Sales of New Lexus SUV Suspended in USA

Toyota Motor Corp has suspended sales of a new Lexus SUV in the U.S. market to investigate the risk for rollover accidents in the latest blow to the reputation of the world's largest automaker.

Photo: Sales of New Lexus SUV Suspended in USA

Toyota took the unusual action of stopping sales of the 2010 Lexus GX 460 after Consumer Reports urged shoppers not to buy the sport utility vehicle, calling it a "safety risk" because of a potential handling problem in certain turns, Reuters informs.

Consumer Reports on Tuesday announced that it gave the Lexus GX460 a "don't buy" warning based on tests that concluded the luxury SUV could roll over.

During tests that subjected the car to unusual turns, the vehicle slid to the point that it was nearly sideways, prior to being corrected by electronic stability control. In real world driving, Consumer Reports cautioned, the vehicle would have likely rolled over, as it would have hit a curb or the side of the road by that time, Forbes says.

Toyota’s Lexus division withdrew the car just hours after the warning was issued Tuesday.

“We are taking the situation with the GX 460 very seriously and are determined to identify and correct the issue Consumer Reports identified,” Mark S. Templin, the Lexus group vice president and general manager said in a statement, New York Times reports.