The 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study released; Hyundai quality above average, ranked at 14th.

The 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study has just been released by a renowned J.D. Power and Associates and it reveals Lexus, which has been ranking a top of the chart for the past 14 years, has been replaced by Indian British Jaguar and US Buick, both tied at the first spot with 122 problems per 100 vehicles.

The long-time leader Lexus brand has dropped down to third place, just a spot above the parent Toyota with 129 problems per 100 vehicles. Rounding up the top-five most dependable brands is Mercury with 134 problems per 100 vehicles.

Hyundai lost one spot compared to the same study from a year earlier and now ranks 14th among 38 nameplates. Its quality score of 161 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) is above industry average (206 PP100) and also quite an improvement over the last years results when the company had 200 problems per 100 vehicles.

Hyundais sister firm, Kia Motors also improved its rating and jumped ahead of some of its main rivals, such as Mazda and Scion. Its quality score of 218 (PP100) vehicles, however, still stays below industry average.

The 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study was fielded in October 2008 and accurately measures problems experienced by more than 46 thousand original owners of vehicles made in the 2006. [Source: J.D. Powers via Autoblog]

Read the 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study official press release after the jump…

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J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study:

Buick and Jaguar each rank highest in vehicle dependability in a tie, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS) released today. Buick improves from a sixth-place ranking in 2008, while Jaguar improves from 10th place. Following in the top five rankings this year are Lexus, Toyota and Mercury.

Toyota garners five segment awards-more than any other nameplate in 2009-for the Highlander, Prius, Sequoia, Solara and Tundra. Lexus follows with four segment awards for the ES 330 (in a tie with the Acura RL), GX 470, LS 430 and SC 430. Lincoln captures two awards for the Mark LT and Zephyr. Models by Acura, Buick, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Mercury, Nissan and Scion each rank highest in one segment.

“Buick has ranked among the top 10 nameplates each year since the study was last redesigned in 2003, while Jaguar has moved rapidly up the rankings,” said David Sargent, vice president of automotive research at J.D. Power and Associates. “Lexus remains a very strong competitor in long-term quality. In particular, the Lexus LS 430 sets the industry standard for dependability, with fewer problems reported than any other model in the study.”

The study, which measures problems experienced by original owners of three-year-old (2006 model year) vehicles, has been redesigned to include 202 different problem symptoms across all areas of the vehicle. Overall dependability is determined by the level of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

The study is used extensively by vehicle manufacturers worldwide to help design and build better vehicles-which typically retain higher resale values-and by consumers to help them make more-informed choices for both new and used vehicles.

“In the current economic climate, consumers are delaying new-vehicle purchases and keeping their vehicles longer-the average age of a vehicle at trade-in has increased to 73 months in 2009 from 65 months in 2006,” said Sargent.

This makes vehicle dependability even more critical. Automakers have improved long-term dependability by an average of 10 percent each year since the inception of the study, which is a testament to the industry’s commitment to continuously improve and sustain quality, especially long-term quality. Making improvements in long-term quality not only satisfies customers who are holding onto their vehicles longer, but it will also influence their decisions when they return to the new-vehicle market or are seeking to purchase a pre-owned vehicle.”

The study finds that the frequency and severity of component replacement has a particularly strong impact on customer loyalty intentions. Component areas for which the impact is greatest include engine and transmission. When engine components are replaced or rebuilt, just 11 percent of customers state that they definitely intend to purchase or lease another vehicle of the same make, compared with nearly 40 percent among owners who report replacing no components.

The 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study also finds that Buick, Lincoln, Mercury and Jaguar owners are less likely to replace components than owners of other vehicle brands. While component replacement rates are similar for premium and non-premium makes, there are notable differences between vehicle segments. Owners of models in the premium sporty vehicle segment are least likely to replace components, while owners of models in the van segment are most likely to replace components.