The latest results for the Vehicle Reliability Survey have been posted. These cover member experiences through March 31, 2007, and include 122 models–238 if you include those with marginal sample sizes.

This is the third set of results to include 2008 models; no other source has provided even initial results on the 2008s yet.

In an earlier blog post I talked about how TrueDelta’s results could be used to tell how soon it is safe to buy a new car design, since they are promptly updated four times a year.

Now I can name some names. Most new 2008s in the survey have been relatively problem free so far. This includes the Honda Accord, Mercedes C-Class, Nissan Rogue, and Scion xB. (The Mercedes might be trending upward; the August results will be more conclusive.)

Not doing so well: the Cadillac CTS and Saturn VUE. Consider that the 2007 Saturn Aura and large GM crossovers also had relatively high repair rates, and GM seems to more consistently have messy launches. The Aura and crossovers are doing much better in their second year.

Ford has generally been doing better. However, we detected one exception this time around. TrueDelta reports separate results for different powertrains if the data warrant it. With the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX, we’ve learned that the all-wheel-drive version’s power transfer unit (PTU) has a tendency to leak.

When the front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles are analyzed separately, the former checks in at a respectable 40 successful repair trips per 100 vehicles, while the AWD racks up 105.