The most reliable cars of 1996

Every 1996 car tested in Britain in one year, ranked by how often it failed. Measured, not surveyed.

Best

#	Car	Engine	Failure rate	Tests
1	Porsche 911	3.6 Petrol	9%	1,001
2	Jaguar XJ	3.2 Petrol	20%	553
3	Land Rover Discovery	2.5 Diesel	23%	1,123
4	BMW 3 Series	2.8 Petrol	23%	518
5	Mazda MX-5	1.8 Petrol	24%	1,101
6	Peugeot Boxer	2.4 Diesel	25%	614
7	Toyota Starlet	1.3 Petrol	25%	502
8	Land Rover Defender	2.5 Diesel	25%	4,360
9	Rover Mini	1.3 Petrol	25%	953
10	MG MGF	1.8 Petrol	27%	734
11	Ford Transit	2.5 Diesel	27%	945
12	Fiat Ducato	2.5 Diesel	28%	674
13	Nissan Micra	1.0 Petrol	29%	534
14	Volkswagen Transporter	2.4 Diesel	29%	1,313
15	Volkswagen Transporter	1.9 Diesel	32%	1,654

Worst

#	Car	Engine	Failure rate	Tests
1	Volkswagen Transporter	1.9 Diesel	32%	1,654
2	Volkswagen Transporter	2.4 Diesel	29%	1,313
3	Nissan Micra	1.0 Petrol	29%	534
4	Fiat Ducato	2.5 Diesel	28%	674
5	Ford Transit	2.5 Diesel	27%	945
6	MG MGF	1.8 Petrol	27%	734
7	Rover Mini	1.3 Petrol	25%	953
8	Land Rover Defender	2.5 Diesel	25%	4,360
9	Toyota Starlet	1.3 Petrol	25%	502
10	Peugeot Boxer	2.4 Diesel	25%	614
11	Mazda MX-5	1.8 Petrol	24%	1,101
12	BMW 3 Series	2.8 Petrol	23%	518
13	Land Rover Discovery	2.5 Diesel	23%	1,123
14	Jaguar XJ	3.2 Petrol	20%	553
15	Porsche 911	3.6 Petrol	9%	1,001

What this measures

Britain tests every car over three years old against a published standard and publishes the result. This is that record for the 1996 model year, so every car here is the same age and none is flattered by being newer.

A car driven less fails less. An expensive one often sits high for reasons that are not about how well it was built, which is why the app can rank these at the same odometer reading.