Vietnamese drivers concerned over imported Toyota car faults

News that Toyota in the US has halted selling eight models due to accelerator and pedal problems have made many Vietnamese consumers puzzled.

The eight models are RAV4 2009-2010, Corolla 2009-2010, Camry 2007-2010, Matrix 2009-2010, Avalon 2005-2010, Highlander 2010, Tundra 2007-2010 and Sequoia 2008-2010.

For Vietnam, of most concern is that the Camry and Corolla are included in the list as both are very popular here.

Car dealers say that car imports from the US remain more popular than from Taiwan or the Middle East, which now account for 50 percent of the imported car market in Vietnam.

The information about the halt of the sale of the eight Toyota’s models is worrying for Nguyen The Hung, Chairman of Kylin, one of the biggest car importers in the north.

Hung said that Vietnamese consumers favour imported products and have confidence in the automobiles manufactured in the US.

However, Hung said that all the import cars must go through the registration agency, which examines the quality of the cars, before they are allowed to be sold.

Hung said that to date, Kylin has not received any complaints from clients about the quality of car imports from the US, especially the complaints relating to pedal problems.

He went on to say that the company’s partner in the US has not released any information about the problem.

“If the information about the recalling of error cars and the halt of car sale is accurate, the US traders surely cannot export faulty cars to Vietnam, and Vietnamese import companies such as Kylin cannot sign contracts to import them,” Hung said.

Meanwhile, a representative from Toyota Vietnam said that the company has not had enough information to provide to the press and it is itself is awaiting information from its parent group in Japan.

Ngo Van Tru, deputy director of the Heavy Industry Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said that the Vietnam Registration Agency needs to take responsibility for controlling the quality of imports

Du Quoc Thinh, chairman of the Society of Automotive Engineer, noted that in many cases, cars were imported from the US, but the cars could be made in other countries as well.

Camry 2.5 sourced from the US is now selling at $56,500 , a decrease of $3,000 from December 2009. Corolla is selling at $43,500.

Importers say sale prices are nearly the same as cost prices. As the market cools they are having to slash sale prices

Tags: Vietnam automotive industry