How long will you wait for a Toyota RAV4? Huge start to 2020 could mean longer wait times for customers

The Toyota RAV4's huge start to 2020 could mean a longer wait time for customers, with the brand conceding "even these higher supplies are under pressure”.

Toyota in Australia has been scrambling to keep up with demand for its all-new RAV4, with hybrid models especially under pressure.

As recently as last month, the brand’s requests for more vehicles had reduced the average wait time to six months across all trim levels and engine types, but it is understood the recent rush on RAV4 might force the wait times to blow out.

Toyota managed to shift some 3375 examples of its popular SUV in February. That was enough for it to claim the title of Australia's best-selling SUV,  outselling its nearest rival, the CX-5, by more than 1000 units.

RAV4 hybrids represented some 62 per cent of those sales, forcing Toyota to plead for more vehicles from the brand's global factories to meet demand. 

"We successfully negotiated additional shipments of hybrid vehicles that will arrive throughout 2020, but even these higher supplies are under pressure due to the unprecedented popularity of hybrids," says Toyota’s vice president of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley.

"The boom in inquiry, consideration and sales with our latest hybrids underlines the success of Toyota's global strategy to popularise electrified vehicles to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

"At the same time, it means that delivery times for some variants will not improve as quickly as we had anticipated."

Reading between the lines, then, it means six months might well be the new minimum for those waiting for a RAV4 hybrid.