SsangYong has taken the top spot in the Honest John Satisfaction Index 2018. The Korean carmaker was crowned as the number one manufacturer in the UK, with drivers praising its ease of driving, practicality and reliability.

Each year, the Honest John Satisfaction Index asks you (our readers) about the good, the bad and the ugly of car ownership. Between December 2017 and July 2018 we received more than 10,000 responses and SsangYong came out on top, notching up an impressive 90.3 per cent satisfaction among its owners.

It’s a fantastic result for SsangYong, helped by its excellent range of SUVs, rugged four-wheel drive tech and comprehensive seven year 150,000 mile warranty.

Sports car specialist Porsche was second, with 89.4 per cent, while bargain brand Dacia took third with a highly respectable 89.3 per cent. The rise of Dacia is one of 2018’s success stories, with owners hailing their cars as practical and reliable gems.  

Jaguar was fourth with 88.7 per cent while Lexus (which was named best performing car manufacturer of 2017) slipped down to fifth place with a ownership score of 88.7 per cent.  

The best overall car in terms of satisfaction was the Toyota Prius, which achieved an overall satisfaction rating of 94.8 per cent. The Prius was also given an unprecedented 10 out of 10 by owners for reliability, making it the UK's most dependable car. 

Fiat receives the lowest ownership satisfaction rating (80.8 per cent) of any carmaker, with drivers slating the Italian firm for poor fuel economy, disappointing in-car tech and sub-standard ride comfort.

Vauxhall and Smart are tied for second worse, at 81.3 per cent, with both criticised by owners for expensive repair costs, high fuel usage and poor comfort.

Renault, MINI, Saab and MG filled the other spaces at the blunt end of the Honest John Satisfaction Index 2018.

The previous-generation of the Vauxhall Astra (built from 2009 to 2015) is the UK’s worst car for owner satisfaction, with owners complaining about the lacklustre on-the-road performance. Drivers also felt that Vauxhall’s official fuel economy figures were misleading with few getting the mpg they were promised at the showroom.

The Renault Captur crossover is the second worst car. Owners felt that it lagged behind its rivals on ride comfort and economy. The Captur is also ranked as one of the worst cars for on-the-road performance, with owners giving it just six out of 10.

Each car manufacturer and model was assessed on reliability, build quality, fuel economy, repair costs and performance. Ride comfort, handling, ease of driving, practicality and technology were also considered, as well as safety. To qualify for a listing in the Honest John Satisfaction Index, each model and manufacturer must have received a minimum of 20 independent owner reviews. 

See the full rankings

NFU Mutual claims best for car insurance crown for second consecutive year

NFU Mutual has once again been named the best car insurer in the Honest John Satisfaction Index. It topped the board with an overall rating of 9.20 out of a maximum score of 10, heading a list of 35 UK insurance firms.

Second place went to John Lewis with a mark of 9.02, while Santander took third spot. All were praised for the quality of their customer service and value for money.

LV= (Liverpool Victoria) and Sheilas' Wheels complete the final five, while Sainsbury's Bank, Quote me happy, Saga, Co-Op and Direct Line round up the top 10 insurers.

Elephant registered the lowest result of 7.43, followed by 1st Central, Zurich, Hastings Direct and Swinton. 

Not happy with your insurer? We strongly recommend that you see how competitive your insurer is every year - and don't just accept an auto renewal.

Use our Insurance Guide as a starting point to start saving money on cover and use a range of comparison sites like Confused*, Go Compare, and Compare The Market to get a good idea of which insurers are the most competitive.