Selling like hot cakes: Toyota suspends order-taking for Camry hybrid in Australia

SYDNEY: Toyota Australia has paused order-taking for Camry hybrid variants due to extraordinary demand that has seen 90% of customers of the popular mid-size sedan opt for the petrol-electric models.

In a statement, Toyota Australia said despite substantially improved supply since May across most of Toyota’s new-vehicle range, including Camry hybrid, the broad appeal and high level of orders for these fuel-efficient cars has resulted in customer wait times remaining above two years.

Toyota Australia vice president sales, marketing and franchise operations Sean Hanley said the order pause decision demonstrated the company’s commitment to transparency by adopting measures that respect the deep trust placed in the Toyota brand by our customers.

“I want to assure all Toyota customers that we are doing everything possible to increase supply for Australia and to expedite delivery of vehicles as they arrive,” said Hanley.

“Our global production teams have consistently adopted countermeasures that have improved the supply of components affected by global shortages, such as semiconductors,” he said.

In the nine months to September 30, new Camry deliveries in Australia totalled 7,130 vehicles – of which 6,490 were hybrid variants.

According to a ABC NEWS report on September 19, 2023, Australian motorists are paying eye-watering prices for fuel, with the national average reaching A$204.4 cents per litre.

"This is the highest average petrol and diesel prices seen since the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine," said ABC NEWS.

It also marked the fifth week in a row petrol and diesel prices have remained above AUD$2 per litre in all but one of the capital cities, according to the Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP), said the Australian news service.