Toyota RAV4 Hybrid wait times slashed to six months

A ramp-up in production for the top-selling Toyota RAV4 Hybrid family SUV – as well as the HiLux ute and LandCruiser 300 Series 4WD – has seen wait times tumble.

Toyota Australia sales and marketing boss Sean Hanley said delivery times for the popular RAV4 Hybrid have halved from 12 months earlier this year – and a high of two years in the wake of the pandemic – to six months or less.

As with all wait time estimates, this figure may vary between dealerships – and some customers may be able to jump the queue if another buyer ahead of them cancels their order.

Wait times on HiLux 4x4 variants are now down to four months, according to Toyota Australia, and LandCruiser 300 Series customers now face waits of up to seven months for delivery.

MORE Toyota RAV4 sets Australian sales record as more backorders cleared

The news of improved production comes after the Toyota RAV4 posted its best month on record, notching up 5070 deliveries in March 2024 – of which 93.3 per cent (4728 examples) were hybrids.

Strong Toyota sales over the first three months of this year reflected substantial year-on-year growth for the Japanese brand’s electrified cars – including hybrids and electric cars such as the new BZ4X – which have more than doubled (up 104.7 per cent) over the same period last year.

Toyota says the latest sales figures are more reflective of natural demand for its hybrid cars – unlike this time last year when it was facing constrained supply.

Since the start of this year, 44 per cent of Toyotas reported as sold in Australia have been hybrid or electric – a new high, according to the brand.

Across the wider Toyota line-up, wait times have improved on non-hybrid models such as the LandCruiser 70 Series, LandCruiser 300 Series, HiAce and Fortuner.

However order books remain closed for the LandCruiser 70 Series V8, and may never re-open, Drive has previously reported.

Toyota did not provide a detailed list of estimated wait times for all models, however a company spokesperson told Drive estimated wait times for the Kluger Hybrid are down to about eight months across the country.

Meanwhile, it is said the estimated wait time for a Corolla Cross Hybrid is "around 11 months" – an improvement on the 12 to 13 months quoted at the end of 2023.

These wait times estimates depend on colour and model grade – as well as the dealership from which the customer is purchasing.