We asked dealers to tell us how long we should expect to wait for five models that topped their classes in the 2021 What Car? Car of the Year Awards.
Tesla and Toyota dealers told us we could get a new Model 3 and Yaris hybrid in four to six weeks, but Skoda and Volkswagen dealers quoted wait times of 18 to 19 weeks for an ID.3 and an Octavia Estate plug-in hybrid (PHEV). ABMW dealer said January 2022 was the earliest they would expect to be able to get us an X5 PHEV.
As well as contacting showrooms about specific models and trim levels, we also gathered more general information on delivery times. The average was between four and six months, but it was up to 12 months for some Jaguar and Land Rover models.
Some car makers are even sacrificing safety and convenience features on new cars in order to keep production lines running. For example, two new trim levels of the Ford Puma have been introduced that use fewer chips.
The Titanium Design trim misses out on climate control, voice control and Bluetooth, and has a downgraded version of Ford’s SYNC infotainment system. Meanwhile, the ST-Line Design goes without high beam assistance, rear parking sensors, lane-keeping assistance, lane-departure warning, pre-collision assistance with automatic emergency braking (AEB), pedestrian and cyclist detection, and post-collision braking.
The Design models are £900 and £1550 cheaper than the regular Titanium and ST-Line cars, and a Ford spokesperson has stated that their reduced reliance on chips gives customers the choice of receiving their cars sooner.
