RAV4 supply crunch

Business · Heat 1.4 / 10 · 2 shows · 7m airtime

Toyota's hybrid-only 2026 RAV4 reached dealers in short supply on October 21 after the company delayed factory changeovers to keep building the 2025 model. RAV4 sales are down 30 percent this year, a decline attributed to production limits rather than demand. The shortage lands as Toyota closes in on GM for top US volume automaker, and Honda CR-V sales have risen as buyers switch.

How 2 podcasts covered it

1. WSJ What's News, 2026-10-21 (2:55 to 6:13)
   Explains the RAV4 shortage as a supply problem
   WSJ autos reporter Chris Otts explains the RAV4 shortage: Toyota delayed factory changeovers to keep building the 2025 model, so the hybrid-only 2026 is scarce and sales are down 30 percent on supply, not demand.
   New angle: RAV4 sales are down 30 percent this year on production limits, not demand.
2. The Best One Yet, 2026-10-22 (16:44 to 20:39)
   Retells the shortage with the hosts' numbers
   Retells the RAV4 supply crunch with the hosts' own numbers: down 29% this year, number six in US sales, two months of retooling and waitlists. Frames it as the Goldilocks value play, comparing Toyota to IBM, Walmart and Costco. Stays inside the shortage story already on the record.