Industry Report Part 1: New J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study Puts Lexus on Top as Usual

At the end of the day there are more winners than losers, being that most automakers improved their dependability from

The survey applies to 2001 vehicles only, so it obviously doesn't account for some brands marked improvements in recent years. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada)

2003 to 2004. Few automakers went backwards when it came to problems per 100, which means most are making steady gains. The big winners, of course, are the consumers that buy the cars, with the best bets continuing to be Japanese cars, followed closely by the domestic brands.

Keep in mind that, as mentioned earlier, the 2004 VDS reflects 2001 model year cars only, and that significant gains in quality made by some automakers in recent years won't be reflected in this year's survey. It does give a good indication of a nameplate's general reliability rating however, which should help whether buying new or used.

Come back tomorrow for insight on the J.D. Powers and Associates 2004 VDS corporate rankings, which automakers won, and which ones lost.