5 European Car Brands Named the Least Reliable of 2025
Written by
G. Brian Davis
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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While some European car brands have come a long way in reliability, others still make high-maintenance cars that could cost drivers more money in the long run.
Watch out for these European auto companies flagged as the least reliable in 2025.
Volkswagen
Volkswagen has not kept pace with BMW, Audi or Porsche in the dependability department.
“Volkswagen struggles to integrate new technologies while maintaining reliability standards,” notes Alan Gelfand of German Car Depot.
As a particularly egregious example, he points to the Volkswagen ID.4, which Consumer Reports scored just 29 out of 100. That landed it on their list of the ten least reliable cars in the marketplace. In fact, J.D. Power ranks them dead last among car brands for reliability. Yikes.
Land Rover
They may look like fancy tanks on the outside, but Land Rovers bring more of a “struggle bus” vibe under the hood.
“Land Rovers are beautiful but spend an inordinate amount of time in the shop,” explains Alex Black of car research platform EpicVIN. “In particular, Land Rovers are rife with suspension and electrical issues.”
And sure enough, Land Rover scored an unimpressive reliability rating of 87.1% from WhatCar‘s latest dependability study. That ranked it in the bottom five brands for reliability.
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeos similarly struggle with dependability. That same WhatCar reliability study ranked Alfa Romeo as the second worst car company in the world (after MG).
Black sees this firsthand in post-warranty service and auction return rates.
“Alfa builds stunning vehicles that are enjoyable to drive, but they’re simply not designed for long-term reliability.”
Steer clear if you care about maintenance more than flashiness.
Fiat
Likewise, Fiats have a well-earned reputation for poor reliability.
The Italian small car specialist has failed to manufacture cars as well as their rival Mini. Fiat finds itself seventh on WhatCar’s list of least dependable car brands.
The Fiat 500X is a particularly weak entry, landing on U.S. News and World Report’s dreaded list of Most Unreliable Cars.
If you want a European sub-compact car, do yourself a favor and buy a Mini instead.
Volvo
Volvo is more of a mixed bag, with some experts coming to their defense, but Volvo still scores poor marks in reliability studies.
The 2025 J.D. Power study found that Volvos suffered 242 problems per 100 vehicles, putting them near the bottom of the pack. Consumer Reports also ranked them a low 38 out of 100 in their 2025 reliability analysis. Like the Fiat 500X, the Volvo XC90 appears on U.S. News and World Report’s Most Unreliable Cars list.
Volvos may boast good safety ratings, but they still spend far too much time in the shop.
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