Lexus Freezes Sales of Its GX 460 SUV after Consumer Reports' Warning

After Consumer Reports magazine announced it had found problems with the Lexus GX 460 during a handling test, discovering that the car is prone to rollover, Toyota reacted fast. It immediately issued a press release saying that it will investigate the problem and take the necessary measures. Only a day after that, Toyota announced its customers it will freeze sales of the full-size SUV, until the problem will be fixed.

“For more than 20 years, Lexus has made customer safety and satisfaction our highest priorities. We are taking the situation with the GX 460 very seriously and are determined to identify and correct the issue Consumer Reports identified. At this time we have asked our dealers to temporarily suspend sales of the 2010 GX 460”, said Mark Templin, Lexus Group vice president and general manager. He added that customers who have purchased a 2010 GX 460 and are concerned about driving safety will receive a loaner car until a remedy is available.

Consumer Reports released yesterday a statement in which it warned potential customers not to buy the GX 460 since it is not a safe car, being prone to rollover in a lift-off oversteer situation. “In real-world driving, lift-off oversteer could occur when a driver enters a highway’s exit ramp or drives through a sweeping turn and encounters an unexpected obstacle or suddenly finds that the turn is too tight for the vehicle’s speed”, read Consumer Reports press release.

“A natural impulse is to quickly lift off the accelerator pedal. If that were to happen in the GX, the rear could slide around far enough that a wheel could strike a curb or slide off the pavement”, added the report.