Delivery wrap: Wait times for Australia’s best-sellers revealed

Australians in the market for a new vehicle continue to face record waiting times for delivery as the auto industry struggles with soaring demand amid continuing production shortages and worsening supply constraints.

Indeed some dealers have told carsales the unprecedented shipping delays due to quarantine backlogs at almost all Australian arrival ports is now impacting vehicle delivery times as significantly as the COVID-related semi-conductor crisis.

Some shipping companies are now even refusing to come to Australia as a result of the quarantine debacle, leading to higher transport charges by others that still do, adding more time and cost to the vehicle import process.

Port Kembla is now understood to be the preferred venue for unloading automotive carriers because vehicles are being cleaned more quickly there, further adding to the congestion at one of Australia’s largest ports.

All that has increased the delivery times of most vehicles, including some of the biggest sellers from some of the closest ports, with deliveries of one popular ute now taking three months to arrive from Thailand instead of one.

Aussie consumers took delivery of 1,081,429 new vehicles in 2022 – up more than 31,000 units on 2021 – but just as the market started returning to normality post-pandemic, some of Australia’s favourite models are now commanding some astronomical wait times.

We canvassed all the major players in the Australian market and some of their dealers to compile this guide to how long you could wait for your new car if you ordered it right now.

It’s split into segments arranged in order of popularity – based on 2022 VFACTS sales data, but discounting models exiting the market without a replacement – both in terms of the vehicle classes and model composition.

1. Toyota RAV4

It’s almost fitting that one of Australia’s favourite new cars also has one of the longest wait times, with dealers nominating an eye-watering three-year wait on the RAV4 Hybrid and up to two years for the petrol versions.

2. Mazda CX-5

In contrast to its arch-rival above, Mazda Australia has confirmed the CX-5 – along with various other key models – is in plentiful supply and readily available nationally. Despite the fact the CX-5 is Australia’s top-selling SUV so far in 2023,Mazda says there are only minimal wait times applying to new orders, depending on certain specifications or options.

3. Kia Sportage

The same can’t quite be said about the Kia Sportage, the lower and mid-range versions of which are averaging three- to six-month delivery times, with the wait getting bigger the higher up the range you go.

1. Toyota HiLux

In a surprising twist that’s in stark contrast to the RAV4 above, wait times for the Toyota HiLux – Australia’s best-selling vehicle – are hovering between four and six months depending on the variant, colour and finer specification.

2. Ford Ranger

The Ranger in unwaveringly popular Down Under and that popularity has led to some prolonged delivery times ranging between six and 15 months on the core variants, with the higher grades being the worst offenders.

Want a Raptor? Expect to wait at least 12 months.

3. Mitsubishi Triton

The current Triton has long been deemed one of Australia’s best-value utes and with an average wait time of up to three months on new orders, it backs up that value with one of the segment’s shortest lead times.

1. Toyota Prado

Despite now being one of the oldest ‘new’ vehicles on the market, the Toyota Prado continues to be the best-selling large SUV of any variety and fittingly has an average lead time of about 12 months.

2. Isuzu MU-X

The Isuzu MU-X has one of the strangest and yet clever pricing models in the segment in that the flagship LS-T usually costs less than the lesser LS-M and LS-U by the time it’s on the road.

As a result, wait times vary from eight to 14 months depending on which variant you’re after.

3. Ford Everest

Demand for the Ford Ranger’s wagon sibling is running hot at the moment, with wait times varying from about five to 18 months depending on the grade and specification.

1. Toyota Kluger

The best-seller of all the car-based large SUVs, the Toyota Kluger, is available in two main flavours: petrol or hybrid.

Wait times for the former are averaging between six and eight months, while new orders for the latter will take up to 12 months to arrive.

2. Subaru Outback

Subaru Outback leads times vary depending on which powertrain you’re after, with the free-breathing versions taking up to two months to arrive – although there is some stock around – while the turbocharged XTs are taking a bit longer, averaging four months.

3. Kia Sorento

Like the smaller Sportage, new orders for the lower-tier Kia Sorentos are taking between three and six months to fill on average, but you’ll have to wait longer for the higher grades.

Would-be hybrid and plug-in hybrid customers will have to look elsewhere because local order books are closed.

1. MG ZS

The MG ZS is easily one of the most affordable offerings in its segment which has prompted average wait times of between three and seven months, depending on the colour and specification. However, the range-topping EV is largely in stock nationally.

2. Mazda CX-30

Mazda’s been boasting about its return to pre-pandemic stock levels for a while now and most of that ready availability applies to the CX-30 compact SUV as well. But customers should expect a wait of up to three months if their preferred spec isn’t in stock.

3. Mitsubishi ASX

Like the Triton, the Mitsubishi ASX is one of the oldest models in its segment, but that hasn’t affected demand or supply for the compact SUV, with delivery times hovering around one to three months depending on the specification.

1. Toyota Corolla

The Corolla has been the best-selling small car for years now and its popularity is showing no signs of slowing down, going by the dealer-nominated eight- to 12-month wait on all variants.

2. Hyundai i30

Popularity has never been an issue for the Hyundai i30, hence its average three- to six-month wait on new orders. However those after an N hatch will need to look elsewhere because the order books are still closed.

3. Kia Cerato

The i30’s average delivery time is largely echoed by its Kia Cerato cousin, fresh orders for which Kia Australia says will usually take between three and six months to arrive if there isn’t a suitable vehicle available in the “tight” local stockpile.

1. Mazda CX-3

Like its bigger CX-5 stablemate, the Mazda CX-3 is in plentiful supply around the country and readily available to those in the market for a new light SUV.

2. Kia Stonic

In the wake of the recent axing of the Rio hatch, odds are demand for the related Kia Stonic will increase in the coming month. But in the meantime, lead times are hovering around the three- to six-month mark as per the Cerato small car.

3. Toyota Yaris Cross

Similar to the Corolla above, new Toyota Yaris Cross orders will take roughly 10-12 months to fill regardless of the variant, but the hybrids typically take longer than the petrols.

1. Tesla Model 3

Many spat their drink across the room when they saw the Tesla Model 3 outsold the Toyota Camry last year, and now it seems that success will continue with Tesla citing wait times of around a month for its best-selling electric sedan.

2. Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry could well have the longest wait times of any new vehicle in Australia, including those with temporarily closed order books, with dealers advising customers of a nine- to 14-month wait on the solitary petrol variant and up to four years for the hybrids.

3. Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C-Class availability is a mixed bag at the moment – the entry-level C200 is in stock nationally, while new orders for the other variants will take upwards of six months to arrive.

1. MG3

The clear sales leader in the shrinking light-car segment, the MG3 is readily available around the country, but you may have to settle for a certain colour. Don’t want to settle? Factory orders average three to four months to fill.

2. Mazda2

The Mazda2 is now one of the oldest models in its segment and yet it continues to prove popular, no doubt thanks in part to its broad availability and short one- to three-month lead time for configurations not in stock.

3. Suzuki Swift

Suzuki has been doing it tough recently with hobbled supply and next to no stock, but those chasing a Swift will be relieved to hear most variants will only take about a month to arrive.

1. Toyota LandCruiser

With the current Nissan Patrol aging and only available with a petrol V8, it’s perhaps not surprising the Toyota LandCruiser is the full-size SUV sales king, but what is surprising is that certain variants – including the volume-selling GXL – will ‘only’ take four months or so to arrive.

2. Nissan Patrol

It might be getting old and far from the most frugal thing on the planet, but the Nissan Patrol is continuing to enjoy solid demand at the moment, with Nissan Australia nominating a three- to six-month wait for new orders.

3. BMW X7

The X7 caters to an entirely different market than the aforementioned off-roaders, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an upper large SUV. BMW Australia has nominated a “minimum” four- to five-month wait on its biggest and most lavish high-rider, regardless of variant.

1. Kia Carnival

The Carnival has been the king of the people carriers for more than a decade now as it continues to attract thousands of fans every year, but that segment-ruling popularity had led to an average three- to six-month wait on the mid-range Special Edition and even longer on the core variants.

2. Hyundai Staria

It might look like a moon buggy, but the Hyundai Staria has established itself well within the mainstream MPV segment and continues to attract fans, hence the three- to six-month lead time on new orders.

3. Mercedes-Benz V-Class

A segment and several price points above the Korean duo, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is readily in stock around the country, meaning there’s essentially no waiting period.

1. Ford Mustang

Demand for the last-gen Ford Mustang saw it become a global best-seller, but we’re afraid you can’t buy or order one at the moment given the next generation S650 pony car isn’t due to arrive in showrooms until the closing stages of 2023.

2. Subaru BRZ

After a flurry of pre- and post-launch sales activity, Subaru says BRZ wait times have averaged out to about three months, regardless of the variant or colour.

3. BMW 4 Series

The BMW 4 Series was comfortably the third-best-selling sports car of 2022, so much so it was less than 200 units behind the much-cheaper BRZ come December 31. Even so, wait times for the German coupe are pegged at a “minimum” of four to five months.

1. Kia Stinger

Stinger order books may have closed officially, but dealers tell us there’s still some residual stock left and vehicles available from orders that have fallen through – best be quick though…

2. Skoda Superb

The Skoda Superb will soon be the only mainstream large car offered in Australia following the Stinger’s departure, so it’s a good thing stocks are healthy at the moment. However, wait times of up to three months are still on the cards if a particular vehicle needs to be ordered.

3. BMW 5 Series

The 5 Series is in the same boat as the aforementioned BMW 4 Series and X7 in that prospective customers will have to wait a minimum of four to five months before taking delivery of their new vehicle, as the all-new 5 Series nears.

1. Kia Picanto

It’s fitting that the smallest Kia product offered in Australia, the Picanto, also boasts the shortest wait times of the range, with new orders taking three to four months to arrive.

2. Fiat 500

The all-new, all-electric and hugely more expensive Fiat 500e is just around the corner, but Fiat Australia says it still has reasonable stock levels of the current city-car – the catch is you probably won’t be able to order one if your preferred specification isn’t in stock.

Five non-best-sellers with big waits

A car doesn’t need to be a best-seller in order to sell out or prompt prolonged wait times.

Often the most desirable models end up being the most niche, which in turn can result in wait times stretching well beyond 12 or even 18 months – just ask Honda, GMSV, Toyota, Hyundai, Suzuki and Mazda…

Honda Civic Type R – up to 24 months
Chevrolet Corvette – 12-24 months
Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series – up to 24 months
Hyundai i20 N – 12 months plus
Suzuki Jimny auto – up to 18 months
Mazda MX-5 RF – up to 18 months

Related: Check every car coming to Australia in carsales' new car calendar

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