Car safety and child seats How we test brakes

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The Which? Car braking test highlights any problems with a car's braking system, whether it be an excessively long stopping distance or a drop-off in performance after repeated applications (brake fade).

Car owners often take the middle pedal in their car for granted – until an emergency. Every car tested in the Which? Car test centre gets an exhaustive (and exhausting) brake test, so we can determine the models that possess the ultimate stopping power.

What's in this guide

  1. Our testing

    Details of how, why and where we test brakes in the Which? Car test

  2. Best and worst

    Our top-scoring cars for braking - and those that are bottom of the pile

  3. Typical brake faults - and cures

    Things that go wrong with brakes - and tips on how to fix them

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