Interesting - Bad press for toyota and lexus....

[monaroCountry1]

Toyota models rank at bottom of crash-safety study
Tribune Wire Services
By Greg Bensinger
Bloomberg News


-Toyota Motor Corp., whose vehicles earn top marks for buyer satisfaction, has more models than any other automaker ranked at the bottom of a crash-protection study.

-Toyota and its Lexus division accounted for nine of 16 vehicles with "acceptable," "marginal" or "poor" rear- impact protection, lowering their overall rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said today.

-A "poor" grade predicts serious or possibly fatal injuries in front-end and side collision tests performed at 40 miles an hour, while a "good" rating predicts a lower risk of serious injury, said Russ Rader, an institute spokesman.

-Passengers in vehicles with "poor" rear-collision ratings are "much more likely" to sustain neck injuries compared with people riding in "good" vehicles, Rader said.

[Ryzz]

Here is the full article incase anyone is interested


Toyota models rank at bottom of crash-safety study


By Greg Bensinger
Bloomberg News
Published November 21, 2006, 11:13 AM CST

Toyota Motor Corp., whose vehicles earn top marks for buyer satisfaction, has more models than any other automaker ranked at the bottom of a crash-protection study.

Toyota and its Lexus division accounted for nine of 16 vehicles with ``acceptable,'' ``marginal'' or ``poor'' rear- impact protection, lowering their overall rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said today. Models included the Toyota Camry and the Lexus GS 350.

The institute tightened its rules this year, requiring electronic stability control as a standard or optional feature for vehicles to be a ``top safety pick.'' Thirteen models got that rating, led by three each from Honda Motor Co., including its Acura division, and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.'s Subaru.

``The lower-rated cars may turn off some buyers,'' said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst with Global Insight Inc. in Lexington, Massachusetts. Poor safety ratings are more likely than high rankings to sway buyers because ``people tend to think their cars are safe, unless they hear otherwise,'' she said.

The Saab 9-3 sedan, made by General Motors Corp., and Ford Motor Co.'s Volvo XC90 were the only models manufactured by U.S.-based automakers on the ``top safety pick'' list.

Toyota's performance in the crash-safety study contrasts with its industry-leading ranking on the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index. The Toyota City, Japan-based company finished atop other automakers for the second year in a row in 2006.

``The Insurance Institute is looking for a certain type of headrest design and that's not what we have. But we think ours work just fine,'' Wade Hoyt, a Toyota spokesman, said in an interview. ``We're confident in the safety of our design.''

Vehicles earn the institute's top safety ranking based on tests of front-, rear- and side-collision protection. Electronic stability control was added as a requirement ``to encourage more vehicle safety improvements,'' said Adrian Lund, president of the Arlington, Virginia-based institute.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has called for automakers to make electronic stability control standard by 2012. The equipment monitors vehicle movement and steering and may help prevent rollover accidents.

GM has said it plans to have the stability control standard on all vehicles by the end of the decade, and Ford plans to equip its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles by the end of 2009. DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler unit has the systems as standard or optional on about 55 percent of 2007 models and expects to meet NHTSA's deadline.

A ``poor'' grade predicts serious or possibly fatal injuries in front-end and side collision tests performed at 40 miles an hour, while a ``good'' rating predicts a lower risk of serious injury, said Russ Rader, an institute spokesman.

Passengers in vehicles with ``poor'' rear-collision ratings are ``much more likely'' to sustain neck injuries compared with people riding in ``good'' vehicles, Rader said.

[Holden Man]

Toyota are too big and now suffer the related problems. (YES !)

[csv rulz]

Toyota are too big and now suffer the related problems. (YES !)


Wait for those toyota boys to defend toyota to the death on this. Just wait for it.:jester:

[Holden Man]

Wait for those toyota boys to defend toyota to the death on this. Just wait for it.:jester:

:yup: Yes, there are 2 members that I'm waiting to hear from !!

Actually someone tell John Laws about this as he gives me the sh*ts when he goes on about his sponsors.