Lexus tops JD Power Dependability survey, again
The J.D. Power dependability survey has just been released and for the second year, Lexus took top honors. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
The JD Power Dependability survey has been released for 2010 models, as owners were asked last year how their cars were getting on. Lexus has taken the top spot for the second consecutive year, as luxury automakers curiously took seven of the top ten slots and four of the top five.
Luxury car makers top JD Power Dependability survey
JD Power and Associates are among the most trusted sources for car reviews, among other products, as they directly survey owners, meaning input comes directly from the horses’ mouths as to what new cars are like to live with. Consumer Reports, the venerated magazine, is another, as they put every product they test through the ringer, cars included.
Every year, JD Power releases a variety of car owner surveys, among them the Vehicle Dependability Survey, which polls consumers about issues with cars they purchased new three years prior about any problems in the past year. This year’s Vehicle Dependability Survey, according to USA Today, polled owners of 2010 models.
Lexus took the top slot, followed by Porsche, Lincoln, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. The top ten were rounded out by Buick, Honda, Acura, Ram trucks and Suzuki.
Second year for Lexus
Overall, more than 37,000 car owners were surveyed for the JD Power Dependability survey. It was the second consecutive year Lexus took top honors, with 71 problems per 100 cars reported by owners, according to CNN. Porsche followed with 94, Lincoln and Toyota owners reported 112 and Mercedes-Benz owners reported 115.Either way, visiting a Toyota dealership, say, Michael’s Toyota of Bellevue, Washington, for a Toyota or Lexus appears a good proposition.
The other two major domestic makers, Ford and Dodge, came in with 127 problems per 100 and 190 per 100. Dodge was only exceeded by Range Rover, which, true to form, was last, with 220.
The industry average was 126. All told, 12 car makers ranked above average, with Mazda, Chevrolet and Ford also ranking above the average. Domestic car makers, according to USA Today, averaged 133, compared to 123 for imports. Of the 31 brands in the survey, 21 improved their scores from last year. The gap between American brands and imports also shrank from 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in last year’s survey.
Some interesting developments
However, there were a few interesting developments. New or redesigned models, usually less reliable due to kinks not being worked out yet, scored higher than cars unchanged from 2009, registering 116 problems per 100 vehicles compared to older models 133 per 100.
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Overall, cars are appearing to be more reliable as the average number of problems per 100 vehicles, according to CBS, declined 5 percent from the JD Power Dependability survey from last year, when the average was 132.