√2022 Toyota RAV4 prices rise for second time in three months in Australia

Australia’s best-selling SUV, the Toyota RAV4, has been hit with another round of price rises ranging from $100 to $750 – following increases last year with the launch of the updated 2022 model.

Above: Japanese-market Toyota RAV4 Edge (Adventure) Hybrid

Prices for the 2022 Toyota RAV4 in Australia have risen for the second time in three months – however buyers with confirmed orders placed before the end of February will be exempt from the latest round of increases.

Effective from 1 March 2022, the Toyota RAV4 range has increased in price by between $100 for the entry-level GX, to $750 for the range-topping Cruiser – with rises in the middle of the range for the GXL ($125), Edge ($380) and new-for-2022 XSE ($425).

These increases follow price rises of between $410 and $1585 – with some $270 to $395 decreases – as part of the RAV4’s Model Year 2022 update (detailed here), announced in late November 2021, with production commencing in December.

Toyota Australia says the March 2022 price rises do not coincide with any additional features – unlike the November/December 2021 increases. The company says the latest RAV4 price rises were driven by “currency, shipping and manufacturing costs.”

Buyers with “confirmed orders taken before the end of February” will be granted price protection against the latest March price rises. Any new orders taken from March 1 onwards will be affected, however.

The latest estimated wait times for the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid stretch up to 12 months – versus “six months or less” for “most Toyota models,” the company said.

“Toyota has reluctantly applied a small change to the recommended retail prices of RAV4 models, effective 1 March 2022,” a Toyota Australia spokesperson told Drive.

“For most of the range, the changes are less than one per cent. For (RAV4) Cruiser the increase is $750 or around 1.5 to 1.7 per cent. Importantly, these changes do not apply to any confirmed orders taken before the end of February, irrespective of delivery date.

“Toyota strives to avoid price changes beyond model updates and the introduction of new and expanded features. However, from time to time, such changes are made necessary by other factors that can include currency, shipping and manufacturing costs,” Toyota said in a statement issued to Drive.

“As the availability of supply is an evolving situation around the world, we continue to work closely with our global production team to secure the maximum possible number of vehicles for our local customers.

“We are continuing to update our dealers as the situation evolves. Dealers are best placed to provide customers with the most up-to-date delivery information for their specific vehicle once production is confirmed.”

Unlike other car makers, Toyota has vowed not to remove any features to keep production lines moving – a decision praised by safety advocates amid the removal of some safety aids by some rival brands – as the automotive industry battles with a global semiconductor (computer chip) shortage.

The 2022 Toyota RAV4 range is available to order now.