When shopping for a new or used car, one of the major factors for buyers to consider is the brand of car that they will be purchasing. Each automaker has perceived strengths and weaknesses, which often translate into their position on buyer's shopping list.

Every quarter, Kelley Blue Book polls a variety of shoppers in the market for a vehicle about which brands they are considering for their next purchase.

In previous years, Toyota's grip on the top spot has been iron-clad, with the Japanese automaker opening up a big lead over its rivals. Yet a recall scandal in 2010 caused Ford to slip past Toyota into the top spot.

According to the latest survey, Toyota is back on top once again, with 25 percent of buyers considering the brand, compared to 24 for Ford. Honda was close at 23 percent, with Chevrolet, Nissan and Hyundai rounding out the top six.

"The latest Brand Watch data from Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence indicates that Toyota is slowly recovering from its public-perception crisis and regaining a position of prominence in the minds of new-car shoppers," said James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book. "However, whether Toyota will ascend as high as it was before the recall crisis remains yet to be seen. Hot competition from the likes of Ford, Honda, Chevrolet, Nissan and Hyundai could make it very hard for Toyota to keep a strong lead moving forward."