Have you been looking for a dependable, reliable car you can really count on?  A vehicle that can get you from point A to point B without the fear of something going wrong?  Well, look no further because J.D. Power has just released its’ independent Vehicle Dependability Study for 2008, citing the very best vehicle’s on the market has reported by over 50,000 owners spanning a 3 three year time period. 

What Made The List

Not surprising, Lexus came out on top for an impressive 14th consecutive year as the most dependable car in the country.  According to the study, Lexus models took top honors in 6 categories, including best entry premium vehicle, as well as midsize and premium sporty car categories.  Owners of the Lexus praised both the LX 470 and the GX 470 for braking and handling control, engine reliability and features, while owners of the Lexus SC 430 agreed that the transmission was relatively trouble free.  Owners of the LS 430 ranked it has having a top of the line engine and enjoyed trouble free features and controls. 

Rounding out the top five most dependable of 2008 are Mercury, Toyota, Acura and Cadillac.  Study results also cited SAAB has being most improved over the last three years, while Subaru, Jeep and Scion proved to be in need of the most improvements.  

Breaking It Down

Sub-Compact: Among the most reliable sub-compact cars, the Hyundai Accent took home top honors, while the Scion xA came in second and the Chevrolet Aveo rounded out the top three. Owners of the Hyundai Accent praised its’ engine reliability and heating/air conditioning system as being top of the line. 

Compact: The most reliable car in this category went to the popular hybrid, Toyota Prius.  Owners liked the engine reliability of the Prius and gave it high marks for overall ride, handling and braking ability, as well as its’ resistance to corrosion.  The Mitsubishi Lancer and Toyota Corolla rounded out the three best vehicles in this category.

Compact Sporty Car: The Mazda Miata zipped over the rest to take home the title of ‘Most Dependable Compact Sporty Car.’  Owners loved the Miata’s ability to handle and brake well, but did cite some flaws with the seats and sound system.  Rounding out the category are the Toyota Celica and Subaru Outback Sport.

Round Up

Other vehicles that topped the list are the Chevy Monte Carlo (Midsize Sporty Car), Buick Century (Midsize Car), Honda S2000 (Compact Premium Sporty Car), Lexus ES 330 (Midsize Premium Car), Honda Element (Compact SUV), Ford Ranger (Midsize Pickup) and the Mercury Monterey (Van).

For the complete list, as well as dependability ratings by brand, visit JDPower.com.

Tags: Car Shopping, General //