Isuzu and Toyota buyers facing longest new-car waits

The average Toyota RAV4 buyer is waiting close to a year for their new car to arrive.

Data from new car buyer service PriceMyCar (PMC) reveals Toyota RAV4 buyers are facing an average 339-day wait for their vehicles, with the Isuzu MU-X not far behind at 308 days.

Three of the five cars with the longest waits are Toyotas, with the LandCruiser (280 days) and Fortuner (262 days) slotting in behind the Volkswagen Passat (296 days) on the PMC ladder.

Toyota’s struggles getting new cars into the country have been widely reported, as have Isuzu’s.

Toyota Motor Corp has been slashing its production all year, having posted more than 20 production bulletins and amendments since January. A combination of COVID in its supply chain and ongoing semiconductor supply snags are the main reasons.

Toyota Australia dealers affected by ongoing chronic stock shortages are telling some customers to prepare for multi-year wait times on core models including the LandCruiser, RAV4 and Camry.

The brand has previously apologised to customers for the frustrating waits on its most popular cars.

Isuzu has been battling tight supply since the launch of the new D-Max ute, which launched with big delays on range-topping X-Terrain models.

The brand has previously said it’s working closely with its head office in Japan, and the factory in Thailand, to try and improve its supply situation.

A combination of the same issues is afflicting the broader industry, but some brands are handling the challenges better than others.

Price My Car says Renault has cut its wait times by 61 per cent, and now offers the shortest average wait of any brand (27 days) for a new car. Volvo (47 days) and MG (59 days) sit behind Renault.

Also on the improve is GWM Haval, with an average 60-day wait. The GWM brand says its supply issues should be somewhat solved, and is forecasting record sales across its GWM Haval and GWM brands in 2022.

The new cars with the shortest waits are the Suzuki Vitara (29 days), Renault Koleos (32 days), and MG 3 (39 days).