22 most dependable cars on the road

This segment is as small in number as its name is long — so small, in fact, that the 2011 Kia Soul is the sole runner-up to the 2011 Scion xB. J.D. Power’s ratings generally aren’t favorable toward the xB. It’s rated at a two out of five in overall quality, and in one of the four dependability subcategories (body and interior dependability) it scored two out of five. In the end, perfect scores in the other subcategories were enough to get the 2011 xB the win.

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.