Mercedes-Benz takes the Fleet Van of the Year award for the ninth year running with the Sprinter Van.

The superb Sprinter has scooped the highly-prized ‘Fleet Van of the Year’ accolade at the Motor Transport Awards for the ninth year – smashing its own record in the number of times this honour has been claimed by Mercedes-Benz Vans.

The Sprinter emerged victorious with its latest makeover giving the van a fresh new look, improved driving capability and a host of new safety features. The Motor Transport jury of fleet van operators felt the all-round package from Mercedes-Benz – reliability, performance and operational efficiency – gave it the edge over its rivals.

“We have a very demanding operation, which puts the focus on reliability and durability,” one judge commented. “The Sprinters we run make a significant contribution to our operation. When something does go wrong, which isn’t very often, the Mercedes network is quick to react and get us back on the road.”

“That three-pointed star on the grille counts for a lot,” another judge commented. “We know what we’re going to get, a reliable, consistent performer.”

Motor Trader Editor Steve Hobson added: “The Sprinter is a worthy winner of the title Fleet Van of the Year. It continues to set new standards for driver safety and comfort as well as being a reliable, economical and hard-working vehicle.”

The prestigious Motor Transport Awards took place last night at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane in London, with Kevin Ferris, Head of Strategic Planning at Mercedes-Benz Vans collecting the accolade.

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans, said of the win: “We set the record in the 2013 Motor Transport Awards by winning the title for an eight time, so to win again this year, is an astonishing feat. To say we are honoured to receive the Fleet Van of the Year title for an unprecedented ninth time is therefore a huge understatement!

“We knew that the Sprinter was an unbeatable van, so to have the industry recognise it as one is a true testament to its deserved appeal.”

Since the ‘Fleet Van of the Year’ category was introduced at the Motor Transport Awards 14 years ago, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has lifted the trophy in 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2004 and 2003.

The new Sprinter was the world’s first van to meet the future Euro VI emissions standard, and also introduced standard-fit Crosswind Assist to the industry. 

The large van is available in a choice of three wheelbases, four lengths, and three loading space heights, as well as a 4x4 variant, offering a payload to 2,532 kg and volume to 17 m³.The first version of Sprinter was presented almost 21 years ago and since 2000, a driver airbag has been standard, with Adaptive ESP^® new in 2006.

Honda has taken the title as the most reliable brand in Europe, do you agree, let us know !

• Honda rated as the most reliable car manufacturer by Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) survey
• Honda Jazz least likely to spend time in the garage, while Civic, CR-V and Insight also rated highly
• Over 30,000 European Drivers surveyed on 178 different models
• Survey focused on reliability and experiences of European motorists

A survey carried out by Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU), of over 30,000 European drivers focusing on the reliability of over 178 different models has found that customers rate Honda as the most reliable car brand.

Overall, Honda ranked top of the survey, receiving a reliability rating of 93/100 and with further 79% of survey respondents saying that they would recommend a Honda vehicle. The Honda Jazz was rated as the top car in terms of reliability in the “utility” vehicles category. Other Honda models were also highly rated with the Civic, CR-V and Insight placing in the top 10 of most reliable cars in their respective categories.

Price, fuel consumption, practicality and reliability are key considerations for consumers when buying a car. The OCU survey focused on reliability to find out if owners had experienced breakdowns in the past year and to find out the type of problems drivers had experienced. From this data they established a reliability index which can be used to compare the likelihood of a breakdown between different makes and models on the market.

“Reliability and quality are synonymous with the Honda brand,” says Honda Motor Europe’s senior vice president, Philip Ross. “The results of the survey highlight the importance of the quality commitments Honda has made to its customers. It is important for Honda to ensure that customers can experience the joy of owning a Honda vehicle and enjoy driving them with the peace of mind that the cars are among the least likely to experience breakdowns.”

Skoda takes the title as most dependable brand in JD Powers inaugural UK Vehicle Dependability Study.

Technology is Creating Problems for Vehicle Owners  

Škoda ranks highest in vehicle dependability among all nameplates in the United Kingdom, according to the inaugural J.D. Power 2015 UK  (VDS) released today.

The study measures problems experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of vehicles in the United Kingdom after 12-36 months of ownership. The study examines 177 problem symptoms across eight categories: 

• engine and transmission; 
• vehicle exterior; 
• driving experience; 
• features/controls/displays; 
• audio/communication/entertainment/navigation (ACEN); 
• seats; 
• heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC); 
• vehicle interior. 
• 
• 

Overall dependability is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

Škoda ranks highest with a score of 77 PP100. Kia ranks second with 83 PP100, followed by Suzuki with 86 PP100; Nissan with 87 PP100; and Toyota and Mercedes-Benz in a tie with 88 PP100 each. The overall industry average is 114 PP100. Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, which ranks sixth (93 PP100), are the only premium brands to rank above industry average.

Five of the top 11 problems in the industry are related to technology in the ACEN category. The most often reported ACEN problem is with built-in Bluetooth mobile phone/device frequent pairing/connectivity issues.

“As we’ve seen in studies in the United States and other markets, owners want in-vehicle technology, and their expectations of advanced technology capabilities are growing,” said Dr. Axel Sprenger, senior director of European automotive operations at J.D. Power. 

“When they have a problem with the technology—and the definition of dependability is increasingly influenced by usability—vehicle owners are disappointed.”

That disappointment affects owner loyalty and advocacy. The study finds that among those who report three or more problems, only 33 percent say they “definitely will” purchase the same brand next time, compared with 48 percent of owners who report no problems.

Highest-Ranked Models

Mercedes-Benz has two models (E-Class and C-Class) that receive segment awards. Kia (cee’d), Suzuki (Alto), Nissan (Juke) and Honda (Jazz) each receive one award. While the Škoda nameplate does not receive any model-level awards, every Škoda model included in the study performs better than its segment average.

KEY FINDINGS

The most frequently reported problems are in the exterior category (19 PP100), followed by features/controls/displays (17 PP100) and interior (17 PP100).

ŸThe overall average score among premium nameplates is 155 PP100, which is 52 PP100 more than the volume average of 103 PP100. 

The problem categories with the largest gaps in dependability scores between the premium and volume vehicle segments are features/controls/displays (26 PP100 vs. 15 PP100, respectively) and interior (24 PP100 vs. 15 PP100).

In addition to reporting problems experienced with their 1- to 3-year-old vehicles, owners also rate the severity of each problem they experience. 

The scale for problem severity ranges from 1 (very minor problem) to 5 (very serious problem). Seven of the 10 most severe problems are in the engine/transmission category and two are in the driving experience category. 

Among owners who experience most of these problems, only 60 to 70 percent, depending on the problem, take their vehicle to their dealer to service the problem.

Among owners who report an excessive fuel consumption problem, only 22 percent say they “definitely will” purchase the same brand of vehicle again, compared with 43 percent of those who do not report such a problem.

The 2015 UK VDS also measures owner satisfaction with their vehicle. Owners are asked to rate the various aspects of their vehicle, including its interior, exterior, ACEN, driving dynamics and visibility and safety, which comprise an overall vehicle satisfaction index based on a 1,000-point scale. 

Overall satisfaction among premium brand owners averages 765, while overall satisfaction among volume vehicle owners is 715.

Among owners of premium vehicles, satisfaction is highest with the exterior (794) and driving dynamics (784) aspects of their vehicle and lowest with fuel economy (719) and storage and space (739). Among owners of volume vehicles, satisfaction is highest with the exterior (735) and visibility and safety (731) aspects and lowest with their vehicle’s ACEN system (690).

The 2015 UK Vehicle Dependability Study is based on 13,451 respondents who purchased their vehicle between April 2012 and March 2014. The study was fielded between March and May 2015.  

The UK VDS, along with the J.D. Power 2015 UK Customer Service Index (CSI) Study,^SM scheduled to release on August 12, replace the J.D. Power UK Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study^SM (VOSS), providing deeper and more detailed insights into vehicle dependability and after-sales solutions for automakers, suppliers and dealerships.

The VW Transporter must be good, the AA has just requested a supply of 500 units to assist motorists.

• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles secures new contract with the AA
• Volkswagen to supply more than 500 Transporters to bolster AA fleet
• Transporters chosen for reliability,  efficiency and servicing packages

Whether they’re suffering from a flat battery in Falkirk or a breakdown in Brighton, around 15 million people in the UK who rely on the AA for roadside assistance will soon welcome the sight of a full-equipped Volkswagen Transporter arriving to help get them back on the road. 

That’s because a new agreement will see more than 500 Transporters, including around 70 4MOTION all-wheel-drive versions, added to the AA’s patrol fleet – a move that will ensure  stranded motorists across the country are rescued by one of the most reliable and dependable vans on the road.

Key factors in the AA’s decision to add to its fleet of patrol vehicles included the Transporter’s payload capabilities, safety features and adaptable load area. Like all Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, the AA’s new Transporters will benefit from Volkswagen’s award winning aftersales programme, and with more than 70 dedicated Volkswagen Van Centres across the UK, patrols will never be far away from warranty support.

The Transporters will be painted in the AA’s distinctive yellow trademark colour at the Volkswagen factory in Hannover. The vehicles will also be converted for purpose with specialist racking to accommodate the AA’s tow system, tools and additional equipment.

Sarah Millward, Commercial Director, AA Road Operations, commented: ‘Our members rely on us throughout the year for efficient roadside recovery, therefore when looking at manufacturers to bolster our fleet we took into account vehicle performance, value for money and servicing packages. The Volkswagen Transporter was an ideal fit for our fleet thanks to its drivability and load space combined with the reliability of Volkswagen engineering.’

Chris Black, Head of Fleet at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK, added: ‘We work in partnership with the AA which offers exclusive round-the-clock support and care for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle customers, and we are delighted that from 2015, AA members will receive roadside assistance from patrols in Transporter vehicles.’

Warrenty Direct details the most reliable Eco cars in the second hand market today.

• Warranty Direct names economical used cars with proven reliability
• Ford Fiesta ECOnetic boasts winning dependability and economy

Research by Warranty Direct has highlighted the used cars aged three years or older which offer the best combination of reliability and economy, as motorists continue to look for ways to reduce the cost of car ownership.

Manufacturers are continually developing new technology which delivers better fuel consumption and lower emissions, but some more complex machines are still prone to going wrong, forcing owners to foot expensive repair bills.

Warranty Direct analysed its 50,000 live policies, using the Company’s unique Reliability Index (www.reliabilityindex.com) to measure overall reliability by combining rate of failure, average mileage, age and repair cost.

Ranking cars based on fuel economy in this instance, Warranty Direct used its Reliability Index to name the top ten reliable makes and models of three years or more, as well as the optimal engine and trim combination for the best return at the pumps.

Top ten rated eco cars

(A higher Reliability Index rating means the vehicle is less reliable and more expensive to run)

Make and model	Year	Most economical derivative	Combined MPG	VED band	Reliability Index Score*	Largest claim*
Ford Fiesta	(08 - )	1.6 TDCi (95bhp) Edge ECOnetic II	85	A	24	1,698.85
Smart Fortwo	(07 - )	CDI Pure 2d Auto	85	A	50	918.89
Skoda Fabia	(07 - )	1.2 TDI CR Greenline II	83	A	32	1,043.15
Peugeot 3008	(09 - )	2.0 e-HDi Allure Hybrid4	74	A	29	801.20
SEAT Ibiza	(06 - 09)	1.4 TDi Ecomotive	74	A	30	628.00
Volkswagen Polo	(05 - )	1.4 BlueMotion TDI (80ps)	74	A	50	2,615.23
Toyota Auris	(07 - )	1.8 VVTi Hybrid T Spirit 5d CVT Auto	70	A	39	1,509.56
Citroen C3 Picasso	(09 - )	1.6 Hdi 8v 90 VTR+	68	B	40	732.00
Toyota Yaris	(06 - )	1.4 D-4D TR	67	B	32	1,646.49
Nissan Note	(06 - )	1.5 (90bhp) dCi Visia	67	B	34	2,019.70

The results revealed that the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, with an impressive combined MPG figure of 85.6 had the best mix of fuel economy and reliability. The Smart Fortwo was able to match the Fiesta’s MPG figure and is unlikely to let its owners down, though it suffered marginally more mechanical faults than the Ford.

The SEAT Ibiza, Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia put in a strong showing for the Volkswagen Group with closely matched scores, though the Skoda nudged ahead of its stablemates owing to an MPG return of 83.1. However, the frugal SEAT is statistically more reliable.

David Gerrans, Managing Director at Warranty Direct commented: “the ‘eco’ derivatives of a used vehicle are often desirable, promising economical motoring for the cost-conscious buyer.

“However, savings on fuel and road tax can soon be countered with astronomical bills for mechanical or electrical failure. It is important to take these factors into account when selecting a car based on green credentials.”