Most Dependable Late-Model Used Vehicles

The Vehicle Dependability Study focuses on cars that are 3 years old, so this year's study is for the 2009 model year.

The reason these rankings are so important is because dependability has a big affect on resale values. Cars that are ranked well tend to hold their value better because of higher demand for dependable used cars.

This year's study named Lexus as the most dependable brand, followed by Porsche, Cadillac, and Toyota to round up the top 4. Lexus owners reported only 86 problems per 100 vehicles. Last year's winner, Lincoln, reported 101 problems per 100 vehicles. This is a marked improvement from last year, with overall vehicle dependability across all brands improving 13% - a huge gain.

Here's the full list of rankings: