Toyota's rivals rush to fill voidWith owners' loyalty to the Japanese giant shaken, other brands boost market share.
AUTOMOBILES
February 23, 2010|By Jerry Hirsch
With growing public scrutiny over a series of embarrassing recalls, once-loyal Toyota owners and other car buyers are taking a new view of the automaker's rivals -- especially Ford, Honda and Hyundai -- a trend that may reshape the U.S. auto market for years to come.
In an example of the new head winds Toyota faces, Consumer Reports will announce Tuesday that it will dramatically reduce the number of Toyota models that it recommends as good buys. Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, had long dominated vehicle recommendations of what many view as the car buyer's bible.