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April 14th, 2010
12:32 PM GMT
 After a series of safety recalls, the Japanese automaker has been trying to move on, pledging better safety to its customers. Now Toyota's luxury sports utility vehicle, the Lexus GX 460, has been slapped with a rare "Don't Buy" warning from influential magazine Consumer Reports. The magazine's testers believe that the SUV has a handling problem around sharp turns. During the tests, the testers found the vehicle slid nearly sideways before the electronics stability controls kicked in. Their verdict? They wouldn't want to drive it with their families in the car. The safety warning is the latest blow to Toyota's battered image. However, the carmaker's attitude appears to have changed. Toyota moved swiftly to address the issue. It suspended the sale of the GX460, is offering loaner vehicles to concerned customers, and says its engineers are already working hard to correct any problem. Toyota certainly wants to salvage its reputation as a maker of safe, reliable cars. Would you buy a Toyota car today? |
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Wouldn't buy one before because of Toyota's predatory business model. Certainly won't buy one now, not because of "safety" issues, but because of the way their first reaction is to deny and second action is to cover up.
I just bought a Toyota Highlander Hidbrid, and its a great car. I also have a Toyota 4Runner for 4 years now, and I would buy it again.
It will be great to have the statistics of how many accidents per car bought has each of the auto maker. I´m sure Toyota will be one of the best rated (lowest accident per car bought)
Yes I would, Every comapany out there has their recall moments.
I would never buy from the evil empire that is Toyota.
Is it just me, or do I detect an 'out to get them' attitude now from the US regarding Toyota. Considering the low speed limits on American roads and the speed one would have to be going to get to the point were a vehicle overturned, I wonder how these magazine drivers/testers came to the conclusion that the car was a potential for overturning, when it hasn't, in fact, overturned. I would have thought that the Ford Galaxy which has a narrower wheel base would have been more likely to overturn. I personally think that the US is out to make their car market as difficult as possible for this Japanese car maker so that the US can make things easier for their home grown cars.
I feel Toyota has been hiding a number of issues over the last decade or two and people are just finding out about design flaws and poor research and development practices probably in order to surpass gm as an auto sales leader and their automotive designs are boring and uninspiring.Sad.
I would because it sounds like a black PR. The US automakers&co can't find a better way to get customers back...
It is literally hard for the loved toyota customer, but I strongly believe that the Toyota engineer wil retify the problems and this company would rapidly earn the reputation.
I have driven Toyotas, every day, since 1988, and have NEVER had any problems with ANY of them. If you want a safe, reliable, comfortable vehicle; one that doesn't shake, squeek and rattle after a few years, buy a Toyota product.
I bought a new PRIUS in 2005. My PRIUS now has over 120,000 miles on it. The PRIUS has delivered 47.6 mpg lifetime, and that's in Northern Minnesota, where the gas engine has to run more to keep the heating system operational more than in Southern climates.
My family would not hesitate to buy another Toyota vehicle, and in fact, we bought a new 2010 RAV 4 three weeks ago!
It is quite clear that Toyota has made some major mistakes. But it is also evident that the company is working hard to address those issues. I have owned Toyota vehicles all of my life – and have never experienced any issues. Looks to me like Toyota has acted swiftly to address this issue by halting sales of the Lexus GX460 until they investigate the issue raised by Consumer Reports. I applaud Toyota on this action. Would I buy a Toyota car today? Heck yeah...
I wouldn't buy one. I saw this comming when Toyota told me the different colors between my AVALON's Silver bumpers and the metal car was not a defect. I guess they designed it to look like a two tone car after two years. I have a silver ford, and I doesn't have that problem, also had a silver Camery in 92 and it didn't have that problem, but it's not a defect? My butt its not!!!!!!! I have had 4 toyotas and I will never buy another one.
I am tired of Toyota apologists who state this is a conspiracy on part of "Government Motors" to enforce safety standards? How much is Toyota's marketing department -if, indeed, it is not the Toyota PR propogandists themselves- paying them to write defensive comments?
Stand BY your Toyota, just don't sit in one. I noticed that Mr. Toyoda was so confident about his namesake car that he was chauffeured in an AUDI during a recent conference.
Oh, oh, oh, wha-a-a-t a feeling, TOYOTA!
Moving forward....um, wasn't that the problem in the *first* place?
Toyota's quality as been a sham for years, it's just now getting the attention it should have been getting all along.
In a heartbeat!!!! Toyota is still a better vehicle than most America, you can drive your toyota for two hundered plus miles. You cant do that with most American cars.
Also what about all the recalls of American cars over the years? It seems that Toyota is getting a bad rap because the government owns American cars and they are trying to promote their sales in my opinion.
Definitely not. Maybe my answer would´ve been different of Toyota was straight forward since day 1 with the issues they´ve been confronting, but they didn´t.
I used to kind of admire Toyota due to their high quality manufacturing, top knotch customer service and really good vehicles. Now the 3 things I liked about them are quite lost, at least from my perspective. Its going to take a little while before we as consumers start to look at Toyota the way we did, if we ever do again.
TOYOTA IS A GREAT CAR AND A GREAT MANUFACTURER, I THINK CONSUMER REPORTS IS EXAGERATING THE RESULT OF THE TEST BECAUSE ALL SUV´S WILL PERFORM LIKE THIS ONE DID ON THE TEST.
CNN AGAIN IS TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BLAME TOYOTA IN FAVOR OF G.M. (GOVERMENT MOTORS). SHAME ON YOU CNN.
TOYOTA IS THE BEST CAR MANUFACTURER AROUND THE WORLD!!!!
With all due respect to the US government & the US people on the whole. In my opinion the Toyota story has been blown out of proportion just to enhance the US made auto sales.
A simpe but big change if you want your US car sales to do better. Just simply build cars that are fuel efficient.
Sorry to say, you guys continue to be bullies.
Everything that goes up has to come down one day. In the case of the US it will take more time to come down comparing to countries like Germany, USSR, UK etc etc.
toyota. crap.
I luv TOYOTA CAMRY it is a very comfort car that i can pleaze for. TOYOTA Product you are the best, others are your body gauide. My phone num is 08036672194 from Nigeria. No 72 Osusu road Aba, Abia State Nigeria.
Am a Nigerian,i hv no money for a car but if i should,Toyota is my absolute choice.Go for GOLD.I love Toyota.
I would wait to buy a Toyota for at least a year, however, I am far more confident Toyota will fix the problems than I am confident Ford, GM, or Chevy can build a decent car. They've been making horrible cars for decades. So, I would probably buy a Honda, if I had to have a car today.
Yep, I will buy a Toyota anytime. I was side-swept off the road by a drunken driver at full speed 3 weeks ago, and slammed into a garden wall. My rear left door took the full force and was entirely smashed on the outside, but somehow hardly budged inwards. Side-airbags did their job perfectly, catching the breaking glass before it even hit the passengers, and all 4 of us walked out of that vehicle without a scratch. Absolutely amazing. That Toyota RAV4 2008 saved our lives, and I am definitely going to buy another one.
What is it about America that wants to keep knocking Toyota? The gas pedal thing has got way out of handn especially since the family of an American cop who got killed driving a toyota years ago now want to say it was a sticking ledel that caused the opile up. Apparently that car "is still in the police pound".,,yeah right!
As for this latest bit of rubbish, ANY tall people carrier, what you call an SUV, will tip over in a slide if the back wheel hits a solid obstruction. Traction control is onl as good as the person behind the wheel and if you are stupid enough to push the control past the limit of it's settings, then when it lets go, it will do it very suddenly.
Grow up America, start looking at all the defects that have come up in your own home grown junk cars, and find out how many have been buried by the makers and authorities.
No, I wouldn't buy a Toyota. I know that they are a good company that has put out reliable products in the past, but this bad stretch of products and what appears to be a period of inaction on Toyota's part gives me second thoughts.
I would be very wary of buying a Toyota anytime soon. Toyota's reputation as a car company that cares about safety has been severely tarnished. It appears to have a systemic problem with their design teams passing on flawed designs without adequate testing – and that really worries me. If their top-of-the-line luxury cars have problems then most certainly their mainstream cars would share the lack of attention and careful design. The fact that this continues despite reassurances from the highest leadership in the company means that they haven't gotten their act together and it will be quite a while before they can gain my trust again.
I have a RAV4 from 2002 and works perfect because most of the working parts are mechanical, the acelarator, the brakes, windows, locks ect. But know if I have to buy a Toyota I will think about it due to so many problems due to everything is computarized. They should go to basics again.
I am not surprised that Toyota's new design had similar electronic difficulties as the Prius. They should be more careful when they are pioneering in new computer technologies.
Consumer Reports is a slave to Japanese cars, and they convinced a whole gneration of Starbucks Yuppies to "not buy American". The checks must not be cashing anymore, so suddenly "don't buy". Besides, since when did Toyota think it could make big cars? They all look like the "Toyopet Crown". Don't they test these cars before selling them?
Yes i would
I will buy a Toyota so far i'm satisfied with remedies and repairs carried out on the model. There are so many badly made cars out there that pple are just managing because of undue attachment to the particular brand.
It appears that it has been easier said than done by Mr. Toyoda & Co.!
I just bought another Toyota 2 weeks ago. I owned American-made cars all of my life until 5 years ago when I bought my first Toyota Corolla which I loved! I had less repairs on the Toyota and got better gas mileage. When I had my other American vehicles, I got recalls all the time -three on one car! The Corolla is excellent on gas, the service at the dealership is excellent, the car is well-designed, and I feel confident about owning another one. The incentives for buying a new Toyota were excellent so I traded my not so old one for a 2010 and I love my new car!
Hell, no! If they're willing to hide defects from the public and risking their customers' lives just to make a few extra bucks, who's to say they won't do it again?
No mater what i still believe toyota is the best in the automobile industries.their cars dosen't exhuast fuel it is fuel economical.their camery2.2 is the best sold in nigeria and very strong both the sequia.toyoto is stil the best.they should jst fix their little problem.
I would buy a used Toyota in a moment, up to 2008 but as for an 09 or 2010, Im sorry Toyota, I wouldn't. There are just too many things happening although I have every confidence that Toyota will make many serious changes going into 2011 and that you will not hear of these same problems, they are dynamic company that will not duplicate their mistakes. They grew too fast too soon and wanted to compete with the low prices of the domestics, although they forgot that people will pay a bit extra for quality. I truly believe that they will bounce back, but it will take some time, and as for loyal owners, they won't neccessarily change their view. I own a corolla and I will be back...in 2011.
Doesn't anyone remember the Pinto? The bbq -mobile that had the potential to catch fire if rear ended. I believe a $5 savings on each car was weighed against the cost of a human life. Businesses are always trying to save money, some at any cost.
You should seriously consider German cars (BMW, Mercedes and Audi). There are no cars in the world that compete with them for fuel efficiency, build quality and technological innovation. They are simply incredible. Once you've owned one you wil probably never buy another toyota again.
I bought a new Lexus IS 250 little over a year ago. Great car. No problem what so ever. Toyata makes good cars. Anything mass produce pretty much is going to have errors or issues. The important thing is, companies take reponsibility and fix them.
I wouldn't buy one now, mostly because I wouldn't have bought one before...they don't make any cars I like. And speeds on American roads are most definitely high enough for this to happen. Yes the speed limits are technically 65 mph on interstates in my area (New England), but de facto it's 80 mph. Traveling at these speeds on a cloverleaf while maybe not the safest, wouldn't be out of the ordinary.
My first car was a 1980 Corolla hatchback. When I was able to afford a brand new one, I then bought a 1995 Corolla DX (I still have it and it looks brand new, even with 299000 miles on it). I have a 1996 Camry also. Recently I have gotten on the Scion bandwagon. I will probably be getting an Avalon or Lexus this fall. Their service centers are great. I have never had problems with any of my cars. Unlike my brother and cousins who go through new cars like panty hose, because they buy American.
When Toyota put sales volume in the drivers seat, it apparently threw safety and transparency into the back seat – without a safety belt.
Interesting that folks are Toyota bashing now that the American companies are having such a tough time. I switched to Toyota after having a nightmarish experience owning a Ford Explorer. Customer service was not so great but their service departments were down right criminal. Can't tell you how many times I paid for service that simply was never performed.
My family now owns seven Toyotas (a 2 4runners, Camry, Corolla, FJ Cruiser , Tacoma and a Tundra) without any issues whatsoever. So Toyota is having a bad time right now. If folks responded the same way to the American companies, they would have all died out LONG before now.
Doesn't anyone remember the wonderful days of the exploding Pinto, the rollover Explorer with the exploding tires and the self immolating F-150? Ford learned their lesson...Toyota will learn theirs. In the meantime, my money is on Toyota.
"...but because of the way their first reaction is to deny and second action is to cover up."
Just a minor correction to this statement,
1. Deny
2. Blame Driver.
3. Cover Up.
I am sick of Toyota screwing us over with their Japenese made cars. Im not racist im just very dissapointed.They should Halt all production then restart when they have everything ready and safe again.
Im just very dissapointed thats all
With the US government owning a major share of General Motors, I am starting to feel like a political campaign is underway to undermine Toyota, which all throughout it's history has manufactured some of the most reliable and safe cars in the world.
Will never consider another Toyota product. Having grown up and have owned many Toyota vehicles, I am done dealing with Toyota. Toyota for the past 10 – 15 years has been full of deceit and lying to customers. My old 2000 Tacoma was one of the affected Tacomas with the frame rot that affected thousands of 1994 – 2004 Tacomas. That was just one of Toyota's hidden secrets. My old 2004 Camry, the last Toyota, I will ever own was a headache the moment I drove it off the dealer's lot. Far too many issues to list, including 4 recalls. I am quite glad I do not own a Toyota anymore and it is about time that Toyota's poor build quality is in the spotlight. Perhaps they will change and build good products again, but I will never know as they have lost me as a customer.
Even the worst built Toyota is a million times better then the best built American vehicle. I've owned several Toyota's, and 3 Brand new Ford trucks, the fords can't even get close on reliability or lifespan.
The only thing Americans take pride in building is guns, the US will never produce quality, the majority of American people don't have what it takes.
Toyota remains one of the very best made cars in the world. I have driven Toyotas for pratically 30 years. I sold my last Toyota pickup after some 80,000 miles for pratically the price I had paid for it 8 years before. My actual Toyota Hilux 4X4 yr. 2000 has about 90,000 miles and I live in HAITI. My wife and daughter have owned Toyota PRADO and Toyota Land Cruiser wagon; strong, reliable and off road ride rivalling Range Rover. Yes, I will keep on buying Toyota, the best value for money.
I wish Toyota well, as it's a global company and therefore anything that happens to them has a global (media) effect. They certainly produce good cars and handly the current situation with care, but ... the market respond (media)strategy they present is the worst of all. This strategy is killing their positive image – where they spend milions over many years. What should be just a scar – if not well handled – can turn into and agressive form of cancer for this company. I think they need a few experts who can apply the right treatment and lead them to recovery.
the best car in the world is Toyota,if u are buying,if u don't buy Toyota u don't have a car.toyota my car i love TOYOTA
In my opinion Toyota has been reasonably open about everything.
Some people talk about cover-ups.
Better start with the banks and the government.
If we hit Toyota hard in the media, maybe GM won't go bankrupt.
It's is simply protection of the american market.
Drive any SUV (heavy and with high ground clearance) at high speeds and make a sudden turn (as shown on the video), and you're bound to roll-over. That's INERTIA.
I'd like to see "Consumer Reports" do the same test with the most popular SUVs from GM, Chrysler and Ford and be just as noisy with the results.
Only then will i believe their reports.
Maybe they should change their magazine's name to "Bash Toyota Bandwagon Reports"!
I would buy a Toyota and or a Lexus any time! This is a great car and the safest in the world. These recall are quite normal and Ford and GM had these several times. Making a commercial manufacturing matter political does not help the industry and this will put a lot of pressure on all the auto manufacturers.
Here in South Africa, Toyota has been top for yearsThe problems highlighted over the past few months have beene relatively minor and one at least imaginary. I have no doubt that they will regain their top spot here again.
I concur with Paul (2010 April 14) when he said that even a very bad Toyota is better than an American Car. In fact one sees few American cars in South Africa. In the past when we had bad roads, the big soft suspension gas guzzlers were fine but with our present road situation they don' t feature.
I have bought Chevrolets for years and have had excellent service from Chevrolets. I do take good care of my cars. I looked at Toyotas a few years back and wasn't impressed. Never really cared for the designs of the Toyotas. Chevrolet and Ford had the better looking cars. Hope now people will buy American cars. I do think Americans have what it takes to build quality products and have for many years. The statement that Americans take pride in building only guns is strange and pathetic.
btw, all the recent problems with Toyota cars, these cars are ALL MADE IN USA, and not imported from Japan.
I think the more pressing issue here is the shoddy American worksmanship as the rest of the work isn't facing such quality issues.
Even Made in Korea is higher quality than Made in USA lol.
Never have bought one; might if the price was right. They are over-priced for their quality but certainly no worse than many others on the road. That being said, I have little desire to support the company. Service sells...
all car company has a recall problem, but toyota has been attack in US in order to make their car more attractive, but most people still want to buy there toyota product cause of more advance feature and less problem and advance design.
seems like an aggressive tagline to take on
http://www.sency.com/toyota-tagline.htm
Wrong: Toyota Quality is superior then Ford &GM &Hyundai
Correct: No bad quality brand any more
Wrong: Toyota price is low compared to others
Correct: No big changes between brands
Wrong: Ford &GM did not made any mistake before
Correct: All of them made mistakes and will
Wrong: Toyota did not respond on time
Correct: It responded when claim cost is higher than the countermeasure
Result: No different between brands anymore. Take it so simple.
I would definetly buy a Toyata. This is an American sham to taint Toyotas image. Yae there was fault in their cars recently but this whole thing is being used for all the wrong reasons.
I would buy from Toyota before I will ever buy from any U.S. manufacturer that has union employees and union wages. The unions are greedy beyond comprehension and have destroyed GM, Chrysler, and Ford. These union employees make three times the wages of other employees just for turning a screw and have this position that it's not in their job description they won't do it. The unions care less about the companies their employees are employed in and are greedy. Did you all know that (at least for Ford at one location in the U.S.) when the employees are laid off and they get their unemployment that when they return to work that the union pays them for their lost wages? They don't lose a dime and the rest of the country is suffering. It is no wonder that GM and other companies are going bankrupt. But never fear - the Government will rescue them! Wonder if GM will pay the rest of the money back that they got from the taxpayers. The current statement that they paid back their loan is very misleading. There is still another $43 billion that they got from the taxpayers, just not considered a loan. What a scam!
I bought a used Toyota Tercel with 280,000 kms on the clock, I drove it for 5 years...sold it with over 450,000 kms on the clock...never a problem
I will certainly go on buying Toyotas. I have had one for 18 years now, without any problem. Best ever car in my life. By far.
This is the only thing I can judge, as a customer. They make very good cars, and I imagine this is why Toyota has become the 1st world auto-maker.
When others refer to Toyota's "evil" practices... I do wonder whether the other car makers can be much different.
It is a long time since I dropped nationalistic approches to the investment in a car. I just want the best possible price/quality relationship.
In a heartbeat. You can't kill a Toyota. Just drive them until they die a slow death. Maybe I'm being paranoid but when the US government suddenly is the owner of American motor companies why this sudden venting on Toyota? For years Americans have been turning out cars that were throw aways, unstable, odd parts, no consistency to parts, cheap parts...and they slap Toyota with this huge fine? Once the government owns the motor industry they can easily control what comes out of it and hide anything they want. They are now their own watch dog. Gimme as Toyota any day!
i like the safety features of Toyota Corollas, Toyota really makes safe cars`.`
How ironic that Toyota's tagline is "Moving Forward:" my girlfriend's first (and last) Toyota, a Corolla, was a LEMON in which the automatic transmission kept forcing her to drive in reverse! One of those times was in a snowstorm on a major two-lane highway. Numerous other problems, too. The experience soured her on Toyota. The Detroit products she had before and afterward have been OK and that hasn't exactly encouraged her to give Toyota a second chance. Likewise for the 1970's rotary-powered Mazda station wagon. That company's tagline brings back fond memories: "Zoom-zoom!"
Reply to StupidAmericans: "all the recent problems with Toyota cars, these cars are ALL MADE IN USA, and not imported from Japan. I think the more pressing issue here is the shoddy American worksmanship..."
Honda and Nissan have several plants in the USA and have built great vehicles in them, including a friend's 4×4 Frontier truck that didn't give him a lick of trouble in over 100K miles. Plenty of readers here have been very satisfied with their Toyotas even though they were built here. I drive a car with over 270,000 miles on it – it's an Oldsmobile! My girlfriend's bad Toyota and fantastic Mazda both came from Japan. My point: don't generalize about U.S. vs. other countries.
I would never buy a Toyota no matter how good they make them.
get a auto mechanic too look over the car borefe you buy it..it will cost you but save you a lot of repair bills later low mileage cars that were not driven by younger drivers are a good buy ..but you don't want an old mans car either they will nickle and dime you to death