When it comes to automobile manufacturing, every country has its strongholds. The German automobile industry is known for impeccable engineering; the Italians are famed for their design prowess, and British manufacturers excel at luxury cars. In fact, most well-known British manufacturers are luxury brands. These brands include Rolls-Royce, Jaguar, Bentley, Aston Martin, Range Rover, McLaren, and Mini.
Since luxury vehicles are not so affordable, it's easier to buy used ones. However, while buying a used car, you'd want to make sure it's reliable. If we're to go by market statistics, this might be the best time to buy a used car. According to government data, the prices of used cars fell by 0.4% in April after the price surge in 2021. So, if luxury British cars are your kettle of fish, we've put together some of the most reliable British luxury cars to buy used.
10 2018 Jaguar XJ
Jaguar introduced the XJ model in 1968, and from 1970, the saloon was the manufacturer's flagship model. Till today, the Jaguar XJ remains one of the brand's most important models. The 2018 Jaguar XJ has no recalls from the NHTSA and is pretty reliable.
Blessed with a wide range of engine options, the Jaguar XJ perfectly balances cutting-edge tech and performance. Unlike previous models, the 2019 Jaguar XJ has available Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
9 2015 Jaguar XF
To replace the Jaguar S-Type, the XF sedan was born. The Jaguar XF made its debut at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show and was released in the latter part of the year. Coincidentally, as the XF sedan was being released, Ford Motors sold the Jaguar brand to Tata Motors.
The 2015 Jaguar XF has ample interior space and as expected of a luxury vehicle, the XF is built with high-quality materials. Besides the numerous awards the Jaguar XF has won, the 2015 model is also highly rated by J.D. Power when it comes to reliability.
8 2016 Noble M600
Like every other vehicle from Noble Motors, the Noble M600 is hand-built and produced in low quantity. The Carbon sport version is made of carbon fiber and the higher trim is built with fiberglass body panels. Irrespective of the body panel material, every Noble M600 features an aluminum chassis.
For power, the manufacturer equipped the supercar with a Volvo/Yamaha V8 engine. Besides the famous clutch failure on Top Gear, there seems to be nothing wrong with the Noble M600.
7 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan
There's absolutely no way we could talk about British luxury cars without mentioning one or two Rolls-Royce models. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan debuted in 2018, and like all Rolls-Royce models, it came with a hefty price tag. Amongst all carmakers around the globe, Rolls-Royce and its cars have one of the most meticulous production processes.
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan has a bulky build that is synonymous with other vehicles from the British manufacturer. For a car its size, the Cullinan drives smoothly. The 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan has no recall history.
6 2003 Rolls-Royce Phantom
In 2003, one of the biggest takeovers in recent automobile history occurred when BMW purchased Rolls-Royce from Volkswagen AG. The Rolls-Royce Phantom was the first model built under BMW's leadership. Somehow, BMW managed to build a car that looked completely British with German components and technology.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom was also built with British coach-building techniques. At the time of its release, the Rolls-Royce Phantom cost about $350,000. With customization, the price could get to $500,000. However, you can get a used 2003 model for about $150,000. The 2003 Phantom is also very solid as there has been only one recall from the NHTSA.
5 2020 Bentley Continental GT
When the Bentley brand was under Rolls-Royce Motors, it functioned as an exclusive marque with low volume production. However, Volkswagen AG took over Bentley in 1998. In 2003, Volkswagen AG released their first Bentley car– the Continental GT.
Talking about firsts, the Continental GT was also the first Bentley car to be mass-produced. Amongst all Bentley Continental GT models, the 2020 model is the most reliable with just three minor recalls. Amazing performance aside, the Bentley Continental GT has a luxe interior and cockpit.
4 2019 Aston Martin Vantage
Available in coupe, convertible, and speedster styles, the Aston Martin Vantage is a versatile supercar. The model debuted in 2018, and it used a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 from the Mercedes-AMG division. There's also an available Aston Martin 5.2-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine.
As a true supercar, the 2019 Aston Martin Vantage offers both manual and automatic transmission systems. For the past two decades, Aston Martin has been working on improving its reliability. The 2019 Aston Martin Vantage is incredibly well-built and doesn't have any significant recall history.
3 2006 Lotus Elise
If you want a rare race car with thrilling performance, then, the Lotus Elise might be a good bet. Since the manufacturer doesn't do much mass production, their cars are extremely rare. As for reliability, the Lotus Elise gets mainly positive reviews and ratings.
The manufacturer started using Toyota engines in 2014 and as we all know, Toyota has high ratings in reliability. Though the 2006 Lotus Elise is a terrific performer, it's not suitable for daily driving. Unlike most luxury cars we've mentioned, the Lotus Elise has spartan furnishings.
2 2012 Range Rover Evoque
Although the Range Rover Evoque only made its debut in 2011, the project started a long time ago. The Range Rover Evoque is based on the LRX concept and this concept car was unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show.
The compact luxury crossover class has strong competitors like the Mercedes C-Class and the Audi Q5. The 2012 Range Rover Evoque is equipped with a Ford-designed powertrain. According to RepairPal, the Range Rover Evoque is rated 3.0 out of 5.0 in reliability. The 2012 Evoque model also has a high consumer rating on J.D. Power.
1 2017 McLaren 650S
With McLaren's experience and history in Motorsports, it's expected to make reliable supercars. The McLaren 650S is probably the closest we'd get to a Formula 1 car. McLaren's 3.8-liter V8 in the 2017 650S produces up to 641 horsepower. Apart from the powerful engine, the 650S features some Formula 1 technology.
For the chassis, the marque used a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer chassis. As you can imagine, McLaren made a GT3 race version of the 650S. There isn't enough data to rate the McLaren 650S, but the 2017 model hasn't had any recall issues.