√Toyota wait times model by model: LandCruiser 70 “four years or never”

Toyota dealers have started sharing delivery delays model-by-model – as customers are asked to sign a waiver that acknowledges prices and specifications may change because the wait times are so long.

Toyota Australia has taken the unprecedented step of asking customers to sign waivers acknowledging prices and specifications of cars they have ordered are subject to change – because the wait times are now so long they are likely to extend into new-model upgrades.

Until now, new-car orders were “price protected” and car companies and car dealers were obliged to honour the prices agreed to at the time the deal was signed.

However, chronic stock shortages globally – which have led to unprecedented delays – are now so long that new-car arrivals are spilling into the timelines for upgraded models.

Customers can still opt out of the deal of the price is too high and receive a refund of their deposit.

Or they can cancel an order if equipment they wanted is missing from the updated models – or receive a partial refund to reflect the cost of the missing equipment.

However, throughout the crisis, Toyota has consistently pledged it would slow production rather than remove content from its vehicles – and in fact has upgraded vehicles as part of annual running changes.

But because the waiting times are so long – with most stretching beyond 12 months – Toyota has taken the unprecedented step of advising customers about the possible changes. In examples seen by Drive, the cost differences usually amount to between $600 and $1500 – in return for additional features.

Waiting times in Australia for popular Toyota vehicles were shared model-by-model on social media over the weekend.

One dealer claimed the delays for the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series now stretch “four years or never”, while the wait time for the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series is between one and two years.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid wait times typically range from six to 18 months, according to the latest estimates.

Based on information from Toyota dealers canvassed by Drive – in addition to estimates published on social media – the waiting times vary according to model grade and colour, and customers are advised to cast their net wide and make enquiries with multiple dealerships.

Frustratingly for customers, Toyota (and most car companies) do not always allocate vehicles on a first-come first-served basis because other factors such as dealer allocation and model mix can move some buyers up the queue – and push others down the order.

The waiting times for Australia’s top-selling vehicle – the Toyota HiLux – range from three to eight months depending on the model grade.

The other surprises are the long waiting times for the Toyota Corolla sedan hybrid and Toyota Camry sedan hybrid, likely driven by ride-share services as well as family-car buyers.

Toyota dealers canvassed by Drive warned the below estimates are subject to change – and could be delayed even further, based on recent additional pauses in production.

A photo shared on social media (a portion of which is shown above) showed the delay estimates model-by-model are “subject to change, based on the Toyota build process … please advise (customers) based on the following information.”

The list below has been compiled by Drive based on information shared on social media – and sourced separately via individual Toyota dealers.