Toyota Loses Consumer Reports Recommendation

Many a dog owner will tell you that their pups are very reliable, loyal creatures. Some may even say they’re a man’s best friend. And while their dogs may be faithful, owners can sometimes be even more loyal to their pets than vice-versa. This kind of relationship is mirrored between Consumer Reports and the publication’s readers, who are devoted to the magazine, and the magazine, conversely, to them.

No matter what you think of CR (it does err on occasion – remember the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe reviews?), the mag is perceived to have a reliable reputation. Most recently, Consumer Reports removed its “Recommended” status of any Toyota vehicle under the current recall. According to the publication’s parent company, the removal is temporary since Toyota is hard at work on righting its wrong, recalling and fixing the effected products. CR claims that the danger of unintended acceleration and lack of known repair for this problem is the reason for dropping the recommended status of the Toyota vehicles in question.

General Motors is already kicking Toyota while it’s down and Consumer Reports has begun the process of swinging its leg. All this should assist General Motors’ already-increasing market share and provide another reason for buyers to take advantage of The General’s zero percent financing with a Toyota trade.

Since the recall is temporary, the magazine will re-recommend Toyota models once everything is fixed up and the vehicles are deemed safe again. Will it then be too late for Toyota? Only time will tell…