Lexus

Lexus is the top performer in a survey of vehicle dependability released Wednesday, but most other brands also showed improvement in an industry that has reached historically high dependability levels. Consulting firm J.D. Power and Associates polled 31,000 owners of 2009 model-year vehicles and rated brands by the number of problems owners have experienced in the last 12 months.

Purchase price is just the beginning of what it costs to own a car. Depreciation, insurance and maintenance costs can vary widely between competing models. But is there any way to estimate all of that in advance? A few experts have taken a stab at it.

Despite its troubles in recent years, Toyota retained its crown in Consumer Reports' annual survey of auto-brand perception, but the survey also showed that Ford is rapidly closing the gap, and other brands aren't far behind.

Before you know it, cars that drive themselves may be available at your local dealership: According to a top GM official, vehicles that "partially drive themselves" will be available in just a few years, with more sophisticated self-driving cars possible by the end of the decade.

It was a good month for auto sales despite inclement weather across much of the country and surging oil prices. Cars sold near an annual pace of 13 million vehicles. That would make February the best on record since the "cash for clunkers" rebate program in 2009.

Major automakers are set to release February sales figures on Tuesday, and analysts expect the reports will show sales improved 20% compared to a year ago. Consumers continued to warm to the slowly improving economy -- so far, despite surging oil prices.

Toyota is recalling nearly 2.2 million more cars to fix problems related to floor mats that can trap gas pedals and cause vehicles to accelerate uncontrollably. Among the models being recalled: The Toyota RAV4, 4-Runner and Highlander, and the Lexus LX 570, RX 330, RX 350 and and RX 400h.

The carmaker hoped findings from two federal studies would put to rest speculation about its electronics system as a source for unintended acceleration. But the results may not prove enough to give Toyota a leg up in its ongoing legal battles.

In an affirmation of Toyota's claims, an exhaustive 10-month federal investigation has found no evidence of an electronic source for sudden unintended acceleration in companpy's vehicles. Indeed, human error was cited as the cause in many cases.

The Japanese automaker's bottom line is likely to have been hit by its many safety recalls, weaker U.S. sales and Japan's rising currency. Analysts forecast Toyota will report a quarterly profit of about $1 billion on sales of $56.2 billion.