DETROIT - Ford Motor Co.'s Lincoln brand ranked highest in an annual vehicle-dependability survey, the first time in four years an American nameplate has taken the top spot.

The survey, which measures problems experienced by original owners of 2008 model vehicles, found Lincoln leading the pack with the least amount of troubles, according to J.D. Power and Associates which questioned 43,700 owners, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Lexus, Jaguar, Porsche and Toyota rounded out the top five spots. Mini was the worst in dependability followed by Jeep, Land Rover, Dodge and Chrysler, according to the survey.

General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet brand was the biggest mover jumping up eight spots over last year as the number of reported problems fell. Driving the change were improvements made to the Silverado pickup truck.

"The 2011 study is of 2008 model year vehicles so the immediate impact here really is on the used-car market, although auto makers use these insights to make improvements on vehicles being built today," said J.D. Power spokesman John Tews. "Many of the new cars that are now being sold have improved from 2008."

The results are likely to give Ford a shot of good news as it works to revive the Lincoln brand by moving it upscale. Ford is in the midst of cutting its Lincoln network while asking current dealers to upgrade their dealerships. This is the first time since the survey began in 1990 that Lincoln has held the top spot by itself. Lincoln and Buick both tied as the survey leaders in 2007.

Chrysler Group LLC, meanwhile, has already revamped its entire product lineup by upgrading 16 of its models last year. The company, under the direction of Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne, improved everything from interiors to ride handling.

New-vehicle shoppers consider long-term quality and dependability when making a purchase. In the survey, the owners were asked about any problems they experienced with their vehicles ranging from engine and transmission troubles to battery replacement. The brands were scored based on the number of reported problems per 100 vehicles.

Lincoln had 101 problems per 100 vehicles followed by Lexus with 109; Jaguar with 112; Porsche with 114; and Toyota with 122. The industry average was 151.

On the opposite end, Mini was 221 problems per 100 vehicles, followed by Jeep with 214; Land Rover with 212; Dodge with 206 and Chrysler at 202.