[akas_chauhan]

Just went through this article.
Lexus GX 460 SUV a rollover risk - Consumer Reports - Apr. 13, 2010

When think if they rate indian cars how many of them will belong to this category. Almost all Indian so called SUV.

Mods can you merge this move to right section if it's required.

[vinaydas]

well this is what you call adding fuel to the fire.
If you really want to roll over a car all you need to do is try. For gods sake give me a M3 and ill make it Roll over if you would like
If not mistaken GX= New Prado.
Take my word for it , the magazine is trying to make news that's it.

[Nitin]

Originally Posted by vinaydas

If not mistaken GX= New Prado.

I don't think thats true. Either ways, I have heard about the LX470 feeling a bit wobbly when tight cornering at relatively low speeds ( ~ 60mph), and it won't be surprising if this fact about the GX is indeed true.

[vinaydas]

Originally Posted by Nitin

I don't think thats true. Either ways, I have heard about the LX470 feeling a bit wobbly when tight cornering at relatively low speeds ( ~ 60mph), and it won't be surprising if this fact about the GX is indeed true.

Well Both the LX and GX are SUV's with HIGH GC. Unless you are driving a Cayenne (which i love BTW)or a Panzy SUV such as the x5/6 chances are due to the high center of gravity there is a possibility of tipping over(without the stability assist).

[Gilead]

Wow, the last time CR put out a warning like this was about 10 years ago for a Mitsubishi SUV. I think it was in 2001.

[akas_chauhan]

Yes they put a warning last time 10 years back for mitsubishi montero and now for this.

[greenhorn]

for a moment there, i thought I was watching " will it drift"
It's amazing that you can make an SUV drift so nicely!
Lexus GX 460 Wins Consumer Reports Prestigious "Don't Buy" Award - lexus gx 460 - Jalopnik

[srishiva]

The stability control is not working as expected I guess. Good that Toyota is taking everything seriously now!
@vinaydas, I dont think CR does cheap publicity stuff like other mags.

[akas_chauhan]

NOw Toyota officially suspends selliung it until problem solved.

Here is what it says.

"Toyota asked dealers to temporarily suspend sales of the new 2010 Lexus GX 460 after Consumer Reports issued a safety warning on the SUV."

[GTO]

Boy, the bad news (and press) for Toyota just doesn't seem to stop! Good for them that they reacted quickly to this news, unlike their recent recalls. CR giving the GX - a premium SUV - the thumbs down will negatively affect customer confidence in the Toyota brand. Especially since this has come in the midst of very sensitive times for the big T.

For those not in the know, Consumer Reports is the most respected automotive publication in the States. Of course, they also review product categories other than cars (electronics etc.). They have a super testing center and stringent testing methods. The publication is so well respected that it can...well....make or break a car in the USA market.

They don't accept a single $ in advertising revenue from the auto industry either

ALSO: The GX470 shares its platform with the Prado. Yup, the Prado that is also sold in India. Is Toyota India suspending sales too?

[Gilead]

Originally Posted by GTO

ALSO: The GX470 shares its platform with the Prado. Yup, the Prado that is also sold in India. Is Toyota India suspending sales too?

The same platform is also shared with the 4runner. The 4runner has no issues apparently so I would assume the Prado is okay as well. This appears to be a specific issue with the GX's stability control system. Sounds like a software glitch to me.

[greenhorn]

While CR is a hugely respected organization, I dont think they are infallible.
They have their own flaws too. Not unlike JD power

[Gilead]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

While CR is a hugely respected organization, I dont think they are infallible.
They have their own flaws too. Not unlike JD power

Big difference between JD Power and CR. I think JD Power only conducts surveys, whereas CR actually tests products.

Just to reiterate my earlier post. From CR.

Consumer Reports Cars Blog: Don't Buy: Safety Risk--2010 Lexus GX 460

All four of our auto engineers who conduct the test experienced the problem in an exercise used to evaluate what’s called lift-off oversteer. In the test, as the vehicle is driven through a turn, the driver quickly lifts his foot off the accelerator pedal to see how the vehicle reacts.

We perform this evaluation on every vehicle we test, which includes the 95 SUVs in our current auto Ratings. No other SUV in recent years slid out as far as the GX 460, including the Toyota 4Runner, which shares the same platform as the GX.


To confirm our results, we paid for the use of another GX 460 from Lexus and experinced the same problem.

[greenhorn]

I'm not talking about statistical flaws ( well, that's there too). I'm talking about bias and how they report things
See :
No Clear Winner in Decision In Isuzu vs. Consumer Reports - NYTimes.com

Would any of you say that the gypsy was prone to rolling over ? (I havent seen any such reports here) Well they did, and the fraud was outed

AIM Report: A Black Eye for Consumer Reports

CU videotapes and other evidence obtained in discovery show-ed that when the car was put through the standard "emergency avoidance" test course, it passed with no problems. This is supposed to replicate an emergency that any driver might en-counter. It involves the driver suddenly turning into the opposing lane to avoid an obstacle and quickly turning back into the original lane. The Samurai was run through the course, which had been used for 15 years, 37 times. It did not roll over once even though it was driven at a higher speed than other cars that were tested. Kevin Sheehan, a CU test driver, said the vehicle "never felt like it would tip over." Another driver, Rick Small, gave the Samurai CU's highest stability rating, saying it "corrects quickly" and "responds well."
Suzuki charges that at this point Landau threatened his testing staff, saying, "If you can't find someone to roll this car, I will!" David Pittle, CU's technical director, tried nine times to roll the car over without success. He finally succeeded in getting it to tip up by turning the car so sharply that it went off the test course. A video shows onlookers cheering and yelling, "Yeah!" One said , "I think I got that, I think I got that."
CU then decided to construct a new course that would make it easier to replicate Pittle's successful maneuver. It was still difficult to make the vehicle tip, and CU employee Joe Nappi cried out, "All right, Ricky baby," when test driver Rick Small finally succeeded in getting two wheels off the ground.

I would wait for a third party test to happen before condemning it.

[sanjayc]

I would love to have that kind of drift in my Fiesta!