Australia’s number one automotive brand has set its sights on revolutionising the car hire business – and it will be good news for customers.
Toyota’s Kinto car sharing service competes with hire companies.
Toyota’s Kinto car rental service has accelerated its presence in Australia, taking on car rental agencies by charging half their fees
Originally restricted to Melbourne, Kinto allows customers to rent a new Toyota for the short to medium term, starting from less than $10 per hour.
Toyota’s Kinto allows you to rent cars with a smartphone app.
The service is now available nationally with a new app that customers can use to book, unlock and drive a car of their choice. Toyota’s rental spin-off claims it does away with queuing, paperwork, expensive fees and other car rental inconveniences.
The cars can be collected at many Toyota dealerships around Australia, plus some public car-sharing parking spaces in capital cities.
Kinto general manager Mark Ramsay said customers expect straightforward services in 2022.
“I have my driver’s licence in my phone, I have my card and credit card in my phone and now I have my car keys in my phone as well,” he said.
Toyota originally launched Kinto in Victoria.
“It has also been important to focus on regional areas of Australia, where this type of service has not previously been available – nor possible – before,” Ramsay said.
“Rental companies are rarely found in small towns, but as the Toyota dealers are already part of the community and both selling and servicing cars, this is a natural extension of the offering.”
Customers can pick hybrid cars such as the Yaris, Corolla and RAV4 or commercial vehicles such as the HiAce van and HiLux ute.
The compact Prius C hybrid costs $9.10 per hour, $63 for a day or $296 for a week, significantly undercutting rental agencies such as Hertz, Budget and Europcar.
A seven-seat Toyota Kluger costs $549 for a week, around half what commercial rental agencies charge.
Toyota’s service charges mileage fees that may not apply to conventional rentals, but fuel is free – and there’s a fuel card in the glovebox.
A wide range of cars, including the Kluger, are available to rent.
As with conventional rental companies, expensive insurance excesses apply. Drivers aged over 25 must pay a $2200 excess if they damage a vehicle, or reduce the fee to $550 by paying an additional $25 per day.
Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations, Sean Hanley, said in 2021 that “Kinto is part of our strategy to transition from a car company to a mobility company by providing new transport-related services to people across Australia”.
Keyword: Toyota expands Kinto car rental business