The Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2006) has been named as Europe’s most reliable used car.

A study from Warranty Direct reveals that the German model topped the list with a breakdown rate of 1 in 10 on average each year.

The study analysed approximately 20,000 live polices on European cars aged three to six years for its Reliability Index website (www.reliabilityindex.com).

Skoda builds the second most reliable used European car, the Fabia (2007-) – only 15% of owners will be paying for repairs each year. Next most reliable is the Smart ForTwo (2007-) and the Volvo C70 (2006-).

At the other end of the reliability scale, 85% of Land Rover Discovery (2004-2009) models covered by Warranty Direct recorded a fault in the last 12 months, followed by the Bentley Continental GT (2003-2010), of which 78% needed attention.

The most costly single claim among the bottom 10 cars was £10,120 for a BMW 7-Series fault, but a small number of cars typically cost far less.

Over the last 12 months even the largest claim for a Skoda Fabia was only £180.

Warranty Direct managing director, Duncan McClure Fisher, said: “It is very interesting to see the Mercedes at the top of the pile for European cars. It’s big and it’s packed with technology, which is not usually the recipe for a reliable car, but it’s proved to be excellent.”