Motoring Weekly

Most dependable motors revealed

March 23 - 29, 2011
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Lincoln took the top spot for the first time in a closely watched survey of long-term vehicle quality.

J.D. Power and Associates said Ford's luxury brand topped its annual vehicle dependability survey for 2011, Lexus came in second, followed by Jaguar, Porsche and Toyota.

The study measures problems experienced by the original owners of vehicles after three years. In last year's study, Porsche had the fewest problems, while Lincoln ranked second.

US car brands have shrunk the gap in initial quality with autos made in the Far East, but they still lag in long-term dependability.

US-made trucks and crossovers have more reliability problems but domestic cars perform better over the long-term, according to the survey.

Toyota, which has worked to repair its tarnished reputation after massive recalls, swept seven segment awards, more than any other automaker this year, J.D. Power said.

The Japanese company's reputation for quality came under fire after it recalled more than 14 million vehicles since late 2009.

US regulators closed their investigation into the world's largest carmaker - by sales - last month and concluded that electronic flaws were not to blame for reports of sudden, unintended acceleration.

Ford racked up four segment awards, while General Motors and Honda each received three segment awards.

The industry average was 150 problems per 100 vehicles after three years, the lowest rate since the study began in 1990.

That's down from 155 problems per 100 vehicles last year. MINI, Jeep and Land Rover owners reported the most problems after three years among the 34 brands surveyed.

The study surveyed more than 43,700 original owners of 2008 model-year vehicles between October and December 2010. The results are watched closely by automakers and are often used in advertising.







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