This is America. At some point we will begin to pity Toyota–just not yet.
Toyota is doing what they can to spur the sales of their automobiles. They’re offering great financing packages on already great deals, unfortunately, Consumer Reports has cast a red light on their luxury branding.
The report released this morning, listed the Lexus GX460 as a “Don’t Buy.” This follows the most recent jab by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which released a statement last week that they will seek the maximum civil fine of 16.4 million from Toyota, for delaying the revelation and notification of the faulty gas pedals in several models.
According to Consumer Reports, all four of their professional course/test drivers experienced the same problem with the new Lexus SUV. When pushed to the limit, the automobile “slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways…” This issue actually has a term: Lift-off Oversteer. Sure, these tests put vehicles to the extremes, but they also reveal what problems could be experienced if you were trying to avoid an accident.
Ultimately, the electronic stability control was slow to respond in aiding correction to the slides, meaning such a scenario could easily result in a rollover. When was the last time Consumer Reports was so harsh on a new vehicle? They listed the performance of the 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Limited as “not acceptable.” Such warnings don’t happen very often.
The Toyota response: They were “concerned with the results of Consumer Reports testing…” yet stated that the GX 460 “meets or exceeds all federal government testing requirements.” However, the automaker also stated that they plan to pursue a similar testing process with the new Lexus model to see if any changes should be made.
(Image via: Inside Line)
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