Toyota tests SUVs after safety alert

TOYOTA said yesterday it was testing the safety of all its sport-utility vehicles after an American consumer magazine warned that the Lexus GX 460 could roll over and told readers not to buy it.

The Japanese car maker said it had not yet decided whether to recall the GX 460, which is sold mainly in North America, but also in the Middle East and Russia. It is not for sale in the UK.

Toyota halted its sales of the GX 460 in North America yesterday, following the Consumer Reports story, acting quickly after being criticised as slow in responding to previous consumer complaints on faulty accelerator pedals, defective floor mats and braking software glitches. The car-maker said it was carrying out tests.

The magazine issued a rare warning not to buy the vehicle because its driving tests revealed a problem that could cause the vehicle to roll over.

Toyota has said that it does not yet know what the possible problems could be, but was working on it so Consumer Reports would be able to retest the GX 460 and give it a satisfactory rating.

Consumer Reports, widely read by many US car buyers because of its reputation as fair, has raised red flags over Toyotas before. In January, the magazine withdrew its "recommended" rating on eight vehicles recalled by the car maker because of faulty accelerator pedals.