Toyota RAV4 Hybrid wait time up to six months - but now you can rent a Camry to tide you over

Toyota's RAV4 Cruiser Hybrid is the most in-demand model in the company's line-up. Yep, even more than the Supra.

There has been such unprecedented demand for the latest-generation Toyota RAV4 Hybrid models that the brand has decided to offer a subsidised rental car program to tide over customers until their SUV arrives.

The wait time for the top-spec Cruiser hybrid RAV4 - which won our mid-sized AWD SUV comparison earlier in 2019 - is now at "about six months", though the wait time is changing "month on month".

Toyota Australia says plug-in hybrids are imminent

The company is aware how much of a concern this could be for future RAV4 owners, and is offering these purchasers a subsidised rental car while they wait - in most cases a petrol-powered alternative model, such as a Camry, Kluger or even a petrol RAV4.

Toyota Australia's so-called 'While You Wait' program is currently in pilot mode, with 34 dealerships across the country set to kick it off in the coming weeks. If it proves to be a success - in other words, if customers decide they'll rent a gap-filling model while they wait for their new car - it will be rolled out more broadly.

The wait time for the top-spec Cruiser hybrid RAV4 is now at

Can anything stop Toyota?

Toyota Australia has stated "pricing varies depending on which vehicle is selected", and that "exact pricing will be announced at a later stage, but it is a program that is being subsidised by Toyota".

Indicative pricing communicated to CarsGuide is pegged at about $680 per month. The benefit for Toyota is that, while the company is undoubtedly subsidising that fee to a degree, it can then feed those models into its Genuine Used Car network once they loan is complete.

Toyota Kluger 2021 model delayed for Australia, Kluger hybrid uncertain

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