JD Power releases 2006 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) results

Another year, another JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). The VDS measures the reported problems encountered by original owners of 3 year old (model year 2003) vehicles. This year's industry average score is 227 problems per 100 vehicles (or 2.27 problems per vehicle on average). The top score belongs to Toyota's Lexus brand for the 12th straight year with a score of 136. Cadillac comes in 4th this year with a score of 163. Other brands in the top 5 are: 2nd place - Mercury - 151 3rd place - Buick - 153 5th place - Toyota - 179 Cadillac also had some notable model rankings with the DeVille (remember we're talking about 2003 model year vehicles) coming in 2nd in the Large Premium Car segment after the Lexus LS430 and ahead of Lincoln's Towncar. In the Large Premium MAV segment, Escalade took both 1st and 3rd with the EXT and the ESV, 2nd went to the Lexus LX470. Remember, this survey is dealing with cars that came before Cadillac's new range (the CTS, as a 2003 would be eligible, though it was a first year of a brand new chassis - expect good things from the CTS in next year's survey). STS, SRX, and XLR are also nameplates that aren't old enough yet for this survey - we'll know more about them soon enough. Read the entire results in the JD Power press release: JD Power 2006 VDS