Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series wait times: What you need to know

Wait times in Australia for the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series have blown out to three years – according to a number of dealers canvassed by Drive – however, if you shop around, some showrooms have lower grade models available in about six months.

As global vehicle demand continues to exceed supply, thousands of Australian buyers remain affected by extensive wait times for new vehicle deliveries. 

Japanese car-giant Toyota – which accounts for approximately one in five new cars sold in Australia – is among the most affected by the delays, but not due to manufacturing slowdowns (production has in fact ramped up) but because of the spike in demand, particularly for the company's hybrid models such as the RAV4 and Camry.

To coincide with the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series' appearance in this week's episode of Drive TV (Sunday 1pm eastern time), we canvassed dealers across Australia to get an update on wait times, and found the delays vary wildly from dealer to dealer and depending on which model grade you're after. 

The summary: top-end models such as the GR Sport and Sahara VX have wait times of two to three years, while some dealers quoted wait times of six to nine months for GX and GXL variants. Not all dealers had the same wait list for the same models, so it pays to shop around.

For example, in Sydney, customers can expect to wait for a range-topping GR Sport for approximately two years. However, if buyers are after the base model GX, you could be in the traffic by the end of this year. A dealership in Sydney told Drive the base GX model grade currently has a wait time of approximately three to nine months.

A number of dealers told Drive the simpler the order, the more likely customers will receive the car within the specified time frame. And any late changes can push you to the back of the queue.

We were told most buyers keep orders basic, with rubber floor mats and bumper protectors some of the more popular options selected.

In Melbourne, dealers canvassed by Drive quoted wait times of 12 to 18 months across all model grades. In Adelaide, dealers said top-end variants such as the Sahara, Sahara ZX and GR Sport could take up to three years to arrive. 

Adding a long list of options to a new car and choosing custom colours can also prolong the process, dealers advised.

Our advice: If you want to place an order for a car with that's in high demand, prepare to be flexible with colour and trim options. And the more common the order is, the greater chance you have of jumping up the queue if someone ahead of you pulls out of their deal.

Industry experts encourage anyone wanting to buy a new Toyota LandCruiser to “hit the phone and contact showrooms far and wide” because allocations do vary from dealer to dealer.