Toyota RAV4 Wait Times in the USA (Q2 2024)
Toyota focuses heavily on the United States as it is one of the largest new vehicle markets in the world! The Toyota RAV4 was the 4th most popular vehicle in 2023. With it only falling behind the F-150, Chevy Silverado, and Ram 1500. Making it the most sold non-truck vehicle.
(Source: Motor1)
With an increasing popularity and ongoing global supply chain struggles you may find it difficult to find the perfect RAV4. To help you in search we called 25 different dealerships across the United States to find out what the current availability and/or wait times that you can expect for the 2024 RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid and RAV4 Prime!
Note: We will continue to update this article as we receive new information.
RAV4 (Non-Hybrid)
The non-hybrid RAV4 has been a mainstay in Toyota’s line up since 1994. For the past 6 years it has been crowned the best selling compact SUV in America. When compared to the Hybrid and Prime models the Non-hybrid RAV4 is less difficult to manufacture as it has a more simplistic drive train and less technology. With this in mind you can expect much more availability and lower prices.
This model has much more uniform availability across the country aside from a couple special cases. For example, one dealer I called in New York actually had more RAV4 Primes in stock than they did the non-hybrid models.
You can expect most large dealers in your state or region to have about 5-10 units of various trim levels available on any given day.
Many of those dealers are offering significant discounts to keep up with Toyota’s monthly sales quotas. If you are flexible with your desired color and features you can certainly get a great deal on a Non-Hybrid RAV4 in most areas.
If you are looking for a very specific combination such as a Ruby Flare XLE Premium with the Nutmeg interior and cold weather package you may have to wait a month or two for your dealer to receive it in allocation. In that case another option may be to widen your search to surrounding dealers to see if they have your desired build ready on the lot!
If you are in Alaska or Hawaii you can still find some inventory available but if you are looking for something unique expect a longer wait.
Here are the wait times by region. Notice the improvement over 2023.
| Region | Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|
| Midwest | 0 days – 2 months |
| Northeast | 0 days – 2 months |
| Northwest | 0 days – 2 months |
| Southeast | 0 days – 2 months |
| Southwest | 0 days – 2 months |
| Alaska | 0 days – 3 months |
| Hawaii | 0 days – 4 months |
RAV4 Hybrid
The RAV4 Hybrid had a huge draw over the last few years! From 2021-2023 there was a near-zero chance that a unit made it from the production line to the dealership lot without being pre-sold for over MSRP.
Luckily for the consumer 2024 is much different than recent history. At my own personal dealership in Texas we currently have more RAV4 Hybrids available than RAV4 Non-hybrids. That is not necessarily the case across the country but it is definitely a nice change to the market.
Below is the availability listed by region.
| Region | Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|
| Midwest | Varies from dealer to dealer. Some have 1-2 units others have 10+ available. Likely need to wait for a specific combination. |
| Northeast | No wait times. Discounted inventory widely found in stock! |
| Northwest | Wide range of inventory available with discounts advertised. |
| Southeast | Varies from dealer to dealer. Some have inventory available. Others have a 1-2 month wait. |
| Southwest | Smaller selection of Rav4 Hybrids available compared to Non-hybrids. Some dealers are offering discounts. |
| Alaska | Small number of units available. If you are looking for something specific expect a 2-4 month wait based on dealer allocation. |
| Hawaii | Very small number of available units with some dealers having none. If you are looking for something specific expect a 3-6 month wait based on dealer allocation. Dealers operate differently with one offering a waitlist through deposits while another uses a lottery system to select the next customer up. |
From my conversations with salespeople across the country I found that most dealerships were taking deposits to either be on a waitlist or to put your name on an incoming, allocated unit.
These deposits ranged from $500-$1500 but some had different practices such as 10% of the vehicle price.
The deposits always went to the total cost of the vehicle or would be refunded upon purchase. Different dealers had their own specific practices but, for the most part deposits were refundable. This process was the same for the RAV4 Prime as well.
RAV4 Prime
The RAV4 Prime availability is much more complicated. The supply ranges widely between regions and sometimes even between neighboring states. This is due to the more niche market, the complexity to produce the vehicle and the varying laws and regulations that surround EVs and plug-in hybrids from state to state.
With that in mind we did the research so you don’t have to! Current regional availability is as follows:
| Region | Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|
| Midwest | This region had a wider range of availability. One dealer had two in stock. Another estimated about 1-2 months wait for an allocated unit. Others said you should expect to wait 4+ months. |
| Northeast | Region with the most availability. Many dealers have inventory with advertised discounts! One dealer I called in Pennsylvania had a wait time of 4 months. |
| Northwest | Oregon and Washington have inventory available but most dealers are charging $5000 over MSRP and won’t sell out of state. A salesperson in Idaho told me that they do not receive any Rav4 Primes. A Utah dealer said they may get one but expect to wait 3-5 years. |
| Southeast | Little to no inventory available. Average wait times were 1-2 months with customers waiting for allocations of specific units |
| Southwest | Availability was quite varied in this region. Some states and dealers had inventory available. California and Colorado dealers had inventory in stock and 1-2 month wait for more allocated units. New Mexico dealers stated an average wait time would be 6-8 months. My dealership here in West Texas receives one to two units over a 3 month period. We do not have waitlists and will only take deposits when a unit has been allocated to us. An Arizona dealer told me they are extremely rare and would not even guess at how long the wait could be. |
| Alaska | Not available |
| Hawaii | Not available |
RAV4 Prime availability can be discouraging. If you are open to flying out or paying extra for delivery you may have luck finding a good deal in the Northeast U. S.
We also have a short guide on how to order a RAV4 Prime that may offer unique insights into your search.
Additionally, the RAV4 Prime isn’t available at all in Alaska or Hawaii.
While the RAV4 Prime isn’t as popular as the other RAV4 models, the supply is still very low in most regions. Additionally, consumers seeking to buy one are persistent and usually have strict requirements.
To learn more about why these wait times exist, how to shorten your wait time, and more, read our full RAV4 wait time guide.
Reserving Your Spot
If you’ve decided that you’re going to wait for a RAV4, you’ll need to get yourself on a waitlist. In our complete summary article, RAV4 Availability and Wait Times. We provide an in depth guide with advice on how to get your name on the perfect RAV4!
To join a waitlist, start by visiting your local Toyota dealership to discuss your options.
Shorter waitlists will typically allow you to choose from an inventory of available vehicles, so you’ll know what you’re getting. If the waitlist is longer, you may not be able to choose a vehicle until you’re closer to the end of the waitlist.
Most dealerships in the USA require a deposit at the time of reservation of between $500 and $1,000. It is typically non-refundable; however, some dealerships offer refundable deposits. The deposit will be credited towards the final vehicle price.
We spoke with a few dealerships that required larger deposits, such as 10% of the vehicle price. If your local dealership requires a large deposit like this, we recommend seeking out other dealerships.
It’s best to get in touch with several dealerships in your area to find one with the shortest wait time and lowest deposit amount.
If you’re interested in letting us do the searching for your next RAV4 (or any Toyota or Lexus), check out our car shopping service.
How Long Will You Wait?
Researching the availability of RAV4s here in 2024 has been quite reassuring! The inventory levels at dealerships are much higher across the board than what we saw over the past few years.
Oftentimes discounts were advertised online and the salespeople I spoke to followed up for days trying to earn my business.
In my opinion we are likely heading toward a buyer’s market in the automotive industry which should result in wider availability and lower prices for the average consumer!
In the comments section below, let us know:
- How long are you willing to wait?
- If you’re currently waiting for a RAV4, how long is your wait time?
- What model are you interested in buying?
- What region of the country are you buying from?