18 most dependable cars on the road

Toyota is a fixture on the J.D. Power study, and the 2013 list is no exception: Seven of the 18 categories are headed by Toyota, Scion or Lexus. In three of the four criteria used for the dependability ratings, the 2010 Prius scored a perfect five stars. Owners cite the 2010 Prius' fuel economy and comfort as favored aspects of the car; now they can brag about its five-star J.D. Power dependability rating, as well.

2013 Toyota Prius

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In a huge win for Toyota, the RAV4 edged out its main rival, the Honda CR-V, in the increasingly important and competitive compact-crossover segment. The RAV4 lost out on the 2012 award, but with the 2013 award under its belt, along with J.D. Power's finding that 54 percent of worry-free owners return to the same nameplate when buying again, all signs bode well for the new RAV4 arriving this year.

2013 Toyota RAV4

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High marks in various quality and dependability categories gave the Scion xB a repeat win in the multipurpose-vehicle segment. The xB's ratings for its design and mechanical quality, not to mention its perfect five-star rating for powertrain dependability, made it a winner over the Chevrolet HHR and Kia Soul. Scion's rise in the J.D. Power rankings continues: The xB isn't its only segment winner; Scion also took the subcompact category.

2013 Scion xB

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The 2010 Nissan 370Z was rated as the most reliable car in a very competitive class. Both the second-place Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe and the third-place Volvo C70 are good cars from builders with a longstanding reputation for reliability. More impressive about the 370Z's victory is that 2010 saw the debut of the convertible variant of Nissan's legacy sports car, going against the commonly held belief that first-year models should be avoided.

2012 Nissan Z

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Last year's segment champion, the Scion tC, fell to third place this year behind the MINI Cooper and the 2013 J.D. Power pick, the Mazda MX-5 Miata. The 2010 MX-5 Miata is a fun, affordable roadster that has giggle-inducing handling and is rock-solid reliable. The Miata's fans would say that not only does it deserve to be recognized in the compact sporty car segment, but that it defines the compact sporty car segment.

2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata

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Lexus topped all automakers for the second year in a row in overall dependability rankings. One of Lexus' two segment winners is the ES 350, which tied for the honor in 2012 with Lincoln's MKZ but took the win outright for 2013. This is the ES 350's sixth win, an impressive feat, given the intense competition in the segment. The MKZ placed second in this year's survey, and the Cadillac CTS supplanted Acura's TL for third.

2013 Lexus ES 350

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That the 2010 Acura RDX beat out the stylish, popular Audi Q5 may seem like an upset. A look at J.D. Power's rankings suggests otherwise, however. The RDX swept the dependability study's categories with perfect scores all around, giving it a comfortable margin of victory over the Audi Q5. Owner responses complimented the 2010 RDX's lack of turbo lag and its handling in all conditions.

2013 Acura RDX

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Another repeat winner from the 2012 study, the Buick Lucerne is one of four General Motors segment winners for 2013. Despite the general perception of Buick's offerings as less than reliable, the Lucerne has garnered many favorable reviews. Buick's reliability rating is sixth overall among all brands in J.D. Power's rankings.

2011 Buick Lucerne

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GM nearly swept this segment, with the 2010 GMC Yukon placing second to the Chevrolet Tahoe and Toyota's Sequoia rounding out the top three. The Tahoe's roomy interior, comfortable seating, appearance and hauling power were all cited by owners when asked what they liked about the large SUV. Despite their common DNA, the Tahoe edged out the Yukon by a razor-thin margin.

2013 Chevrolet Tahoe

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GM owns this segment in the 2013 vehicle reliability study, sweeping the top three spots with the Sierra HD, Sierra LD and Chevrolet Avalanche. While the Sierra pickups got relatively middling scores in the initial-quality and performance categories, their dependability has proved undeniable — the 3500HD in particular. It may not be particularly fast or nimble, but the Sierra HD can haul what needs hauling without worry, and that's about the highest compliment a truck can be paid.

2013 GMC Sierra 3500HD

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In perhaps the most hotly contested segment every year, Hyundai takes its sole J.D. Power win with the Sonata sedan. The affordable, comfortable, economical Sonata beat out the Ford Fusion and Buick LaCrosse for most reliable midsize car. As the new Ford Fusion and Mazda Mazda6 hit the midsize-sedan market over the next few years, this will be an even more interesting segment to watch, with competition for every award and recognition becoming more intense than ever.

2013 Hyundai Sonata

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The story of the midsize crossover segment isn't simply about the Honda winning over Toyota's Venza; it's how the ratings shake out that tells the tale. The Venza's reliability scores are quite good, but in every other way it rates as merely average while the Crosstour gets high marks all around. The venerable Toyota 4Runner rounds out the top three in the segment for 2013.

2013 Honda Crosstour

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It may not be produced for the U.S. market anymore, but the last few years of the Ford Ranger saw some pretty good small trucks with expectedly reliable performance. Beating out the Ram Dakota and Honda's Ridgeline, the 2010 Ford Ranger provides a solid daily-driving experience with the addition of a roomier-than-it-looks bed to ensure your friends will always call you for help when they're moving.

2011 Ford Ranger

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The Volvo S80 and Lexus GS models are great cars, both well-built and from brands with stellar reputations for reliability. Neither was able to best the Audi A6, however. Audi's stout all-wheel-drive system apparently has held up well over three years of all-weather usage, as reported A6 issues were few and far between.

2013 Audi A6

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This segment with a name that is possibly too long was won handily by the Lexus RX this year. With perfect scores in all dependability categories, the 2010 Lexus RX adds to the Toyota family's reputation for reliability and continues Lexus' run atop the brand reliability rankings. Volvo's XC70 provided good competition and is a good car, but in the end it couldn't unseat the now repeat winner Lexus RX.

2013 Lexus RX 350

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It always seems to come down to the Camaro and the Ford Mustang, and whenever there is any opportunity to set these two against each other, it almost has to be done. Creating one more bragging point for Chevy fans and one more factoid for Mustang fans to roll their eyes over, the Camaro eked out the dependability win. Of course, dependability is only one aspect of a car; in almost every other category, the Mustang outpaces the Camaro. Let the great debate continue.

2013 Chevrolet Camaro

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The results in the minivan segment of J.D. Power's study have perhaps the greatest impact on consumers; after all, the minivan is the unofficial vehicle of the American family. Both the Toyota Sienna and the Honda Odyssey, which finished second in the 2013 study, are long-reigning models in a market with loyalists who tend to stick to their brand purchase after purchase. Ratings on both minivans are comparable, but the dependability categories give the edge to the Sienna.

2013 Toyota Sienna

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Another category, another win for Scion. The xD took the segment with the Toyota Yaris and Hyundai Accent rounding out the top three. The segment could have easily gone to the Yaris, which had very good dependability scores across all categories, but where the Yaris showed well, the xD was great. The Scion xD — affordable, customizable and less bland than the average econobox -- improved from its showing on the 2012 list and knocked off last year's choice, the Yaris.

2013 Scion xD

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For more information on the vehicles in this slideshow, click the links below:

-Acura RDX
-Audi A6
-Buick Lucerne
-Chevrolet Camaro
-Chevrolet Tahoe
-Ford Ranger
-GMC Sierra 3500HD
-Honda Crosstour
-Hyundai Sonata
-Lexus ES 350
-Lexus RX 350
-Mazda MX-5 Miata
-Nissan Z
-Scion xB
-Scion xD
-Toyota Prius
-Toyota RAV4
-Toyota Sienna

James Tate cut his teeth in the business as a race team crew member before moving to the editorial side as Senior Editor of Sport Compact Car, and his work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Automobile, Motor Trend and European Car. When not writing, Tate is usually fantasizing about a vintage Porsche 911.