Revving Up the Toyota Lineup: Wait Times Set to Shrink

Delivery wait times for the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid may shrink from three years to under 12 months by mid-2024, as Toyota Australia works to restore supply levels to pre-COVID norms.

However, the Camry Hybrid, a fleet-favorite, is likely to continue facing extended waiting times.

The LandCruiser 70 Series V8 also seems set to stay in the slow lane, with order books remaining closed into 2024.

Toyota Australia is gearing up to sell 225,000 vehicles in 2023 and a record-breaking 135,000 in the second half of the year alone. This comes as they strive to reduce waiting times, which have ballooned due to COVID-induced production delays.

The company promises sustained delivery rates of over 20,000 vehicles per month for the rest of 2023, aiming to alleviate some of these wait times.

Toyota is also focused on delivering vehicles to customers who have waited the longest and preventing dealers from marking up in-demand models. Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia's sales and marketing chief, emphasized their commitment to customer satisfaction and shorter wait times.

Hanley highlighted improvements in wait times for the RAV4 Hybrid, stating that most hybrid variants have a 12 to 18-month wait. The RAV4 Hybrid, previously over two years, is expected to drop to under two years and potentially under a year to 16 months by mid-next year.

Premium variants in the RAV4 Hybrid range currently have the longest wait times. Meanwhile, the Camry Hybrid, with a previous wait time of up to three years, has reduced to 12-18 months but is unlikely to decrease further due to production limitations, primarily because of its popularity as a fleet vehicle.

This means the Camry is not expected to surpass the Tesla Model 3 in passenger sedan sales anytime soon.

Due to long wait times of up to 24 months, the V8 LandCruiser 70 Series will remain off sale when the four-cylinder LC70 goes on sale later this year. Toyota is prioritizing filling old orders to satisfy patient customers who have been waiting for their cars.

Source: Car Sales