U.S. automakers improved the reliability of their products last year, but Hyundai Motor Co. and other Asian companies still make the most trouble-free vehicles, according to a survey released Monday by Consumer Reports magazine.

Customers reported an average of 17 problems per 100 vehicles for 2004 models from DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp., the magazine said. That was down from 18 problems per 100 in 2003.

Japanese and Korean automakers had a rate of 12 problems per 100 vehicles -unchanged in the magazine’s last three surveys. European automakers, some of whom have battled quality issues in recent years, had 21 problems per 100 vehicles. That’s up from 20 a year ago.

The survey is part of Consumer Reports’ annual auto issue, scheduled to hit newsstands Tuesday.

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