In the wake of a recent crash test scandal involving its affiliate Daihatsu, Toyota is taking two vastly different approaches when it comes to affected vehicles.
To recall, Toyota found out (via a whistleblower report) that its affiliate, Daihatsu, has been rigging vehicles to perform better during side-impact tests. The vehicles involved include the Toyota Yaris Ativ (Vios) made in Thailand, the Perodua Axia made in Malaysia, and the Toyota Agya (Wigo) made in Indonesia.
The affected vehicles had been modified with a notch to minimize the risk in testing that the door interior could break with a sharp edge and cause injury to an occupant when the side airbag deployed in an accident.
As the carmaker scrambles to rectify the issue, Thailand and Malaysia are taking two vastly different approaches to the matter.
In a report by Thailand’s AutoLife and confirmed in an official statement, Toyota Thailand has announced the temporary suspension of sales and deliveries of the Yaris Ativ there due to the incompleteness of its side-impact test preparation (UN-R95). It will only commence deliveries and sales once the test has been successfully done in the presence of regulators.
However, Toyota Thailand will not be issuing any recall, stating that all 36,890 Toyota Yaris Ativ models delivered to Thai customers pass the UN-R95 standard. They will not take any corrective action on the matter.
On the other hand, based on PaulTan.org, Perodua in Malaysia is holding onto an internal Daihatsu document certifying that the Perodua Axias (essentially a re-badged Toyota Wigo) passes the UN-R95 test based on “parts manufactured for the model.” As such, it will not issue a recall nor stop the sale of the model as they deem it “safe.”
So far, both of these vehicles are not yet for sale in the Philippines. However, the all-new Wigo, which shares its basic platform with the Perodua Axia and Toyota Agya, will be launched in the next few months.
What do you think is the right move here?
Our vios were made here in ph and wigo here made in indonesia
ReplyDeleteThe Wigos / Agyas made in Indonesia are affected, but this is the all-new Wigo/Agya...not the current one.
DeleteAs always, Daihatsu's are not Toyota's no matter the badge they put on it.
ReplyDeleteI think a recall is inevitable for the new Wigo and the Vios given they need to fit the new door card they used in the crash tests, they just need to wait for the internal investigation to be complete.
ReplyDeleteNo to rebadged Daihatsu vehicles. Daihatsu will always have a propensity to cheat so good luck to owners of the new Avanza, Veloz, Raize, new Wigo, new Vios.
ReplyDeleteApart from poor build quality and low quality plastics, vehicle safety now comes into question.
For most pnoy car buyers affordability, reliability/durabilityand low cost of maintenance is the key, toyota daihatsu much better than buying unreliable, not durable china cars with very low resale value.
ReplyDelete