The Japanese car giant topped a poll organised by insurance company Warranty Direct.

Most reliable cars 1. Mazda 2. Ford 3. Honda 4. Toyota 5. Vauxhall Source: Warranty Direct (based on cost of repairs and number of breakdowns)

Manufacturer rankings were based on the number of breakdowns and the average cost of repair.

A Warranty Direct spokesman said problems with Mazda cars were "few and far between" and the cars "aged well".

"Infrequent garage visits, quick repair times and reasonable bills have kept it as the most reliable manufacturer in the UK," he said.

The second most reliable car, the survey suggests, is Ford, thanks mainly to its low annual repair cost of �208.

The average age of the vehicles analysed was 4.8 years, with 49,702 miles on the clock.

Least reliable cars 1. Jeep 2. Subaru 3. Land Rover 4. Alfa Romeo 5. Saab Source: Warranty Direct (based on cost of repairs and number of breakdowns)

The biggest improvement on last year's survey came from Nissan, which jumped nine places in the list of 23 manufacturers surveyed.

Jeep was the worst performer, with an average repair bill of �587.92, and 41 claims per 100 insurance policies held.

Jeeps were afflicted by air conditioning failures and rear suspension and axle problems, Warranty Direct said.

Subaru's dramatic fall, from 11th last year to 22nd this year, was largely down to costly repairs to the Impreza's engine and transmission units, with the average bill reaching �1,040.