Toyota’s Lexus Again Rates as Most Dependable Car Brand

Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus ranked as the most dependable auto brand in the U.S. for a 14th straight year while Ford Motor Co.'s Mercury won back the No. 2 ranking in a study that shows vehicles are becoming more reliable. Lexus logged just 120 complaints for every 100 vehicles, down from 145 last year, according to the annual Vehicle Dependability Study from J.D. Power & Associates. Mercury tallied 151 reported problems, 17 fewer than last year. The survey tracks consumer complaints for 3-year-old cars and trucks.

Lexus has been the nation's top-selling luxury brand for eight straight years, underscoring Power's contention that companies that consistently deliver the most reliable vehicles are rewarded by consumers.

“Understanding and minimizing quality deterioration is critical for manufacturers, as it is a key driver of owner satisfaction and word-of-mouth recommendations,'' David Sargent, J.D. Power's vice president of automotive research, said in a statement.

The study by the Westlake Village, California-based consumer research firm focused on 2005 models. It found the number of complaints per 100 vehicles fell to an average of 206, down from 216 in last year's study, 227 the year before, and 237 before that.

General Motors Corp.'s Cadillac retained the No. 3 spot with 155 reported problems, 7 fewer than the year before.

The Toyota brand, excluding Lexus, was fourth, at 159, followed by Honda Motor Co.'s premium Acura brand with 160.

The following table shows the scores of the top 10 brands that ranked above the industry average of 206 problems per 100 vehicles and their scores from last year's Vehicle Dependability Study.

Complaints Per 100 Autos