Slashed RAV4 wait times to spur Toyota sales explosion

Relief for buyers of some of Toyota’s most popular cars is on the way, with the company announcing it has secured more than 20,000 additional vehicles since the start of June to help satisfy demand for models like the RAV4, HiLux, and Corolla Cross.

It’s all part of Toyota Australia’s plan to sell more than 230,000 cars this year – not a record number, by any means, but considering the company’s lacklustre first-half performance would certainly signal a return to form.

However, Chinese rivals are eager to give Toyota a run for its money, and with BYD running a close second behind Toyota in the June sales tally, will Toyota’s sales expectations agree with reality?

After previously declaring it was on target to achieve a full-year sales result of 220,000 vehicles, Toyota Australia has now adjusted its 2026 estimate upward to 230,000.

It’s an ambitious target, given the company only moved 95,141 units in the first half of this year. Selling 130,000 cars in remaining sixth months will be a challenge for Toyota – especially with Chinese challenger brands claiming an ever-increasing chunk of market share.

However, the Big T expects increased supply and hot demand for its box-fresh HiLux and RAV4 – plus a surge in interest in the bZ4X and evergreen demand for the Corolla Cross – will carry it through to achieve its end-year sales goal.

“At the beginning of June, we increased our forecast to 22,000 for 2026 after securing an additional 10,000 vehicles,” Toyota Australia’s sales and marketing boss John Pappas said.

“I’m pleased to confirm that … we have again been able to secure additional production that has been prioritised for Australia – as such, we now anticipate finishing the year in excess of 230,000 sales.

“The growth in our forecast is largely due to strong demand and increased supply of RAV4 – both hybrid and plug-in hybrid – bZ4X, HiLux and Corolla Cross.”

There are signs the turnaround in fortunes is already in motion. In June, Toyota models occupied two of the top five spots with the Hilux coming in third place and the RAV4 in fifth.

The company moved 19,124 units across the month, enough to keep the top slot in outright sales, but Chinese challenger BYD is now nipping closely at its heels with its own June tally of 18,881 cars.

One of the biggest differences between Japanese and Chinese brands right now is the latter’s ability to respond quickly to spikes in customer demand.

With domestic car sales in China down and spare production capacity in abundance, automakers like BYD and GWM are able to quickly boost export allocations when needed – something that Toyota’s own modelling may not have anticipated, and something BYD is doing to great effect right now.

Can the world’s largest automaker fend off the challenge presented by its more agile Chinese rivals as they chip at the corners of Toyota’s formidable market share? We’ll know by the end of 2026.

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