Your RAV4 Hybrid Isn't That Far as Toyota Dealers Get Unexpected Supply

We recently wrote an article on Toyota dealerships informing waiting 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid buyers that their car would be delayed due to many factors. Some also were told they would not be getting their specific order because of allocation rules and regulations. This became a subtle yet large issue for RAV4 buyers because now they already put down the deposit and done the paperwork, yet they can’t get their desired color or spec.

However, a recent post on Facebook’s Toyota RAV4 Hybrid group showed how a customer who was told she had to wait even longer was able to get her 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. But she got a call from the dealer saying that they had a few RAV4 Hybrids left over, and she got her car sooner. Here’s what she said. ‘Got a call last week that it would be 3-6 more weeks. Got a call today that they had got a couple in unexpectedly and drove this home tonight.”

This may seem like a shock, but it happens more than you think. Here’s what a few other people said. Jeanine Cottee said, “We ordered our 2021 RAV4 in October. We requested to get it in early February. It didn’t arrive. We were told we would get it in 2022 initially and it would cost a few hundred dollars more.”

So it’s not rare that you get your car sooner than you’d think you would however it’s solely based on luck and timing. Someone would have to take delivery, then cancel, and then you would be in line to get that allocated car.

Remember, the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is a highly anticipated car and it’s just one of those mass-produced cars that are so hard to get your hands on. Allocations, timing, shipping, dealer fees, and shortages all cause delays from the time you place that deposit, to the time you actually get to drive it off the road.

I think that if you wanted to get into the nitty-gritty of dealer logistics, you’d have to really see that it’s not all the time that you can get your desired spec and color or get it the day you bought it. I would recommend not buying one this year or even next year until the rush dies down so you won’t have to pay over MSRP. Plus, you’d get a year old car with the price of a used one from two years ago because they’d still be making the 2022 model year in 2023 and you could just buy it in 2024. That’s if you are not in a rush.

What do you think? Are you going to wait or just get it delivered? Let us know in the comments below.

Harutiun Hareyan is reporting Toyota news at Torque News. His automotive interests and vast experience test-riding new cars give his stories a sense of authenticity and unique insights. Follow Harutiun on Twitter at @HareyanHarutiun for daily Toyota news.