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Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro and Chairman of Mazda Motor apologize during a press conference on June 3rd. Photo: JIJI Press/AFP. |
The auto industry was once again shaken this June when several Japanese auto giants, including Toyota, Honda, Mazda, and Suzuki, were embroiled in a scandal involving safety inspection result fabrications.
It’s Not Just Toyota
A statement from Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism revealed that during an investigation into safety inspections of vehicles from 68 brands, the ministry found that Mazda, Honda, Suzuki, Toyota, and Yamaha had falsified certifications related to crash tests, emissions, noise, and brakes.
This industry-wide inspection was triggered by Toyota’s admission earlier this year that it had manipulated engine test results for several models, including the LandCruiser Prado, Toyota Hilux, Fortuner, and HiAce.
The investigation uncovered that Mazda had modified certain engines contrary to regulations before safety tests were completed, leading to skewed test results. Honda, on the other hand, was found to have made false statements about the results of 22 of its models.
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Toyota and four other auto and motorcycle brands were found guilty of inspection result fraud. Photo: Reuters. |
Suzuki was also caught submitting incorrect brake test results for its Alto hatchback sold in the international market. Yamaha, a two-wheeler manufacturer, was found to have conducted noise tests for motorcycles improperly and submitted false reports regarding horn inspections.
While the manufacturers asserted that the affected vehicles were still safe to drive, this scandal has sent shockwaves through the global auto industry due to the involvement of well-known brands.
Not long before this scandal, a similar safety fraud scandal involving Daihatsu and Toyota had come to light, with investigators finding over 170 irregularities in 25 safety inspection categories conducted by these manufacturers.
Familiar Names in the Vietnamese Market
As mentioned earlier, this scandal not only affects Daihatsu and Toyota models but also extends to other Japanese car brands, tarnishing the reputation of Japanese automakers’ safety standards. Among the affected models are several familiar names, especially to Vietnamese consumers.
Toyota has halted the production of three car models in Japan: the Corolla Fielder, Axio, and Yaris Cross. The Yaris Cross sold in Vietnam shares a similar commercial name to the one halted in Japan, but Toyota Vietnam (TMV) has clarified that the two are completely different in terms of model type.
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Toyota Yaris Cross sold in Japan. Photo: Toyota Japan. |
Two models with commercial names similar to those sold in Vietnam that are impacted by the scandal are the Mazda2 hatchback and the Alexa/Mazda3 and older-generation Mazda6. In Vietnam, the Mazda2 is locally assembled and distributed by Thaco Auto, offering five versions, including three sedans and two Sport versions designed as 5-door hatchbacks. The Sport 1.5L Premium is priced at 572 million VND, while the 1.5L Luxury version costs 527 million VND.
The Mazda6, also locally assembled in Vietnam, offers three versions priced between 769 and 899 million VND.
Suzuki, which was found to have submitted incorrect brake test results for its Alto hatchback, currently does not sell this model in Vietnam. Instead, the car is marketed in India under the name Suzuki Maruti.
According to the investigation report on Honda, the 22 affected models include the Jazz, CR-Z, Legend, Accord, Insight, Odyssey, and NSX. However, the company has affirmed that these versions are no longer in production and are unrelated to the current models on the market.
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