Toyota is Highest-Ranked Non-Premium Brand in the 2012 Vehicle Dependability Study

With eight different models leading their segments, the Toyota Motor Company—including Lexus and Scion—led all automakers with the most category wins in the 2012 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). The study relied on responses from 31,000 owners to gauge the long-term dependability of vehicles originally purchased during the 2009 model year.

The company’s standout performers:

• Sub Compact Car—Toyota Yaris, which also won its segment in the 2009 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS)
• Compact Car—Toyota Prius, besting its rivals for the fifth year in a row
• Compact Sporty Car—Scion tC, another 2009 IQS champ
• Entry Premium Car—Lexus ES 350, continuing its own multiyear streak of victories
• Compact MPV—Scion xB, helping Scion reach fifth place in the overall VDS standings, the brand’s best performance ever
• Midsize Premium Crossover/SUV—Lexus RX 350, a multiyear winner that helped its brand lead the industry in this year’s study
• Large Pickup—Toyota Tundra, following up on its 2009 IQS award and extending its own win streak in the VDS
• Midsize Van—Toyota Sienna, yet one more Toyota product that captured its segment crown in the 2009 IQS

In addition, six vehicles from the automaker finished in the top three of their categories, including the Scion xD (Sub Compact Car), Toyota Corolla (Compact Car), Toyota Camry (Midsize Car), Toyota Avalon (Large Car), Toyota RAV4 (Compact Crossover/SUV), and Toyota Highlander (Midsize Crossover/SUV). The Lexus LS460 (Large Premium Car) also was rated as the most dependable vehicle in the entire study, although there weren’t enough other qualified contenders for J.D. Power to include the segment in the 2012 VDS results.

Finally, the Toyota division was the No. 1 ranked non-premium brand in the study and in third place overall.
“We are extremely pleased that not only did we win awards in eight of the 14 model segments, but that in two segments we finished one-two and made the podium in 12 segments overall”, said Jim Lentz, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.