LEXUS IS MOST DEPENDABLE FOR 12TH YEAR IN ROW TOYOTA TOPS FOR NONLUXURY.Byline: JULIA M. SCOTT Staff Writer The dependability gap between luxury and nonluxury cars is shrinking and American carmakers can take much of the credit. Three of the top five-ranked brands for dependability are American nonluxury brands, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the 2006 Vehicle Dependability study The J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS) provides information about long-term vehicle quality after three years of ownership, when most vehicles reach the end of the warranty period and owners assume responsibility for repair costs. released Wednesday by J.D. Power and Associates. The gap has shrunk by half during the past four years, from 31 problems per 100 vehicles in 2003 to 15 in 2006. Dependability is more clustered because luxury brands often take more risks that set them back, said J.D. Power analyst Chance Parker. ``One of the things that hurts the luxury brands is that luxury brands are usually the brands that introduce new technologies and features first,'' Parker said. ``And if they don't do it well, it can be very problematic.'' The closely watched report measures the number of problems original owners of 2003 models report. J.D. Power says it is a strong indicator of long-term dependability, and high marks help retain a vehicle's value. The results are good news for consumers. ``What this means for consumers is that they don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money to get a high-quality used vehicle,'' said Power executive Neal Oddes in a prepared statement. Toyota and Lexus each nabbed four segment awards, together taking almost half of the 19 awards for top dependable models. Toyota was recognized for the Echo, RAV4, Highlander and Tundra tundra (tŭn`drə), treeless plains of N North America and N Eurasia, lying principally along the Arctic Circle, on the coasts and islands of the Arctic Ocean, and to the north of the coniferous forest belt. while Lexus earned top marks for the GS 300/GS 430, the LS 430, SC 430, and the GX 470. Honda snagged snag n. 1. A rough, sharp, or jagged protuberance, as: a. A tree or a part of a tree that protrudes above the surface in a body of water. Also called sawyer. See Regional Note at preacher. b. A snaggletooth. three segment awards for the Civic, S2000 and Odyssey. The industry dependability average increased by 4 percent. Lexus grabbed the No. 1 spot for the 12th year in a row with 136. For individual models, the Lexus LS The Lexus LS is a full-size luxury sedan that serves as the flagship of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. Since Lexus' 1989 debut, four generations of the V8-powered, rear-wheel drive Lexus LS have been produced. 430 ranked highest for the second year in a row at 88, making it the only vehicle to slide under 100. Mercury soared by 22 percent, prompting Ford officials to celebrate. ``This bears out the fact that our unprecedented emphasis on quality is bearing fruit,'' said spokesman John Clinard. ``We have believed that perception has lagged (behind) reality for some time and today's results for Mercury support that belief.'' Porsche fell a whopping 40 percent, partly due to a ``huge increase'' in problems relating to relating to relate prep → concernant relating to relate prep → bezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc sound systems on the Boxster and 911 models, Parker said. Power based the study on 47,620 responses from original owners of 2003 model vehicles. julia.scott(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3735 CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: (color) The Lexus SC The Lexus SC series is a personal luxury coupé sold by Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. The SC features a front engine, rear-wheel drive design and seating for up to four passengers. 430 was in first place for premium sporty sport·y adj. sport·i·er, sport·i·est 1. Appropriate for sport or participation in sports. 2. Exhibiting sportsmanship; sporting. 3. Flashy; jazzy. car in J.D. Power and Associates' annual survey of vehicle dependability released Wednesday. It's based on questionnaires sent to owners of 2003 model-year vehicles. Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Box: Lexus tops vehicle quality ratings SOURCE: J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Vehicle Dependability Study Associated Press |
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