honda Jazz Hatchback |
4.50/5 |
3 |
SEAT Leon Hatchback |
4.50/5 |
5 |
BMW 1 Series Hatchback |
4.40/5 |
5 |
Ford Mondeo Hatchback |
4.40/5 |
5 |
Hyundai i10 |
4.40/5 |
5 |
Skoda Fabia Hatchback |
4.40/5 |
9 |
BMW 3 Series Saloon |
4.37/5 |
9 |
Honda Civic |
4.37/5 |
In regards to brands, here are the 10 most popular:
Rank |
Brand |
Average Rating |
1 |
BMW |
4.48/5 |
2 |
Hyundai |
4.40/5 |
3 |
Honda |
4.37/5 |
3 |
Skoda |
4.37/5 |
5 |
SEAT |
4.35/5 |
6 |
Fiat |
4.30/5 |
7 |
Renault |
4.27/5 |
8 |
Toyota |
4.23/5 |
9 |
Land Rover |
4.22/5 |
10 |
Kia |
4.18/5 |
As can be seen, Germany’s BMW has the highest owner ratings, with three of its cars ranking among the top ten most popular models among owners.
A worthy mention also goes to Land Rover Range Rover. After previously appearing on our list of cars that hold their value the best, it is now also among the top rated cars by motorists, indicating that it could be a wise and dependable purchase all the way through.
Which are the least popular cars?
On the other end of the spectrum, these are the top 10 worst rated cars according to Zutobi’s analysis.
Rank |
Car |
Average Rating |
1 |
Citroen C3 |
3.60/5 |
2 |
Volkswagen Polo |
3.63/5 |
3 |
Vauxhall Corsa |
3.67/5 |
[middle_pitch]
What should I consider when buying a car?
If you are thinking of buying a new or newer car, it’s useful to take into account what other motorists are saying about it or how they rate it.
For example, you don’t want to buy a car that has received a slew of negative feedback or reviews from motorists across the country. A car rated poorly by other motorists means that you are also likely to experience issues and problems with it, and vice versa.
Not to mention, a car’s rating or popularity can have other consequences. It can, for example, affect how much you pay for car insurance.
The higher a car’s rating or popularity among owners, the lower your car insurance premiums are likely to be.
Insurance providers are likely to assume that a highly rated car has a lower likelihood of developing problems in the future, and thus a lower likelihood of the owner filing a claim.
That being said, buying a car is a personal decision. So, as much as it’s important to take into account what others say about it or how they rate it, at the end of the day, make sure that you go for the car that best meets your needs and preferences and that is also within your budget.