Compare The Recall Records Of Up To Three Car Models Side By Side, Using DVSA Recalls And DfT Licensing Data

Pick up to three models to compare their UK car recall records since 2020: how many recalls, how serious, which systems and how many cars each affected, alongside how many of each model are on the road. Then check the actual car's registration, because one car's open recall matters more than any model's total.

How To Read The Comparison

Read the recalls per 100,000 licensed cars first, then the stop-drive count and the systems affected. The raw number of recalls is the least useful figure on its own.

Recalls since 2020

DVSA recall references launched since 1 January 2020.

Per 100,000 cars

Car recalls since 2020 divided by the make’s cars licensed in the UK, times 100,000.

Stop-drive

Recalls whose notice tells owners not to drive.

Models with fewer than five recalls since 2020 show a list of those recalls instead of percentages, because a rate built on one or two recalls would mislead.¹

Does A Recall Mean A Car Is Unreliable?

No. A recall means the manufacturer found a safety defect and agreed a free fix under DVSA's oversight. Reliability surveys measure breakdowns and faults, which are usually not recalls.³

The two measure different things. A recall is a planned repair for a defect that could affect safety, organised by the manufacturer and often done before most owners notice a problem. A reliability survey counts what goes wrong in everyday use: electrical gremlins, worn parts, failed sensors. A car can have several recalls and still be dependable day to day, and a car with no recalls can still be costly to run.

What matters most is whether the recalls on a given car have been done. DVSA's last published figures show 89 % to 98 % of cars and light vans were fixed by the time recalls closed.⁴ A commercial study, whose method is not public, has claimed that a large share of recalled UK cars remain unrepaired.⁵ Either way, the specific car's open-recall status matters more than its model's count. See what a car recall means.

Why per-100k Figures Are Fairer

Best-sellers collect more recalls simply because there are more of them on the road. Dividing by the number licensed, from DfT figures, shows the rate instead of the size.¹

The same logic works at brand level. Since 2020, Ford has launched 207 UK recalls and Mercedes-Benz 421. Ford has about 3,703,510 cars licensed in the UK against 1,768,348 for Mercedes-Benz, so per 100,000 cars the gap is much wider: about 3.43 for Ford against 18.04 for Mercedes-Benz. Models work the same way. A rare model with two recalls can have a higher rate than a best-seller with ten. See which car makes have the most recalls.

Shared Platforms, Shared Recalls

Models built on the same platform or with the same engine often share recalls, so switching badge does not always avoid a campaign.⁶

Common examples include:

• Stellantis 1.2 PureTech engines in Peugeot, Citroën, Vauxhall and DS models, recalled together for belt and fire-risk problems. See PureTech recalls.
• Jaguar and Land Rover models that share components and sometimes share recall codes.
• Volkswagen Group models across Audi, SEAT, Cupra, Škoda and Volkswagen that use the same parts.

Shared recalls are also why two models from different brands can show almost identical records. The comparison flags recalls that cover more than one of your chosen models, so you can see where a problem is shared rather than unique.

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Before you buy

Check The Actual Car, Not Just The Model

Run the registration through the checker and ask the seller for proof that open recalls were done. A dealer must fix safety recalls before selling to a consumer.⁷

A private seller does not have the same duty, so the check matters even more when buying privately.⁷ Ask for the dealer's record of completed recall work, confirm with the manufacturer by VIN, and book any open recall straight after you buy, as the repair is normally free. See buying a used car with an outstanding recall for a printable checklist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Car Has The Fewest Recalls?

It depends on how you count. See the per-100,000 rankings on which car makes have the most recalls.

Is A Model With Many Software Recalls Worse?

Not necessarily. Software fixes are often quick dealer or over-the-air updates. See software recalls.

Can I Compare Vans?

Yes. Light vans are included, but compare vans with vans. See van recalls.

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Data: DVSA vehicle recall data (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 15 October 2026. Licensed vehicle figures: DfT vehicle licensing statistics (2026 Q2).