Best car breakdown providers for 2023

The car breakdown cover service you sign up to makes a big difference. The best will almost always get to you in under an hour and, in most instances, have the tools and knowledge to get your car going again.

The worst can leave you stranded at the side of the road for hours, and have much less chance of fixing your vehicle on the spot.

Our ratings are based on feedback from more than 7,000 people who had to call out their breakdown service within the 12 months prior to completing our survey. You can trust our findings as they're based on the real-life experiences of people using these services.

The tables below reveal how the companies we've rated stack up against each other. As you'll discover, the best breakdown providers aren't always the most expensive.

Keep reading to compare the best and worst breakdown providers. 

Compare breakdown cover providers

Breakdown providers, such as the AA and RAC (also known as third-party breakdown providers), provide cover for almost any car and usually charge annually, although some may offer monthly payment options.

You may also get breakdown cover from these providers as part of another service you pay for, such as a packaged bank account or car insurance (read our guide to find out how to get cheap car insurance quotes).

• We've rated 11 third-party breakdown cover companies, including big names such as the AA, RAC and Green Flag as well as other providers including GEM Motoring Assist, LV Britannia Rescue and Start Rescue.
• Only two are Which? Recommended Providers (and which two these are might surprise you).

The table below is in alphabetical order and the results are locked. To unlock our results and reveal our full analysis, you can join Which?. You'll also get access to all our online reviews, including our expert, independent new and used car reviews.

Already a Which? member? Log in to see our results.

Best and worst breakdown cover providers

If you're looking for tips on how to keep breakdown costs down, when to haggle and how to avoid having to haggle, head to our expert guide on how to buy the best breakdown cover

Compare car manufacturer breakdown cover

Car manufacturer breakdown cover is often included for a set period (typically one to three years) when you buy a new car. Some manufacturers will extend this by 12 months at no extra cost if you have the car serviced at an authorised dealership or garage.

Your car manufacturer doesn't actually provide the breakdown service - it’s usually supplied by a third-party provider such as the AA or RAC. As an example, if you’ve bought a new Ford you will get Ford Assistance breakdown cover, but since the AA is the chosen provider it will be an AA van that turns up to help you if your Ford fails.

• We've rated 14 car manufacturer breakdown providers, including BMW Roadside Assistance, Hondacare Assistance, Toyota Roadside Assistance and Volkswagen Roadside Assistance.
• Three were good enough to be Which? Recommended Providers – all three got to more than 80% of breakdowns within an hour, and their high customer scores show their customers are happy with the service.

The table below is in alphabetical order and the full results are locked. Join Which? to unlock our table - you'll also get access to all of our expert reviews, including our independent car reviews.

If you're already a Which? member, log in to view our results.

Best and worst car manufacturers for breakdown cover

What makes a WRP for breakdown cover?

To become a Which? Recommended Provider (WRP) for breakdown cover, third-party providers and car manufacturer providers must receive a customer score of at least 70% and be among the best performers when it comes to how long customers had to wait for help and how knowledgeable the mechanic was. 

Third-party providers are also rated on how successful they were at fixing the fault at the scene of the breakdown.

All ratings are based on the survey responses of more than 7,000 customers who experienced a breakdown in the 12 months prior to our survey.

Customer score

The customer score reflects how satisfied customers say they are with their provider and how likely they would be to recommend it. Providers must receive a minimum sample size of 30 to be awarded a customer score.

Total score

We rank breakdown providers by their total score.

• Third-party breakdown providers - total score is made up of: 50% customer score,  25% waiting time, 15% fixed at the scene, and 10% knowledge of the mechanic
• Car manufacturers - total score is made up of 50% customer score, 35% waiting time and 15% knowledge of the mechanic.