April 2022 New Car Wait Times: Part 1

Following the launch of our new car delivery date estimator, you can now stay informed regarding all the delays and wait times affecting the Australian new car market. 

Whether you are in the market for a specific model, or keeping your options open, our handy tool will provide you with a comprehensive snapshot of wait times by brand, model, state, and even vehicle body type.

In addition, we are delighted to bring to you this monthly piece that wraps up all the latest movements across the market, helping you improve your new car buying experience by responding to the latest developments. After all, not everyone has the patience to wait more than 200 days for a new car!

On that note, here are the key developments from April.

New car market wait time

Although the average wait time for a new car rose last month, it wasn’t necessarily met by the same magnitude we have seen over the last year, adding further weight to the notion that we may be at or near a peak in terms of delivery delays.

The result from April points to an average wait time of 124 days for a new car across Australia, which was just one day higher than the March result, and in line with February.

One year ago the same metric was sitting at 76 days, so there can be no denying that the current state of affairs hasn’t improved. However, a series of more consistent readings since the start of the year gives rise to some optimism.

It’s worth noting that the current series of headwinds for the industry remain the same, and if anything, China’s ongoing lockdowns could become a watch-point as it is contributing to global supply chain woes affecting other goods at this time. 

To date, the Chinese auto-makers that have gained popularity across Australia don’t appear to be feeling the squeeze, but questions may remain in the near-term once existing stock is sold.

Makes and models with the longest wait times

The wait time for an Isuzu vehicle continues to blow out, reaching a high of 239 days in April. Both of its leading vehicles, the MU-X and D-Max, are tied to an average wait time of more than 200 days. 

This time last year the delay on an Isuzu order was just 85 days, suggesting the near-tripling in wait times is tied to shipping delays, as well as a worldwide shortage of critical components, microchips and other materials. Isuzu is seeing these issues plague global manufacturing, so other markets are also being hit, and a waiting list is in place.

Toyota is now the brand with the second-longest wait time, 191 days, which is steady on the month prior, but drastically ahead of the 107 day wait in April, 2021. That follows the brand’s recent announcement regarding a significant cut in production for April, May and June.

At a record high, Volkswagen’s wait times have crept higher to 191 days, matching Toyota. In March the brand was sitting at an average delay of 186 days, so the slight increase there has outpaced some other brands where improving supply has helped alleviate some challenges.

Improving supplies throughout April provided a spell of positive momentum for Korean auto-maker Kia, with average wait times slipping from 199 days in March to 175 days last month. High global demand continues to strangle supply, but improvements are starting to trickle through, at least for now.

It is now the Toyota RAV4 with the longest wait time across the Australian new car market, averaging a delay of 270 days. That is predominantly being driven by extended delays for the hybrid variants, however, even those eyeing a petrol-powered version will also find it hard to secure stock at this time on the back of Toyota’s global manufacturing pull-back.

Meanwhile, wait times for the Volkswagen Passat continue to lengthen, growing from 245 days in March to a total of 261 days in April, an increase of roughly 6.5%.

Isuzu, which as we mentioned is having issues securing critical parts for its vehicles, now carries a 256 day wait for its MU-X SUV, which is a record for the model. This time last year the wait time for an MU-X was 67 days, so there has been an effective four-fold increase for those waiting on this name, even though it isn’t the brand’s most-popular vehicle.

The Kia Sorento is one of those benefiting from an improvement in Kia’s supply chain through April, with wait times decreasing sharply from 284 days to 253 days, while the likes of the Jeep Wrangler (221 days), Volkswagen Tiguan (220 days), Ford Mustang (215 days) and Isuzu D-Max (202 days) are among the other models facing a big backlog.

Isuzu and Ford were the only brands to see any meaningful increase in delays across their supply chains last month, with wait times surging by 12% and 11% as an average across the board. 

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