Lexus, Porsche top vehicle dependability rankings: Study

DETROIT (AP) - Vehicles are more dependable than ever for Americans, a new study reveals.

J D Power and Associates' latest study, which measures problems experienced in the last year by owners of three-year-old vehicles, found that reported problems fell 5 per cent to the lowest level since the consulting company began collecting this data in 1989.

Lexus, Porsche, Lincoln and Toyota owners reported the fewest problems, while Jeep, Mitsubishi, Dodge and Land Rover owners had the most. Owners reported an average of 126 problems per 100 vehicles from the 2010 model year, down from 132 in last year's survey. Problems can be anything from engine failure to dashboard electronic glitches to excessive wind noise.

For the first time, cars and trucks that were new or redesigned for 2010 performed better than those that were unchanged from the 2009 model year. Owners of new models experienced 116 problems per 100 vehicles compared with 133 for models that weren't new in 2010. That result challenges the conventional wisdom that it takes carmakers one or two model years to work out all the glitches in new cars.