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Kia leads J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study for 2022

For the first year ever, Kia leads J.D. Power's annual Vehicle Dependability Study with a score of 145 problems per 100 vehicles. Buick (147) and Hyundai (148) round out the top three. The highest premium brand on the list is Genesis, with a score of 148. It's common for so-called "mass market" brands to lead this particular study, according to J.D. Power, as "premium" brands "typically incorporate more technology in their vehicles, which increases the likelihood for problems to occur" and aren't necessarily built to a higher standard that less-expensive brands. The highest-rated single nameplate is the Porsche 911. It's the third time out of the past four years and the second year in a row that Porsche's quintessential sports car has taken top honors. Porsche as a brand sits in seventh place (162) just behind Lexus (159) and ahead of Dodge (166). At the very bottom of the list is Land Rover with a dismal score of 284; the SUV specialist held the same unfortunate distinction on last year's list. Ram (266), Volvo (256), Alfa Romeo (245) and Acura (244) also performed poorly. The overall industry average score sits at 192 — mass market brands average a score of 190 while premium brands sit 14 points lower at 204. While Tesla is unofficially included in some of J.D. Power's results, the agency says the sample size it has access to for this study is too small to include. As has been the case for the past several years, infotainment systems dominate the list of problems reported by owners. Popular (or unpopular, depending on your point of view) complaints include built-in voice recognition (8.3 PP100), Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity (5.4 PP100), built-in Bluetooth system (4.5 PP100), not enough power plugs/USB ports (4.2 PP100), navigation systems difficult to understand/use (3.7 PP100), touchscreen/display screen (3.6 PP100), and navigation system inaccurate/outdated map (3.6 PP100). While problems with the car's infotainment and technology packages are indeed bothersome, it's important to remember that such issues aren't usually leaving owners stranded with an immovable vehicle like a broken transmission or blown engine would. Culling infotainment complaints from the results would reduce the average problem-per-100-vehicle score by a staggering 51.9 points. The vehicles included in this study are from the 2019 model year. That means owners have had three years to get to know their cars and trucks. It's the 33rd year that J.D.

Most reliable cars in America

For many people, the absolute worst thing they could experience with a car is for it to break or have a problem. The good news is there are cars that will ease the anxiety of their owners with infrequent trips to the shop. According to Consumer Reports, using data from its annual survey of subscribers, the following ten vehicles are the most reliable in the country, and are ordered from most to least reliable. Any of these vehicles should be a solid choice if the most important consideration in your car-buying decision is predicted reliability. That said, they aren't all vehicles that Autoblog's editors would recommend as fun to drive. We've provided links to our own driving impressions on these vehicles where possible. Also, if you care more about overall brand reliability than individual nameplates, check out the list of most reliable car brands. 10. Mazda CX-9 This three-row Mazda straddles the line where luxury begins and ends. It’s also pretty fun to drive for a family hauler. The fact that itÂ’s reliable to boot makes this an easy SUV to recommend. 9. Subaru Crosstrek Few vehicles define a segment quite like the Subaru Crosstrek. ItÂ’s a good buy, with class-leading ground clearance, tall seating position and good visibility, a surprisingly spacious cargo area, and multiple driving modes geared toward inclement weather and dirt roads. According to CR, it also sees fewer trips to the shop. 8. Toyota Highlander It wouldnÂ’t be a reliability list without at least one Toyota on it, and indeed the Highlander isnÂ’t the sole Toyota here. We especially like the Hybrid for its excellent fuel economy, but CR didnÂ’t break out its reliability list by powertrain. 7. Honda Insight The Honda Insight is a handsome, comfortable and affordable hybrid sedan. ItÂ’s also quite safe, and, according to CRÂ’s data, reliable. 6. Mazda MX-5 Miata Any Autoblog editor will happily profess their love for this Mazda MX-5 Miata. ItÂ’s an incredibly engaging roadster — at least when equipped with a manual transmission — that behaves a lot like the classic British and Italian roadsters of yesteryear. Thankfully, it doesnÂ’t share its European forebearsÂ’ penchant for breaking. 5. Cadillac XT5 One of the newer nameplates on this list, the Cadillac XT5 is also a hot seller for the American luxury brand. ItÂ’s also CadillacÂ’s most reliable vehicle. 4. Toyota Prius The Prius has been the face of Toyota efficiency for years now.

Trump encouraged by talk of 'a level playing field' on trade with South Korea

South Korea is a longstanding American ally, but President Donald Trump has spoken harshly about U.S. trade imbalances and threatened to tear up the bilateral trade pact. "We will do more to remove barriers to reciprocal trade and market access," Trump said, adding that the two leaders had talked about the thorny trade areas of steel and autos. Trump said he was encouraged by South Korea's President Moon Jae-in's assurances that he would seek a level playing field for American workers and businesses, particularly automakers. A joint statement said the two sides had agreed to work together to reduce over supply of basic materials such as steel and non-tariff barriers. It also said Trump had accepted an invitation from Moon to visit South Korea this year. Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said it was unwise for Trump to air the trade issue so publicly. "Public complaints by Trump about unfair trade and inadequate defense spending provide opportunities for China and North Korea to drive a wedge between the allies," she said. The U.S. goods trade deficit with South Korea has more than doubled since the U.S.-Korea free trade pact known as KORUS took effect in 2012. The agreement was forecast to boost U.S. exports by $10 billion a year, but in 2016 they were $3 billion lower than in 2011. At the start of Friday's talks, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the largest component of the deficit was automotive trade and many non-tariff barriers to U.S. auto exports to South Korea remained. "I think the way to address it is to deal product by product with what we can do to change the export side and what we can do to reduce the bad imports side," he said. Ross said later on Friday that some progress had been made in the talks. The current pact was agreed to despite protests by supporters of Moon, who was then in opposition. But analysts have suggested that given the need to preserve a unified front in the face of a hostile North Korea, there could be compromise on both sides to resolve issues. (By David Brunnstrom and Lisa Lambert. Additional reporting by Fatima Bhojani, Roberta Rampton, Tim Ahmann, David Chance, David Lawder and Eric Beech; Editing by Bill Trott and Andrew Hay) Related Video: Image Credit: Kim Hong-Ji / Reuters Government/Legal Genesis Hyundai Kia trade