Oh what a feeling! Toyota petrol cars end of the road

Toyota says its petrol vehicles will be retired in favour of hybrid models due to demand (Supplied by Toyota Australia/AAP PHOTOS)

Nine popular vehicles will no longer be sold as petrol cars in Australia after Toyota announced plans to move to more environmentally friendly technology. 

The major automaker revealed the change on Wednesday, announcing that customer demand for hybrid vehicles had become so strong that it would retire pure petrol versions of models including its RAV4 SUV, and Corolla and Camry sedans. 

The move comes as sales figures from May show soaring interest in hybrid vehicles in Australia, and after the federal government passed laws to encourage the importation of more low-emission options. 

Toyota Australia sales vice-president Sean Hanley said the change had been years in the making and was made after the company tried offering only hybrid versions of its Yaris Cross and C-HR SUV, and Corolla and Yaris hatchbacks.  

"Our dealers will no longer offer petrol-only variants of any Toyota model where a hybrid-electric alternative is available," he said.

"This is the next logical step in a hybrid-electric strategy we have been evolving and implementing since well before the first Prius arrived in October 2001."

The Toyota bZ4x electric SUV in Canberra
Consumers are increasingly demanding more fuel-efficient versions of cars.

Toyota models that will only be available as hybrid vehicles include RAV4, Kluger and Corolla SUVs, with the final petrol models of the vehicles being delivered to customers who had already purchased them over the coming months. 

Mr Hanley said petrol versions of the vehicles had been "price leaders" and cheaper than the more environmentally friendly models, but consumers were increasingly demanding more fuel-efficient versions of the cars.

"Across the models where customers have had the choice, the vast majority have chosen hybrid over petrol," he said. 

"This has reinforced our confidence in the future of hybrid-electric as the dominant powertrain of choice for most passenger cars and SUVs."

The move could help drivers save on petrol costs, with data from the federal government's Green Vehicle Guide indicating a hybrid RAV4 would cost $356 less to fuel than its petrol equivalent each year, and a Corolla Cross hybrid could save an average of $494 a year. 

Toyota's announcement comes after the figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries showed sales of hybrid vehicles had more than doubled in the first five months of the year compared to the same time in 2023, and had outsold electric vehicles. 

Plug-in hybrid electric cars, which feature both electric and petrol engines, were significantly less popular than hybrid models but their popularity also doubled this year to achieve more than 6000 sales between January and May. 

More low-emission vehicles, including hybrid and electric cars, were expected to be launched in Australia next year when the federal government introduces its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard that will set emissions limits on car fleets. 

License this article

What is AAPNews?

For the first time, Australian Associated Press is delivering news straight to the consumer.

No ads. No spin. News straight-up.

Not only do you get to enjoy high-quality news delivered straight to your desktop or device, you do so in the knowledge you are supporting media diversity in Australia.

AAP Is Australia’s only independent newswire service, free from political and commercial influence, producing fact-based public interest journalism across a range of topics including politics, courts, sport, finance and entertainment.

What is AAPNews?
The Morning Wire

Wake up to AAPNews’ morning news bulletin delivered straight to your inbox or mobile device, bringing you up to speed with all that has happened overnight at home and abroad, as well as setting you up what the day has in store.

AAPNews Morning Wire
AAPNews Breaking News
Breaking News

Be the first to know when major breaking news happens.


Notifications will be sent to your device whenever a big story breaks, ensuring you are never in the dark when the talking points happen.

Focused Content

Enjoy the best of AAP’s specialised Topics in Focus. AAP has reporters dedicated to bringing you hard news and feature content across a range of specialised topics including Environment, Agriculture, Future Economies, Arts and Refugee Issues.

AAPNews Focussed Content
Subscription Plans

Choose the plan that best fits your needs. AAPNews offers two basic subscriptions, all billed monthly.

Once you sign up, you will have seven days to test out the service before being billed.

AAPNews Full Access Plan
Full Access
AU$10
  • Enjoy all that AAPNews has to offer
  • Access to breaking news notifications and bulletins
  • Includes access to all AAPNews’ specialised topics
Join Now
AAPNews Student Access Plan
Student Access
AU$5
  • Gain access via a verified student email account
  • Enjoy all the benefits of the ‘Full Access’ plan at a reduced rate
  • Subscription renews each month
Join Now
AAPNews Annual Access Plan
Annual Access
AU$99
  • All the benefits of the 'Full Access' subscription at a discounted rate
  • Subscription automatically renews after 12 months
Join Now

AAPNews also offers enterprise deals for businesses so you can provide an AAPNews account for your team, organisation or customers. Click here to contact AAP to sign-up your business today.

SEVEN DAYS FREE
Download the app
Download AAPNews on the App StoreDownload AAPNews on the Google Play Store