Toyota Named One of the Most Dependable Brands By J.D. Power & Associates

Apr 1, 2015

Woman Driving Reliable Car

The Toyota brand has long been known for its reliability. Toyota cars, trucks and SUVs are built to last for decades, and that’s why owning a Toyota is a sound investment. But that’s not just based on anecdotal evidence. Recently, J.D. Power and Associates released their annual Vehicle Dependability Study which validated that claim. All three Toyota nameplates – Toyota, Lexus and Scion – received accolades for their reliability and resale value. J.D. Power and Associates named Lexus the most dependable brand for the fourth consecutive year, an impressive feat. Toyota, on the other hand, was the third-highest rated brand, just one point behind Buick, and Scion finished out the Top 10 in the ninth spot. Not to mention, seven Toyota vehicles, including the Toyota Sienna and the Toyota Corolla, were named the No. 1 vehicles in their class.

Toyota’s Overall Vehicle Dependability Study Rankings

The annual Vehicle Dependability Study provides a quantitative score for the reliability of a vehicle. J.D. Power and Associates calculates the award based on the number of issues reported by owners for 2012 vehicles. Toyota fell into the third spot with a rating of 111 problems reported per 100 vehicles, while Lexus took the No. 1 spot with 89. Lexus was the only brand that scored less than 100 per 100 vehicles. The study was based on reports from more than 34,000 vehicle owners who were in their third year of ownership. Plus, it includes issues related to powertrain, interior and exterior hardware, and new this year, the technology. For instance, problems with Bluetooth and voice command technology were among the most-reported problems this year. All the more impressive, Lexus and Toyota’s dependability ratings were well below the average vehicle score of 147. In fact, Lexus was the only brand that had fewer than 100 reported problems per 100 vehicles. Scion, the newest Toyota nameplate, also scored above average, with just 121 owner-reported problems. So what do these ratings prove? First, Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles are extremely dependable, and there owners face fewer problems down the road, compared to other vehicles. But their dependability is also one of the main reasons why the resale value for Toyota cars, trucks and SUVs is off the charts; Kelley Blue Book named 11 Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles as having the “Best Resale Value” in their class.

Top-Rated Toyota Vehicles, According to J.D. Power

In total, seven Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles received the highest ratings from JD Power and Associates for their vehicle segments. That made Toyota one of the top brands with the most “Best in Class” ratings. These ratings are calculated a bit differently, and they combined J.D. Power’s test drives with the number of problems reported by J.D. Power’s subscribers. Toyota received two “Best in Class” awards. The Toyota Sienna took the No. 1 spot in the minivan segment, while the Toyota Corolla took second place in the Compact Car segment. Further, that award proves the Corolla’s durability. In 2012, it won in the class for J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Survey. Scion received accolades in three small and compact vehicle segments. The Scion xD was the best Small Car; the xB was the best Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle, and the tC was the No. 1 Compact Sporty Car. Finally, Lexus was one of the top performing luxury brands. For instance, the top 3 entry-level luxury vehicles were all made by Lexus. Additionally, the Lexus GX luxury SUV was the No. 1 pick in the Midsize Premium SUV segment.