August 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 August.

New car market wait time

If last month’s data is any indicator, we have yet to see a peak in average wait times for new cars delivered across the nation, with delays increasing for the 21st consecutive month. 

At the end of August, the average wait time for a new car had increased by 2 days, finishing on 159 days. Since the start of the year, when delays were recorded at just 117 days, the increase is more than 35%, or an additional 42 days.

By way of comparison with the same period last year, the average wait time back then was just 96 days, so delays have increased by 63 days, or 66%.

Global supply chains are still hamstrung by a swathe of issues, with local dealers struggling to source adequate stock on the whole. While the story is certainly better for some auto-makers than others, a number of the supply chain bottlenecks are overseas pain points that manufacturers have little direct control over, and it is local new car buyers that are being forced to shoulder some of the pain.

Makes and models with the longest wait times

Supply woes continue to persist for the Australian arm of the Toyota Motor Corporation. Lexus has been hit harder than Toyota itself, with the premium marque now topping the list of the brands with the longest wait time across the country. 

The complications across both brands stem from ongoing production cuts at Toyota’s Japan facilities, while demand remains robust for the likes of the HiLux, RAV4, and Lexus’ SUVs.

Average wait times for Lexus increased 21 days throughout August, and compared with a year ago, the total wait of 287 days is around 8 months longer. On the other hand, the increase in average wait times across the Toyota range was more modest, increasing just 2 days to a total of 253 days. Nonetheless, delays are up 117 days versus this time last year.

Meanwhile, Isuzu supply improved throughout the month, with approximately 1 month shaved off the average wait time of its two vehicles in the D-Max and MU-X.

Volkswagen and Ford have been facing ongoing headwinds for some time now, and it doesn’t look as though things are about to dramatically improve. Average wait times for Volkswagen vehicles ballooned by 17 days, which means local new car buyers are now looking at a delay of about 7 months before they can take stock of a new VW unit. 

Although wait times for a Ford vehicle shrunk marginally last month, it is still a testing time for buyers, who will need to be patient considering the delay is about 3 months longer than August last year. 

The Volkswagen Multivan is Australia’s least accessible car at this point in time, with average wait times just a handful of days shy of a full year. This difficulty is likely due to the changeover between the sixth and seventh generation model of the car, with VW carrying less stock at this time.

It’s not the only VW vehicle that new car buyers face an extraordinary wait time to secure, with the Transporter also bearing a delivery delay in excess of 300 days. The crisis in Ukraine has impacted VW more than some other auto-makers, with componentry a real sticking point for some of its vehicles.

On the other hand, Toyota’s ever-popular RAV4 and Landcruiser are both in the top five, as is its C-HR model as well. As we mentioned above, Toyota has been facing cutbacks across production for months on end now, which means the backlog for existing orders, and a shortfall in terms of stock availability have created a deep misalignment in the market.

Rounding things out, August saw delivery delays worsen for the likes of Lexus - for the second month in a row average wait times blew out past 150% - as well as Suzuki (wait times up 73%), Ford (up 41%), Renault (up 35%), plus Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Nissan (all up more than 20%).

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