Toyota's Avalon used to lead Consumer Reports' large-car rankings, but now it has been outclassed by both the Chevy Impala and Kia Cadenza. Photo credit: Toyota
Not long ago, for a certain type of buyer, car shopping was simple: Check out the latest from Toyota (TM 0.41%), maybe look at a Honda (HMC +0.16%), and write a check. Toyotas dominated the Consumer Reports rankings for years, and the company built a large global following of loyal customers who saw Toyota's cars and trucks as a safe, dependable choice.
But those times are fading -- not because Toyota is slipping, but because the competition has caught on to Toyota's secrets. This past week brought news that Toyota's mainstay Avalon sedan, shown above, had fallen behind in Consumer Reports' latest rankings -- losing ground not to another Japanese brand, but to cars from America and South Korea. Meanwhile, Toyota is losing market share here in the United States.
Is Toyota in trouble? In this video, Fool contributor John Rosevear looks at Toyota's fight to keep pace with its rivals and offers his take on how Toyota will turn things around here in the United States.
