19 least reliable cars according to ADAC (2020)

The German ADAC automobile association regularly publishes a car reliability index according to the number of breakdowns by its yellow angels and the number of defects that have occurred in broken cars.

In the statistics for 2020, all the 3,756,226 breakdowns of ADAC yellow angels and their partners in 2019 were recorded and evaluated. With a total of 113 models of 25 brands, there is enough data available to provide an objective picture of their reliability.

All the makes and models can be found here

A-segment / City car / Minicompact

The clear loser in this category is the Smart ForFour, which has had many defects, especially with the models produced in 2015 and 2016. Even the sibling Smart ForTwo from this period of production is not without faults. There are problems with the starter, automated shifting and battery. The Fiat 500 made in 2014 or 2015 is also not a good choice, it often has problems with the battery and shifting.

Smart ForFour

ForFour Recalls

Smart ForTwo

ForTwo Recalls

Fiat 500

Fiat 500 Recalls

Legend: Number of breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles registered (= breakdown index) by year of first registration (EZ)

• 2019 – The Most Recalled Cars in Europe
• These 11 cars had the most recalls in 2019

B-segment / Supermini / Subcompact

The problem child in this category is the Hyundai i20 from 2011 to 2014. Most of the breakdowns in his case were due to defects in the ignition and spark plugs. The Opel Meriva from 2017 also has an alarming number of breakdowns. These are often associated with the cooling system: leaky hoses and defective water pumps.

Hyundai i20

Hyundai Recalls

Opel Meriva

Opel Meriva Recalls

Legend: Number of breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles registered (= breakdown index) by year of first registration (EZ)

C-segment / Small family / Compact

As in previous years, the Nissan Qashqai is a particularly bad choice. Problems occur in all the monitored production periods from 2010 to 2017. Kia Ceed from the 2011 has the highest total number of breakdowns this year. There is a wide range of different defects – so it is really difficult, if not impossible, to find a good used one. Other models from different production periods also performed badly: in alfabetical order – Ford C-MAX (2010), Ford Kuga (2012), Hyundai i30 (2010), KIA Sportage (2011), Peugeot 308 (2010-12), Renault Kangoo (2015) -17), and Renault Scénic (2014-15).

Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai Recalls

Kia Ceed

Kia Recalls

Ford C-Max

Ford C-Max Recalls

Ford Kuga

Ford Kuga Recalls

Hyundai i30

Hyundai i30 Recalls

Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage Recalls

Peugeot 308

Peugeot 308 Recalls

Renault Kangoo

Renault Kangoo Recalls

Renault Scenic

Renault Scénic Recalls

Legend: Number of breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles registered (= breakdown index) by year of first registration (EZ)

D-segment / Large family / Mid-size

The middle class also includes the MPVs Ford S-Max, Seat Alhambra and VW Sharan with a high frequency of breakdowns. With the Ford S-Max, not only does the battery fail frequently, but also the particle filter, the fuel pump or the generator. The poor result with the Seat Alhambra and VW Sharan is mostly caused by problems with the exhaust gas recirculation. The Opel Insignia from 2015-2016 is not a good choice either.

Ford S-Max

Ford S-Max Recalls

Seat Alhambra

Seat Alhambra Recalls

VW Sharan

VW Sharan Recalls

Opel Insignia

Opel Insignia Recalls

Legend: Number of breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles registered (= breakdown index) by year of first registration (EZ)

E-segment / Executive / Full-size

The nine and ten-year-old Mercedes E-Classes have given off a bad picture. Problems with components such as the starter, the ignition lock and the battery add up to worn hoses and defects in the steering. The balance only improves the E-Classes from the year of production between 2013 and 2014.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes E-Class Recalls

Legend: Number of breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles registered (= breakdown index) by year of first registration (EZ)

All the makes and models can be found here

Source: ADAC

Where now?

• TÜV Report 2021 – Dacia in trouble, Opel and Hyundai in the top 10
• Which cars are the most clocked? Germans and Skoda in the top 15
• The most common problems by Make
• VIN Check for Recalls
• Weekly Overviews
• Subscribe to our Newsletter