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Toyota Loses Quality Grade

Mag denies carmaker rubber stamp as Ford, US cars close reliability gap

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 16, 2007 8:16 PM CDT

(Newser) Consumer Reports' annual reliability survey won't rubber stamp Toyotas with a high grade anymore, the Wall Street Journal reports. Recent low marks for the Camry V-6 and Tundra V-8 have robbed the carmaker of its automatic okay, while Ford and other US firms are closing the reliability gap. Toyota's other recent problems include a rash of defections and declining sales.

But Asian cars still rank best in overall reliability, and Toyota is third-most reliable after Honda and Subaru. "We believe Toyota is aware of its issues and is trying to fix problems quickly," says a Consumer Reports director.The carmaker now has to submit "reliability data" for each model to receive a grade from the mag. Deemed least reliable by Consumer Reports was Land Rover, a brand that Ford is trying to sell.

A man sits in the Harrisburg Toyota showroom in Harrisburg, Pa., Friday, Sept. 28, 2007. Retail sales posted a stronger-than-expected gain and prices at the wholesale level jumped up significantly in September. The Commerce Department reported Friday, Oct. 12, 2007 that retail sales increased 0.6 percent last month, compared...
A man sits in the Harrisburg Toyota showroom in Harrisburg, Pa., Friday, Sept. 28, 2007. Retail sales posted a stronger-than-expected gain and prices at the wholesale level jumped up significantly in...   (Associated Press)
Katsuaki Watanabe, president of Japan's auto giant Toyota Motor...
Katsuaki Watanabe, president of Japan's auto giant Toyota Motor...   (Getty Images (by Event))
Unsold 2007 Tacomas sit under the company logo at a Toyota dealership in the southeast Denver suburb of Centennial, Colo., on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007.  (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Unsold 2007 Tacomas sit under the company logo at a Toyota dealership in the southeast Denver suburb of Centennial, Colo., on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)   (Associated Press)
The 2008 Ford Focus is seen in Detroit, Friday, Oct. 12, 2007.  The revamped Focus now is making its way to showrooms. Early next year, General Motors Corp. will show a glimpse into its future small cars when it sends the Saturn Astra to dealerships, and more compacts are on...
The 2008 Ford Focus is seen in Detroit, Friday, Oct. 12, 2007. The revamped Focus now is making its way to showrooms. Early next year, General Motors Corp. will show a glimpse into its future small cars...   (Associated Press)
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