The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has taken the crown as Australia’s best-selling car – the first time that a hybrid vehicle has been on top of the sales podium.

RAV4, which is also sold with petrol versions, has now led the market for the past two months, but of the 4,825 sold in August, a monster 4,405 were hybrids.

RAV4 lifted Toyota’s overall hybrid tally in August to 6,142 cars – or 49.3 per cent of the company’s total deliveries to customers.

Toyota reports that this means it has also set a record for annual hybrid sales, reaching 33,462 vehicles to the end of August or 26.6 per cent of the brand’s total sales. The previous full-year record was 27,846 hybrid vehicles sold by Toyota last year.

RAV4 sales, particularly for hybrid variants, have been supplemented recently by a substantial increase in supply to shorten the time between a customer placing an order and receiving their vehicle.

Toyota Australia Vice President Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley said the surge in demand for Toyota’s hybrid vehicles was having a big impact on the industry.

“Seeing a Toyota hybrid become Australia’s best-selling car was a distant dream when we introduced the technology to Australia almost 20 years ago with the original Prius,” said Mr Hanley.

“It took us more than 17 years to deliver the first 100,000 hybrids in Australia, but it has taken us just 16 months to sell more than half as many again with total hybrid sales now exceeding 155,000 vehicles.”

Mr Hanley said the recent upswing in RAV4 sales was likely to moderate towards the end of the year as the additional stock enabled back orders to be filled.

“Nevertheless, customer demand continues to remain strong for a vehicle with the performance, safety, technology, style and refinement that has made it Australia’s best-selling SUV in 2020,” he said.

“It also reflects consumer acceptance and understanding that hybrid is a practical and affordable choice that offers remarkable savings at the petrol pump, an advantage that is particularly welcome in the current economic climate.”

Source: Motor Trader E-magazine (September 2020)

16 September 2020