Toyota to suspend sales of Lexus GX 460 over new safety fears
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Image: Altair78.
Japanese auto maker Toyota is to temporarily suspend sales of its luxury Lexus GX 460 SUV following an unfavorable verdict from Consumer Reports, which concluded "Don't Buy: Safety Risk," the first such warning in almost a decade.
After conducting its standard emergency handling tests on the 2010 version of the Lexus GX 460, Consumer Reports became concerned that the rear of the vehicle had a tendency to slide out, which in real life sitations could lead to rollovers. However, the consumer organisation is also unaware of any such incidents with the 5000 GX 460s sold since its launch three months ago.
Already embattled with ongoing safety issues with its vehicles, Toyota has been quick to act, though it did claim that the car was safe to drive and that it had passed internal safety standards. According to Toyota, "Lexus' extensive vehicle testing provides a good indication of how our vehicles perform and we are confident that the GX meets our high safety standards."
Sources
- James Quinn. "Toyota halts sales of new Lexus SUV over 'safety risk'" — The Daily Telegraph, 14 Apr 2010
- "Toyota suspends US sales of Lexus GX 460" — BBC, 14 Apr 2010
External links
- Consumer Reports (requires subscription)
- Toyota press release