Toyota responds to Consumer Reports assessment, says little
Back in high school, the less popular among us would always take some pleasure in the star quarterback having a bad day on the field. Such was the case yesterday when Consumer Reports revealed that it was no longer recommending three Toyota vehicles: the V6 Camry, V8 Tundra 4WD and Lexus GS AWD. Media outlets including your truly focused on these three vehicles, and CR itself stated that Toyota was "showing cracks in its armor." Certainly those sick of hearing about Toyota's sterling reputation for quality took some satisfaction in the automaker's fumble.That was yesterday, and today Toyota has a response, which can be read after the jump. It basically reminds us that despite the loss of three vehicles from CR's recommended list, Toyota still managed to garner more models named "Most Reliable" than any other automaker. Toyota, Scion and Lexus still ranked very high among the most reliable makes, and collectively the company came in third place.
In an interview with Automotive News, VP of Toyota Motor Sales USA, Jim Lentz said the company was aware of the problems with the Camry V6, which were traced back to its transmission, but are puzzled as to why the Tundra and Lexus GS were included.
Even though Toyota may have dropped the ball yesterday, it still remains a marquee player in the auto industry and has an enviable highlight reel. Time will tell, however, if yesterday's trouble at the hands of CR will become a repeat performance.
[Source: Toyota, Automotive News - sub. req'd]
PRESS RELEASE
TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota, Lexus and Scion models collectively led the industry with the greatest number of models, 17, ranked "Most Reliable" in this year's Consumer Reports Reliability
Survey. With dozens of models from three dozen makes vying for a spot onthe magazine's "Most Reliable" list, only 39 were chosen. Toyota, Lexus and Scion models accounted for 44 percent of the list.
Toyota, Lexus and Scion earned three of the top six places among most reliable makes. Collectively they ranked third place in reliability among all automakers.
"Over all, this survey reflects well on our products," said Toyota Motor Sales Executive Vice President Jim Lentz. "However, we're taking measures every day to continue to sharpen quality and enhance customer satisfaction."
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the United States, marketing products and services through a network of over 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers in 49 states. Established in 1957,TMS and its subsidiaries also are involved in distribution logistics, motorsports, and research and development.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Robert 3:12PM (10/17/2007)
Remember, Toyota customers think they're buying a flawless car, so they'll consider a stuttering windshield wiper blade to be a "problem." Meanwhile, domestic buyers think their 5-year-old Taurus has been problem-free even if a tranny was replaced -- as long is it's under warranty.
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John P. 3:17PM (10/17/2007)
Actually, my wife's 5 year old Sable has been trouble free, though after 120k, It is due for a tune-up. maybe she should have bought a Camry v6 with the faulty transmission?
testa di cazzo 3:59PM (10/17/2007)
it's actually quite the opposite. Toyota buyers think their vehicles are flawless, so they are more apt to think that a problem with the car is their own fault, rather than the car being poorly made. vice versa for domestic buyers (even if a car has a minor problem that was caused by poor maintenance or aggressive accelerating/braking, the domestic owners will first blame it on the car)
xbird 6:24PM (10/17/2007)
Totally agree with testa on this, it is called selective memory and happens because our preconceived perceptions or biases easily cloud our judgment.
Any fan of a good team or popular company is a lot more likely to come up with excuses for the times that they don't perform up to par than admitting the company has erred.
This is often manifested in shifting attention to other companies and revealing their faults to justify the "lesser" faults of the former.
bizz1441 8:13PM (10/17/2007)
Robert is totally right on this one.
Look at the difference in JD Power scores for the GMC/Chevy pickups. They are the exact same truck (not as much now as in the 90's) but the GMC trucks always have a higher IQS/VDS score because the GMC owners expect a better truck and will complain about smaller things.
I remember the same thing happening when Nissan first rebadged the Ford Windstar as the Quest. They were the same vehicle just a different badge, and the Quest had a higher IQS/VDS score because the Nissan customers expected more.
Mike 10:44AM (10/18/2007)
I disagree Robert. My brother has owned both new Domestics and New Imports. He beats the sh!t out of everything he owns but on average has had more major problems with the Imports, having put two or three transmissions in his Honda, vs. little plastic pieces breaking on the interior of his Oldsmobile. Yet he complains about American quality? I think there is a stigma that if you purchase a Import the thing is flawless, where a domestic isn't. I have had a few Domestics all have at least 60k without any real problems (replaced the factory head unit in my 02 Monte SS), and should I ever have a problem it is most likely my fault for the way I treat the vehicle, I'm one of those real aggressive drivers everyone hates. But so far its been a great car, regardless of what anyone on here thinks of its appearance. And its just recently that CR downgraded their recommendations of those models, so possibly the new Toyota's aren't what they used to be? IMO I think on average an Import owner thinks their vehicle is built to be trouble free and anything that occurs is something they did to the vehicle, where as a domestic owner has had it pounded in their head that an American car is going to have problems, so if something ever comes up it brings all those things back to mind making them believe what they have heard.
david 9:15PM (10/19/2007)
My uncle passed away in 1997 leaving my aunt a flawless, meticulessy cared for '94 Buick Regal to my dear aunt. After she had this car for two and a half more years and at 73K, the engine siezed up and she donated the car. Her daughter then talked her into a new Camry. In 2004, you guessed it, her engine siezed at 44K. She also donated this car to charity. Both cars never had an oil change under her ownership and other than adding oil when low, she never maintained any part of either cars. To this day she still calls the Buick a junk and blames the car, yet she raved how much better riding and more comfortable it was compared to the Camry, and the problem with the Camry was all her fault. She now owns a Mazda and as far as we know, still does'nt maintain the car.
willem 3:15PM (10/17/2007)
What's left to recommend Toy products? It certainly is not their driving dynamics, fun-to-own, or even reliability. Looks like brand loyalists will have to look elsewhere for all of those attributes.
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Typesbad 3:52PM (10/17/2007)
CR isn't bestowing its recommendation on three trim levels, not models, but trim levels of models out of all the vehicles from its three brands. They have a combined 27 model lines at last count and I don't know how many drivetrain combinations. And three didn't make the cut. I think you could legitimately call that "praise by faint damning". Its sure a long way from being able to proclaim that the brand no longer has reliability.
No fanboy here, as I've never owned a Toyota. But I recognize them for what they are.
spw 9:45PM (10/17/2007)
not reliablity? 17 out of 44 reccomended cars are Toyotas.... 2 GM, 3 Ford.
:-).
MacGuffin 3:20PM (10/17/2007)
The bottom line is that Toyota grew too fast and didn't keep its eyes on what made them successful in the first place: QRD.
No amount of spin by Irv Miller disputes the fact that Toyota's quality has been declining over the past 5 years while its competition has been simultaneously improving.
If this weren't the case, and they weren't worried, then why did they trot out their most senior executive for an interview with Automotive News?
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wilbot 5:22PM (10/17/2007)
The bottom line, toyota sucks.
raj 3:24PM (10/17/2007)
Toyota to recall 470,000 cars due to defective parts
link here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071017/bs_afp/japanautocompanyrecalltoyota_071017095017;_ylt=AiJIiStrGCETUjGkzIRUzAzlyREB
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MoonRover 3:28PM (10/17/2007)
The most overated appliance rolling on four wheels, Toyota.
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Neon Jebus 3:34PM (10/17/2007)
I guess it could be worse. How many years have these models been made here in the US and not imported? See where I am going with that. They could always blame US or North American labor on the problems.
I'm not picking a fight as I don't know the answer to how long these models have been made in the US (if they are at all). I believe the Tundra is made in Evansville, IN but other than that I don't have the facts.
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Sandeep 4:05PM (10/17/2007)
The Camry has been made in Kentucky for almost 20 years now. I don't think the GS is even made in North America.
Julius 4:06PM (10/17/2007)
FWIW - the new Tundra is made in a brand-new plant in Texas.
Tim 3:36PM (10/17/2007)
This is the problem that GM and Ford had in the past where they could not control the quality at the independent composites. Gm and Ford would design a product then outsource the construction to a parts supplier to cut costs. They had no control of the quality. As the big 2 consolidate I see their quality improving steadily because they have tighter control of their suppliers. It is hard to be profitable this way though.
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The Other Bob 3:46PM (10/17/2007)
So Consumer Reports won't automatically recommend any Toyota-branded vehicle just because of its nameplate anymore.
Anyone who knows the smallest amount about the auto industry knows that judging a car merely on nameplate is a ridiculous way of recommending a car.
In an era when Saturn Vue’s have Honda V-6 engines and transmissions, Pontiacs and Toyotas are made in the same California plant, Mazda rebadges Fords Escapes and Rangers, and Isuzu sells rebadged GM trucks, nameplate means little.
You can tell more about a cars quality from which plant it is made in, then what nameplate is on the side. If it’s made at a GM Oshawa, Ontario plant its likely a high-quality car. If its made at one of the award-winning plants building Lexus cars, it’s likely high quality. If it’s made at an older plant that hasn’t been upgraded in decades, quality if likely be lower.
Consumer Reports previously recommended the Toyota Tundra over the Silverado. Why? Because it said Toyota on the side of the Tundra. This was despite that fact that no one knew what kind of quality was going to come out of the brand new Toyota plant with workers who had no automotive experience. The Tundra also had a new engine and transmission while the Silverado had a tried and true drive train.
Yet nameplate means more for quality?
Am I glad Consumer Reports finally wised up? Yes. Do I still think they are full of s**t? Yes.
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MJC 3:56PM (10/17/2007)
I have no idea why anyone would buy a Toyota over a Honda...