Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus was rated as the most durable auto brand in an annual dependability study of three-year-old cars and trucks, J.D. Power and Associates said Wednesday.

Lexus, the top-selling luxury brand in the U.S., was the top-ranked nameplate for the 12th consecutive year. The same company's non-luxury Toyota brand ranked fifth.

Lexus was followed by three U.S. brands -- Ford Motor Co.'s Mercury and General Motors Corp.'s Buick and Cadillac. Mercury jumped from eighth place last year.

Chrysler, the U.S. arm of German-based DaimlerChrysler, did not share in the success of the other U.S. brands. None of its brands -- Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge -- scored above average in the study.

Porsche AG's Porsche, No. 2 last year, plunged to No. 22, just ahead of Korea's Hyundai Motor Co.

Land Rover, owned by Ford, was last.

The J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study scores cars based on the number of problems owners have with vehicles that are three years old. Its rankings are based on survey responses from about 48,000 owners of 2003 model-year vehicles. Cars are scored based on the number of problems per 100 vehicles.

On average, vehicle owners reported 227 problems per 100 vehicles this year, 10 fewer than last year. The most common ones reported were wind noise and loud brakes.

The study also revealed mainstream brands are reducing the gap with luxury nameplates in dependability.

Non-luxury brands, on average, have 15 more problems per vehicle than luxury ones. The biggest improvements have come in ride, handling, braking and engines and transmissions.

Editor: Donald