Honda HR-V hybrid wait time tops six months

UPDATED 24/05/2022 4:45pm: Honda Australia has confirmed an average waiting time of up to four weeks across its model range, and a 10-month delay in customer deliveries for its flagship Honda Accord hybrid, which will be replaced next year, due to the global supply chain crisis. Its statement follows below:

"Honda currently has reasonably good supply of CRV, Civic and new HRV petrol models. With our new centralised stock management system, every Honda Centre has access to that stock, where on average it would take 3-4 weeks to deliver a new customer’s order. HR-V hybrid and Accord hybrid have considerable wait times at present of approximately 6 months and 10 months, respectively. We are continuously seeking to shorten these wait times and secure additional hybrid production wherever possible."

ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED 23/05/2022: It’s only just been released in Australia, but supplies of the all-new 2022 Honda HR-V e:HEV L hybrid are already tight, with Honda Australia confirming to carsales there is already a six-month waiting time for deliveries.

By contrast, the Japanese brand says availability of the cheaper petrol-powered Vi X version is plentiful for the time being, while stocks of the bigger Honda CR-V and Honda Civic small car are also “reasonably good”.

However, Honda says the global supply chain crisis, which has delayed the local release of several models including the new Ford Ranger and is pushing up prices for several brands including Renault, continues to put pressure on its new-vehicle inventory – despite a “new centralised stock management” system under the company’s controversial new agency sales model.

“The overall state of our stock levels is tight; however, we are continuously monitoring the situation,” a Honda Australia spokesperson told carsales.

“Our all-new HR-V is experiencing tightening stock levels, particularly the e:HEV L grade with delivery/waiting times now being longer than 6 months.

“Due to the strong demand at launch, the wait time is for the hybrid model, where the petrol model is currently in good supply.”

Like Mitsubishi, Honda’s local arm is forecasting tight supply constraints for at least the rest of 2022 but says there are no plans to alter any of its model line-ups or the specifications of its existing variants, as some other car-makers have done.

In contrast, Mitsubishi announced last week that it would trim its SUV model ranges back to pre-COVID levels and delete some features from mid-range Mitsubishi Outlander model grades.

It remains to be seen if Honda ups the pricing of its local portfolio due to rising material and shipping costs, as an increasing number of other brands are doing, but at this stage there’s no indication it will.

However, the low supply and high demand for the new HR-V e:HEV L could influence Honda Australia’s business case for both a cheaper hybrid and a more generously-equipped petrol version of the new HR-V, both of which are under study for local release.

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