Consumer Reports Magazine Standing Trial Against Suzuki

Suzuki Claims Consumer Reports Rigged Test of Samurai SUV

Consumer Reports (CR) magazine, respected for its unbiased clinical reports on consumer items including vehicles, will finally be taken to trial by American Suzuki Motors Corp for libel, in a battle that has dragged on for well over a decade.

After a critical report that Suzukis Samurai sport utility “easily rolls over in turns,” the Japanese automaker made claims that CR set up the vehicle to fail roll over tests. Suzuki continues to accuse CR that the publication chose to discredit their SUV for publicity purposes, with an end to increase membership revenue.

The automaker claims that CR set up a slalom course more difficult to negotiate than the vehicles rival SUVs, and then tested it on its own. Suzuki goes further to state a belief that the competitive vehicles were not tested on the same circuit, but one that was easier to maneuver around.

CR claims that only one slalom course was used for all four SUVs tested in this instance, and that each ran at exactly the same speed multiple times. The magazine initially reported that its tests resulted in the Samurai tipping “up briefly and severely.” According to CR the rival SUVs did not display any severe stability problems.

Its important to note that this type of lawsuit has happened before. Popular prime time TV news show 60 Minutes was found guilty of rigging an Audi 5000s accelerator pedal to portray “unintended acceleration,” a ploy that cost the German automaker severely. Rival TV news series 20/20 faced similar scrutiny with its GM pickup truck gas tank explosion fiasco. CRs record is thus far untarnished.

CRs publisher, Consumers Union, put forth an argument that the Japanese automaker had little evidence to back up the libel case, and that it should be thrown out of court. The court, nevertheless, refused to block Suzukis lawsuit, therefore it continues.

To be fair, Suzuki had a right to be upset at CRs report. The Samurai, which was introduced in 1985, sold well over its first three years to the tune of approximately 150,000 units. In 1987 it reached its peak, selling about 80,000. But after CRs report American Suzuki never completely recovered in North America. Suzuki claims it suffered losses exceeding $60 million since the report.

Still, the court will need to decide if there is enough evidence to convict CR and those involved within the publication of Suzukis claims.