Toyota is urging dealers to promote alternative models as production constraints limit RAV4 availability. The Japanese automaker cannot build enough of its bestselling compact SUV due to plant changeovers for the redesigned 2026 model, which is being rolled out across facilities in Kentucky, Ontario, and Japan.

At the National Automobile Dealers Association event in Las Vegas, Toyota executive David Christ told dealers to offset RAV4 shortages by selling other vehicles in the lineup. With pickup trucks comprising a large share of current inventory, Toyota has more flexibility there, but passenger cars and crossovers face tighter supply. The constraint has already led some dealers to add markups of several thousand dollars above the manufacturer's suggested price on new RAV4s.

Toyota views the situation as an opportunity to spotlight models like the Crown, Crown Signia, all-electric bZ, and upcoming C-HR EV. The strategy aims to capture demand that would otherwise go to competitors while broadening consumer awareness of less prominent vehicles. Strong 2025 results provide some cushion, with Toyota deliveries up 8.1% to 2.15 million vehicles and Lexus setting its own record. The key challenge will be maintaining customer trust while managing supply constraints and preventing excessive dealer markups that could undermine the RAV4's value proposition.