Consumer Reports: Toyota Camry No Longer Reccomended Buy

Consumer Reports has dropped the Toyota Camry from vehicles receiving a recommended rating. The move is shocking because of Toyota’s track record of rock-solid reliability however reliability is only one factor Consumer Reports uses to determine its rankings.

While Toyota/Lexus remain the most reliable brand, poor crash testing performance is what has gotten them into trouble. The Camry, Prius v model and RAV4 SUV are no longer recommended because they received poor ratings in last year’s crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

• Also: Toyota Camry does poorly on new crash test; fails to get insurance group's highest rating
• Also: 2014 Impala is First Domestic Sedan to Top Consumer Reports Rankings

“We're a year into it, we've got over 50 vehicles tested and there's enough that are doing adequately on this test that now we're making the shift and pulling recommendations from any car that gets a poor" rating, Jake Fisher, director of auto testing at Consumer Reports, said of the IIHS test.

"Honestly, we don't take this lightly, but virtually every vehicle now in the family sedan category has been tested and the only one that has gotten a 'poor' is the Camry," he added. "At this point, we don't feel we can continue to recommend people buy a Camry when there's other good choices out there that do better on the test."

Toyota is working to improve the design of the vehicles in question and will likely re-submit them for additional testing later this year.

Consumer Reports ratings can play a large part in a vehicle’s perception in the eyes of buyers. A good or bad rating can sometimes make or a break a vehicle.