- Toyota says it is struggling to build enough cars to satisfy American buyers
- The popular RAV4 may face shortages early next year
Automakers have begun reporting October sales results, showing a mixed bag for most. Subaru, Hyundai, and Mazda, for instance, all saw sales decrease in October as economic uncertainty set in and the expiration of the $7,500 electric vehicle (EV) tax credit took hold. Kia and Honda saw their sales increase despite the headwinds.
And then, there’s Toyota.
“We see very strong demand for our products. We can barely cover the demand,” Chief Financial Officer Kenta Kon told investors on a conference call to discuss third-quarter sales.
Industry publication Automotive News reports that Toyota saw “a 2.9% increase in global sales to 2.4 million vehicles in the quarter, powered by a 15% surge in North America.”
That has the company struggling to keep enough cars on dealership lots.
Car dealers traditionally aim to keep about 60 selling days’ worth of cars on a sales lot, with another 15 days on order or in transit. At that level, they likely have the combination of colors and features you want in easy reach. Fewer, experience shows, means some buyers will walk away empty-handed.
Toyota has spent much of the last year with as few as 30 days. The company ended September with a 39-day supply on average.
In Short Supply: Hybrids, Popular RAV4
But within that average, there are some frustrations for buyers.
Shoppers have faced long waits for some popular hybrid models. The company’s RAV4 compact SUV has, at times, been the best-selling vehicle in America in 2025 — a title long held by the Ford F-Series truck.
But the company is about to introduce a redesigned RAV4 for the 2026 model year. Available only as a hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV), it will be offered in a rugged off-road model and, for the first time, a sporty GR edition.
Switching to a new model means pausing the factories that build the RAV4 so they can retool. Toyota builds the vehicle at more than one plant and can stagger the changeover — but that will still mean fewer RAV4 SUVs heading to dealer lots for a few months in early 2026.
Shoppers should be prepared to wait or consider alternatives.
