Technology-loving drivers want to be able to use their devices on the road, and how well they work in the car affects how the owners view their vehicle's dependability.

A new study from J.D. Power found that Bluetooth connectivity and issues with voice recognition were the two most common problems drivers reported after three years of vehicle ownership. Their perceptions of how well their technology syncs with the vehicle had a definite impact on whether or not they would purchase the same brand the next time they went automobile shopping.

The two most commonly identified problems, Bluetooth pairing and the accuracy of built-in voice recognition systems, were issues for owners at 90 days according to the J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Initial Quality Study, as well as in this study conducted three years later.

Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive at J.D. Power says that owners view technology issues as significant that "don't go away after the ownership honeymoon period is over…Owners clearly want the latest technology in their vehicles, and they don't hesitate to express their disapproval when it doesn't work. Their definition of dependability is increasingly influenced by usability."

The study found that 56% of the owners who didn't report any problems with their vehicle "definitely will purchase the same brand the next time," while only 43% who reported three or more problems said they were likely to purchase the same brand.

Access to technology while driving is important and 55% of the owners said their Bluetooth would not recognize their phone and 31% said it would not automatically connect when they entered their vehicle.

Powertrain and transmission issues were the next most frequently identified problems with nearly 30% of the respondents saying they were frequently the result of transmission hesitation and rough shifting. J.D. Power found that six of the top 10 problems were design-related and not actual defects or malfunctions of the vehicles. Overall vehicle dependability averaged 147 PP100 (problems per 100 vehicles) or approximately 1.5 problems per vehicle.

Lexus

Top honors for the most dependable vehicle went to Lexus for the fourth consecutive year with a score of 89. Buick jumped three positions in the rankings to come in at number two with a score of 110. Rounding out the top 5 slots were Toyota (111), Cadillac (114) and Honda (116). Coming in last was Fiat at 273, followed by Land Rover (258) and Jeep (197).

Here's a look at the top three models for some of the car segments. A full list of the rankings and car segments can be found here.

Small Car

Scion xD
Toyota Yaris
Honda Fit

Compact Car

Toyota Corolla
Nissan LEAF
Honda Civic

Midsize Car

Chevrolet Malibu
Nissan Altima
Toyota Camry

Large Car

Buick LaCrosse
Toyota Avalon
Ford Taurus

Compact SUV

GMC Terrain
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Toyota RAV 4

Midsize SUV

Nissan Murano
Buick Enclave
Toyota Highlander
Toyota Venza

Large SUV

GMC Yukon
Chevrolet Tahoe
Chevrolet Suburban

Minivan

Toyota Sienna
Honda Odyssey

Midsize Pickup

Honda Ridgeline
Nissan Frontier
Toyota Tacoma

Large Light Duty Pickup

GMC Sierra LD
Chevrolet Silverado LD
Ram 1500 LD

Large Heavy Duty Pickup

Chevrolet Silverado HD
GMC Sierra HD

This was the 26^th year for the J.D. Power U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study.

Special Reports /

New definition of auto reliability: It's all about the technology

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