Toyota’s popular RAV4 SUV achieved a historic sales high in July 2024, especially in Australia. Official data show 5,933 RAV4s were delivered to Australian buyers in July 2024, making the RAV4 the country’s top-selling vehicle for the month.
This shattered the previous monthly record of 5,857 set in April 2024 and far exceeded the prior high of 4,825 in August 2020. (For comparison, the next highest sellers in July were the Ford Ranger with 4,915 units and the Toyota HiLux with 4,747.) In other markets, the RAV4 remains a global best-seller – for example, U.S. sales reached an all-time high of 475,193 units in 2024, surpassing even the Ford F-150 pickup.
This July record reflects broader trends of surging demand and improving supply. In Australia, Toyota set a new monthly hybrid sales record at the same time – 12,686 Toyota hybrids (across all models) were sold in July, accounting for 55.9% of Toyota’s total monthly sales of 22,705. Of the RAV4s sold, 93.4% were hybrid-electric versions, meaning nearly every RAV4 sold was the HEV model.
The hybrid model alone was thus effectively the month’s top-selling car. Overall, these RAV4 and hybrid figures helped Toyota secure a commanding 22.8% share of the Australian new-car market in July, far ahead of any other brand. (Toyota’s CEO noted that achieving a second record hybrid month shows how much customers value its fuel-saving technology.)
Key July 2024 figures (Australia):
- RAV4: 5,933 units – new monthly record, up from 5,857 in April 2024. Of these, 5,539 were hybrids (93.4%).
- Toyota (brand) total sales: 22,705 (market leader). Hybrids: 12,686 (monthly record, 55.9% of Toyota’s total).
- Market context: Total new-vehicle sales in July 2024 were 99,486 (a record July). Toyota’s share (22.8%) was the highest among all brands.
These data are sourced from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and Toyota Australia. FCAI reported that the RAV4 was Australia’s best-selling vehicle in July, ahead of even the Ranger and HiLux. Car industry news sources note that this July’s performance came amid steadily improving supply.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and following years, production shortages had limited RAV4 output. But by mid-2024, Toyota’s assembly lines had caught up. One analyst observed that “the SUV experiences a breakout year”, with order backlogs being cleared and wait times falling. Indeed, the waiting list for a new RAV4 Hybrid in Australia – which once stretched over two years – has now been cut to only a few months.
RAV4 Historical sales trends:
The July 2024 result is the latest peak in a long-term growth story. The RAV4 has been one of Toyota’s globally best-selling models for decades, with over 10 million built worldwide by early 2020. In Australia specifically, the RAV4 reached 501,546 sales by the end of June 2024, a milestone marked on its 30th local anniversary.
Early on, the model grew steadily: it took 11 years (until 2005) to sell its first 100,000 units in Australia and 21 years (until 2015) to reach 250,000. But growth accelerated in recent years – the second 250,000 came in only nine more years.
Year by year, RAV4 sales in Australia illustrate the impact of both popularity and production limits. The all-time annual record was 38,537 units in 2020. After that, shortages reduced deliveries to 35,751 in 2021, 34,845 in 2022, and only 29,627 in 2023. (Car sales overall actually hit a new record in 2023, but Toyota’s RAV4 was an exception to that trend.) In the first seven months of 2024, Toyota has already delivered 31,338 RAV4s, nearly doubling the 16,253 sold in January–July 2023. At this pace, 2024 is on track to set a new annual record for RAV4 sales in Australia.
The RAV4 was Australia’s best-selling vehicle several times in 2024. It led in July (as noted) and had previously topped the charts in April (its earlier monthly record) and other months of the year. (Notably, in July 2020, the RAV4 was the first SUV ever to become Australia’s best-selling vehicle; it even outsold the Ford Ranger in that month.)
Globally, RAV4 sales have also reached new heights: recent data show that the RAV4 was America’s single best-selling vehicle in 2024, with 475,193 units sold (up 9% year-over-year).
Hybrid demand and supply RAV4 stabilization:
Two key factors are essential for understanding the July record: hybrid powertrains and improved supply chain management. The RAV4 has been offered in both petrol and hybrid versions. In Australia, customer preference is overwhelmingly for hybrids: in July 2024, a complete 93.4% of RAV4 buyers chose the hybrid model.
This mirrors the broader trend that Toyota’s hybrid vehicles are in very high demand. July’s 12,686 hybrids were the second time Toyota Australia sold over 10,000 in a month. Toyota’s Vice President Sean Hanley said achieving a hybrid sales record “for the second time this year shows just how much our customers value our fuel-saving technology”.
Meanwhile, the supply situation has eased. In 2021–2023, production constraints (global chip shortages, COVID lockdowns, etc.) kept RAV4 assembly below demand. At times in 2022–2023, new buyers had to wait over 24 months for a hybrid RAV4. By mid-2024, however, Toyota had boosted output.
Dealers report that many customers can now receive delivery in just a few months, and some variants even have immediate stock availability. The lifting of the backlog is evident: Toyota’s RAV4 sales in July increased by 92.6% year-over-year. This suggests that Toyota is finally meeting pent-up demand, particularly for hybrid models.
The result of these forces is clear. In July, nearly all RAV4 sales were hybrids – so strong was that demand that the RAV4 Hybrid alone would have been the month’s top model.
Moreover, the surge in hybrid sales is lifting Toyota’s overall performance: in July, Toyota Hybrids outsold the next-best brand by nearly 50%, and hybrids accounted for 55.5% of Toyota’s sales that month – the highest share on record. Altogether, electrified power (hybrids, the small number of bZ4X EVs, and Mirai fuel-cell cars) accounted for 56.3% of Toyota’s Australian sales in July.
Key milestones and Toyota’s RAV4 strategy:
The July figures also dovetail with other milestones and strategic shifts. Notably, in June 2024, Toyota Australia announced it would phase out petrol RAV4s and make the RAV4 a hybrid-only model, along with several other car and SUV lines.
The data drove this decision: in recent months, over 95% of RAV4 sales have been of hybrid models. Toyota’s local boss, Sean Hanley, stated that transitioning to a hybrid-only lineup across the RAV4 (and Corolla, Kluger, etc.) was “the next logical step”, given the increasing demand for electrified vehicles. (Globally, Toyota is aggressively shifting toward hybrids and EVs as well – Australia’s move is part of that broader trend.)
Another milestone was celebrated just before July, namely cumulative sales. In late July 2024, Toyota noted that half a million RAV4s had been sold in Australia since its 1994 launch. This made the RAV4 one of only a handful of Toyota models to surpass 500,000 sales (others include the Corolla, HiLux, Land Cruiser, and Camry).
The pace of growth is evident: the first 500,000 took 29 years, but more than 90% of those sales occurred after 2005, with record years in 2019–2022. The company commented that RAV4 is the only SUV to become Australia’s best-selling vehicle (achieved in July 2020).
These successes have also fueled Toyota’s overall market performance. In July 2024, Toyota captured 22.8% of Australia’s new vehicle market, a remarkable share. For context, Toyota was the clear leader that month, outselling second-place Ford by 14 percentage points.
The RAV4’s dominance is a big reason; it consistently accounts for a large portion of Toyota’s sales. In July, the RAV4 alone accounted for about 26% of all Toyota sales (5933 of 22,705).
Toyota RAV4 Comparing across months and years:
Putting July’s spike into perspective, several records are expected to be broken in 2024. By mid-year, the RAV4 had achieved six consecutive monthly sales records in Australia, with each month surpassing the previous one. In April, it reached 5,857; in July, 5,933; and in August, it exceeded 6,000 (6,712 units).
Each new monthly record came only a few months after the previous one, underscoring the rapid sales climb. These monthly highs contrast with the slump of just a year prior: July 2023 saw only ~3,000 RAV4 sales, meaning July 2024’s sales were almost double those of July 2023.
On an annual basis, the RAV4 delivered 38,537 units in 2020 (a record), then declined to 35,751 (2021), 34,845 (2022), and 29,627 (2023). The 2024 trend (31,338 in Jan–Jul) suggests that a new annual record is likely. In fact, by August 2024, RAV4 had already become Australia’s best-selling vehicle of the year. Analysts note that if RAV4 continues to shatter monthly records, it could challenge Ford’s Ranger for the 2024 annual sales crown in Australia. (Ford has been number-one overall for several years thanks to the Ranger, but Toyota has never before had an SUV claim that title.)
Ongoing RAV4 issues: certification investigations:
One caveat in the background is the Toyota safety certification scandal that surfaced in mid-2024. Toyota discovered that it had used unapproved testing methods on several models to certify safety. In August 2024, it announced that the current RAV4 (along with Camry and Prius V) had been tested in 2017 using components or procedures not specified in regulations.
This “violated certification testing procedures,” according to reports. Notably, Toyota and regulators agreed that no immediate recall or fix is required: Toyota said affected RAV4s were still safe and customers “do not need to stop using their vehicles”. Deliveries of new RAV4s continued as usual, and Toyota has committed to adjusting its testing processes. In short, the certification issue is a reputational cloud but has not disrupted sales or deliveries to date.
Implications:
The July 2024 sales milestone underscores the RAV4’s importance to Toyota’s business. Globally, it is one of Toyota’s best-selling nameplates (one of the few to ever outsell every F-Series truck in the U.S. for a year).
In Australia, it has become a linchpin of Toyota’s strategy: its strong hybrid demand supports Toyota’s environmental goals (half of Toyota’s planned sales are to be electrified by 2025) and keeps Toyota at the top of the market. Record RAV4 deliveries boost Toyota’s market share and profits, helping to offset declines in other segments.
For buyers and the market, this record means Toyota has mostly caught up with earlier shortfalls – fewer customers are waiting years now, and many are getting their vehicles quickly. It also signals that SUVs (especially hybrid SUVs) remain highly sought after despite rising interest rates and economic pressures.
Competitors will likely note the RAV4’s strength and adjust their offerings accordingly. Internally, Toyota can point to July’s success as validation of its production ramp-up and its decision to move exclusively to hybrid vehicles.
In summary, July’s RAV4 sales explosion – a new monthly high of 5,933 units in Australia – reflects a combination of unprecedented consumer demand (especially for hybrids) and recovering supply. It broke previous records by a wide margin and continued an upward trend that began in 2023.
With Toyota now selling RAV4 only as a hybrid and clearing its backlog, the streak may continue. The milestone highlights the RAV4’s pivotal role: a global sales champion, the most significant contributor to Toyota’s Australian market share, and a symbol of Toyota’s shift toward electrified vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1. Why was July 2024 such a big month for the Toyota RAV4?
In July, a record 5,933 RAV4s were delivered in Australia, driven by high demand for hybrid models, improved production supply, and shorter wait times. This made it the country’s best-selling vehicle that month.
Q2. How many of the RAV4s sold in July were hybrids?
A complete 93.4% of RAV4s delivered in July 2024 were hybrid-electric versions—over 5,500 units—showing overwhelming consumer preference for Toyota’s fuel-efficient HEV powertrain.
Q3. Is Toyota planning to stop selling petrol-only RAV4s?
Yes. In June 2024, Toyota Australia announced that it would phase out petrol-only RAV4s and transition to a hybrid-only lineup, reflecting the fact that more than 95% of RAV4 buyers already opt for hybrids.
Q4. What caused the long wait times for the RAV4 before 2024?
From 2021 to 2023, global supply chain issues (including chip shortages and COVID-19 disruptions) limited Toyota’s production capacity, creating wait times of up to 24 months for some hybrid models.
Q5. Did the recent Toyota certification scandal affect RAV4 sales?
No. Although Toyota acknowledged irregular testing procedures in 2017 for models including the RAV4, regulators confirmed the vehicles remain safe. No recalls were issued, and deliveries continued unaffected.
Conclusion:
Toyota’s record-breaking RAV4 sales in July 2024 mark a defining moment for both the model and the brand. With 5,933 units delivered in a single month in Australia—93.4% of them hybrids—the RAV4 has proven itself not only as a dominant SUV but also as a leader in the shift toward electrified vehicles.
This milestone reflects years of growing consumer demand, Toyota’s strategic shift to hybrids, and the easing of supply constraints. As production stabilises and hybrid adoption accelerates, the RAV4 is poised to remain a cornerstone of Toyota’s success, both in Australia and globally. The July record isn’t just a number; it’s a sign of what’s next for the auto industry.