Your questions answered: Why did my Toyota RAV4 Hybrid arrive sooner than expected?

We’ve been bombarded in recent months from would-be Toyota RAV4 Hybrid buyers unhappy with the wait times and price increases on their new car.

But this week there’s one buyer who’s received their new RAV4 way before they anticipated.

We’ve also got one reader who hasn’t driven their electric Volvo for a couple of months and now has a flat battery.

Plus, there are EV shoppers looking at the BYD Atto 3 and Kia Soul Electric. And another reader looking for a super-efficient petrol or diesel car for country driving.

Question:

Imagine my surprise… I have been offered my ordered car by June due to a cancellation. (White, Cruiser, black leather, ie pretty standard). A week later, I have been offered the same car by May due to a cancellation. Why? Are people opting out because a better version of the RAV is coming? Should I wait? Or is it economic times and more supply? – Annabelle

Answer: Some Toyota dealers have done the opposite over recent years: telling people their RAV4 Hybrid would be a few months away, then it ended up taking up to two years.

We know Toyota head office has emphasised the importance of being honest with customers on delivery times to at least manage expectations, even if in some instances it meant effectively potentially sending customers to another brand.

At the same time Toyota has been liaising with its head office in Japan to increase supply of RAV4 Hybrids given the unexpected demand.

It seems you’ve come across a dealer who was trying to be honest but then found themselves with an increase in supply.

There have also been cancelled orders. Anecdotally, we’re hearing those cancellations are for two main reasons: cost of living pressures have convinced some people to change their minds and speculators who were planning to flip them quickly for a profit are backing out of a purchase because they had multiple orders or are now realising the potential profits on a used RAV4 Hybrid aren’t what they were a year or two ago.

Either way, it’s obviously good that you’re getting hold of the car sooner than you thought. That said, some vaguely accurate information on arrival times would also help with peoples’ planning.

Question:

We don’t go far these days as my husband is 86 and I’m 82, although we are quite mobile, but we’d just be running around town. We would plan to just charge it overnight in our garage. Do you think that sounds like a reasonable choice on our part? – Patsy

Answer: The BYD Atto 3 is a great choice at the more affordable end of the EV segment. Also check out the MG4. It’s not as big as the Atto 3 but would still be more than enough for two people.

There’s also a fair bit of activity in the EV segment over the next few months. One of the more interesting is the Kia EV5. It’ll be more expensive than the BYD but still looks like offering solid value.

And charging at home is definitely the way to go. Using the supplied standard home power point charger would be ample, or you could fit a wallbox. Whichever way you go, make sure you check out the available EV electricity plans, which may offer cheap or free electricity at certain times of the day.

Question:

Answer: Remember there are two electrical systems in any EV. The drive unit uses a higher-voltage system (typically 400V, as is the case on your Volvo, or up to 800V) with a big battery pack. There’s also a 12V electrical architecture for things such as lights, infotainment and door locks. Our guess would bet that it’s the 12V battery that’s gone flat in your car.

The battery in any car wouldn’t like no action for a couple of months. And EVs typically have smaller 12V batteries than ICE vehicles because they don’t need to crank an engine over on start-up. So the first step would be to try to get power to that 12V battery. You can either plug a charger into a regular power point or jump-start it as you would any other car.

Before that you obviously have to get into the car and open the bonnet to access the battery terminals (check the owner’s manual if you’re not sure where they are).

We did some Googling and found that your Volvo key can be unclipped to reveal a metal key within. Then pull the driver’s door handle out and it’ll reveal a keyhole so that you can access the car mechanically. Then it’s time to try to get the electrons flowing…

If all that fails – or if it’s all sounding too techy – there’s always Volvo roadside assistance.

Question:

Answer: Utes are certainly under some pricing pressure with the forthcoming fuel efficiency standard.

While the government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) doesn’t specifically target utes, the reality is utes are one of the toughest vehicle types to meet the standard that calls for a 60-per-cent-plus reduction in CO2 emissions by 2029.

Sure, we’ll have fully electric utes by then, reducing their emissions by a cool 100 per cent. But will they be able to tow 3.5 tonnes and head off on remote adventures? The jury is still out on that one.

The scare-campaign headlines have all been about making people like you concerned their beloved utes will soon cost a whole lot more. But car-makers are already working on technology to reduce CO2 emissions – electric included – so those frightening headlines should not materialise.

Besides, the CO2 targets are across a manufacturer’s entire fleet, so for a brand like Toyota they can use EVs and hybrids to offset thirstier HiLuxes and LandCruisers (remembering that the legislation still has to pass parliament, so there may be changes to what has been proposed).

And, of course, they can fast-track the hybrids and EVs they were already working on (Toyota has promised to electrify all but the Supra by 2030).

Between now and 2029 there’s a lot of completion and technology that will mean your ute won’t cost a whole heap more. There may be some price rises on some models in a couple of years, but competition and the advancement of tech will hopefully make any increases modest.

And with all-electric utes – which will likely have higher price tags – keep in mind there should be lower running costs to help keep the total cost of ownership similar to one powered by diesel.

Question:

If it is, I’ll look around for a low-kilometres 2012 FD. We don’t care about fancy new gear. We’re just interested in reliability and economy. Or is there something else in the 5-6L/100km market that I should be considering? – Andrew

Answer: The Czech-made Hyundai i30s have always presented well when we’ve driven them. So I wouldn’t be avoiding them on the basis of quality. But also don’t rule out other options. There are loads of near-new European models that were frugal for country road running.

Various Skodas – maybe the Scala or Octavia – could fit the bill, as would a Volkswagen Golf manual. Or you could check out a BMW 3 Series; again, a manual could be an interesting option given they should be a lot cheaper than the autos (if you can find one!).

You could also pop a bunch of hybrids on the shortlist. The Toyota Corolla would be a good place to start. While hybrids do their best fuel-saving work around town they’re also still economical on the open road – and you should be able to sneak it below 5L/100km. And from a reliability perspective the Corolla has a stellar reputation.

Question: I’m after an electric Kia Soul in July 2025 once our current Soul warranty runs out. Would it be possible to tell me where I may be able to obtain one in Perth, Western Australia? – Simon

Answer: The Kia Soul EV was never imported into Australia by Kia dealers. So any examples you see here will be private imports, which bring their own set of challenges; recalls and spare parts may not be catered for by Kia, for example. Plus, you’ll want to get an insurance quote before diving in.

With that in mind, a Kia Niro Electric may be a better option. It was (and still is) sold through Kia dealerships and there are plenty of them around. Don’t ignore its twin-under-the-skin, the Hyundai Kona Electric. And while you’re cross-shopping you could stick the BYD Atto 3 on the list too.

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