Why WA Toyota Buyers Are Still Waiting on HiLux and RAV4

If you've been sitting on a waiting list for a new HiLux or RAV4, you're not imagining it — and you're not alone. Toyota Australia has confirmed what plenty of WA buyers have already figured out the hard way: supply, not interest, is what's holding things up.

Nationally, Toyota recorded just 76,017 deliveries to the end of May 2026, down 24.6 per cent on the same period last year. Its market share has slipped from 20.7 per cent to 16.0 per cent. Those are significant numbers for a brand that has topped Australian sales charts every year since 2003.

The Two Models Dragging the Numbers Down

The HiLux and RAV4 are Toyota's two best-selling models in Australia — and they're the exact two models that have been hardest to get hold of. RAV4 sales are down 47.1 per cent year-to-date, while HiLux deliveries have fallen 13.2 per cent.

Toyota Australia's vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations, John Pappas, explained that a disrupted HiLux production run in the first quarter — combined with the new RAV4 launch being pushed from August 2025 to April 2026 — created a compounding stock shortage that the brand knew was coming.

"We didn't have a full HiLux production run in the first quarter of this year," said Pappas. "They're our two best-selling models, so we knew that the first quarter, and even May, we were going to be down majorly because of those two vehicle lines."

For WA buyers, this matters more than most. The HiLux is practically a staple on WA job sites and station properties, and the RAV4 — particularly the hybrid — has become one of the most in-demand family SUVs in Perth's suburbs. Wait times of three to six months have become the norm for both models.

More Stock Is Coming — But Patience Is Still Required

Toyota Australia has secured two additional shipments totalling 30,000 vehicles to help close the gap, and Pappas says the brand still expects to hit 230,000 total deliveries by the end of 2026. To get there, it would need to set an all-time record for sales in a six-month window.

That's ambitious, but Toyota's reasoning is straightforward — the demand is already there. The orders exist. It's a fulfilment problem, not a preference problem.

"TMC has been able to support us with extra production for Australia," said Pappas, referring to Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. "But it's hard for TMC to be able to cater for all the demand globally."

Global context adds another layer: Toyota has been cutting production targets internationally due to Middle East conflict driving up fuel prices and softening demand in those markets. Australia is competing for allocation against global pressures it can't fully control.

What This Means If You're Shopping Now

If a HiLux or RAV4 is on your shortlist, the honest advice is to get your order in now rather than waiting for stock to land on dealer floors. The additional shipments are inbound, but they're unlikely to clear backlogs overnight.

It's also worth having a backup plan. Chinese brands like BYD are making direct plays for buyers priced out of — or simply tired of waiting for — traditional favourites. Toyota knows this, and Pappas has flagged that stabilising sales in 2027 while managing competition from new entrants is firmly on the agenda.

For WA buyers doing long regional drives, towing, or working in mining and agriculture, the HiLux and RAV4 remain strong choices on merit. Just don't expect to drive one off the lot this weekend.