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Don’t want to wait two years for a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid? Here are some options to skip the queue.
Wait times for the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid continue to stretch up to two years amid high demand – but some hybrid SUVs from rival brands including Nissan, GWM Haval or Subaru can be available for almost immediate delivery.
Hybrid variants of the Toyota RAV4 accounted for 76 per cent of the model mix last year – and so far this year hybrid power has assumed a 71.5 per cent share (2913 hybrids vs 1163 petrols).
High demand and limits on production mean wait times remain up to 18 months or two years on the most popular variants of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid – unless buyers ahead of the queue pull out of the deal.
However, it should be noted not all hybrids are created equally.
Testing by Drive has found Toyota hybrid systems typically halve fuel consumption of an equivalent petrol car, while GWM Haval vehicles only trim 25 per cent fuel consumption.
The fuel-savings on Mazda and Subaru hybrid models are negligible or non-existent in Drive’s testing.
And we are still running numbers of Nissan’s new hybrid tech, but it appears the fuel-savings are in the 20 per cent range compared to an equivalent petrol-only model.
Some of these vehicles – which are all ‘closed-loop’ hybrid models like the Toyota, which don’t need to be plugged in to charge – are in stock and available to be driven off the showroom floor today, depending on your location and chosen specification grade.
The new-generation Nissan X-Trail range offers its e-Power hybrid system with the two most expensive model grades (Ti and Ti-L), and there is “stock in dealers now for immediate test drive”, according to a Nissan Australia spokesperson.
“All X-Trail grades are arriving in good quantities and continuing to arrive over the coming months including the all-new e-Power,” a Nissan spokesperson told Drive, with any wait times closer to one or two months, rather than beyond 12 months.
“Despite the strong interest, most grades are available for delivery now, however depending on your colour and trim choice this may require an order to be placed with your local dealership.”
Meanwhile, the GWM Haval H6 Hybrid – a mid-size SUV from Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motors – is in “stock in dealers in most parts of the country” and any wait times for a particular specification were more likely a matter of days than weeks, according to a company spokesperson.
“Generally we’re not seeing any major blowouts in terms of delivery for the H6 Hybrid. it will differ from region to region – for some dealers it will be a few weeks, while some have supply on the ground today matter of days,” a GWM Haval spokesperson told Drive.
“In most cases customers will be able to test drive a car today and take delivery relatively quickly.”
Supply for the smaller GWM Haval Jolion Hybrid SUV is similar, with stock on the ground in most, but not all, dealerships – and more cars on the way.
However, wait times for the Subaru Forester Hybrid medium SUV and its smaller sibling, the soon-to-launch Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid (formerly the XV Hybrid), are a little longer.
“Delivery timeframes for customer orders can vary for a variety of reasons (including colour and variant preferences), however on average it is approximately a six-month delivery wait (however volumes are continuing to increase and reducing this wait time) for both Forester and Crosstrek Hybrid,” a Subaru spokesperson told Drive.
However, not all hybrids are created equal.
On paper, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid claims fuel use in mixed driving of 4.7 to 4.8 litres per 100 kilometres, the Nissan X-Trail e-Power claims 6.1L/100km, the Subaru Forester Hybrid quotes 6.7L/100km, and the GWM Haval H6 Hybrid claims 5.2L/100km.
But real-world testing by Drive has found whereas Toyota hybrids typically halve fuel consumption of an equivalent petrol vehicle, fuel savings from Subaru hybrids are negligible, and GWM hybrids cut fuel use by about 25 per cent.
Early testing by Drive of Nissan’s e-Power technology – which operates differently to the other systems, using the petrol engine as a generator for the battery and electric motor – indicates it cuts fuel use by about 20 per cent.
Please note: Quoted wait times are a guide only and are subject to change based on location and individual buyer requirements.
Susannah’s background is news journalism, followed by several years spent in celebrity journalism, entertainment journalism and fashion magazines and a brief stint hosting a travel TV show for Channel Ten. She joined Drive in 2020 after spending a year and a half at the helm of Harper’s BAZAAR and ELLE’s online platforms.
Susannah holds a Bachelor in Media and Communications from the University of Melbourne and cut her teeth as an intern for Time Inc in New York City. She has also completed a television presenting course with the National Institute of Dramatic Art. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and her one-year-old son who, despite her best efforts, does not yet enjoy a good road trip.
Read more about Susannah Guthrie
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