Toyota South Africa (TSAM) has officially launched Kinto, a “pay-for-use mobility solution” that lets individuals drive and enjoy one of the brand’s vehicles for an extended amount of time without taking ownership of it.
Initially, only Kinto One will be available which is an all-encompassing leasing option, but a further four products under the Kinto banner are in the pipeline for the local market, according to Glenn Crompton, vice president of marketing at TSAM.
What’s available
With Kinto One, customers may choose the mileage parameters which range from 10,000km to 200,000km per year, and the length of the contract, 6 to 60 months, and then select from the available models one that fits their budget.
The subscription is “all-inclusive” meaning a single monthly payment covers maintenance and service costs, warranty items, licence and registration fees, roadside assistance, and stolen vehicle recovery services.
Therefore, the driver’s only monthly expense is fuel.
Kinto Protect – which is similar to, “but not technically” insurance, is also part of the Kinto One package and shields drivers from liability in the event of an accident, said Crompton.
Customers with Kinto Protect do not have to pay to get the vehicle repaired after it sustained damages; unless they are under 25 years old, it was a single-vehicle accident, or they had a previous incident within the last 12 months. In these cases, they will have to pay R2,500 per incident to get the car fixed.
“Kinto One is also completely flexible, meaning that the monthly mileage and contract period can be amended at any point during the contract,” said Slade Thompson, general manager of sales and marketing at Kinto South Africa.
What’s coming
With the introduction of Kinto One out of the way, TSAM will now look at rolling out additional mobility solutions under the Kinto umbrella.
Four options are on the way namely Flex, Join, Ride, and Share, which aim to satisfy the transportation needs of a wide variety of consumers.
Kinto Flex will be similar to Kinto One but will offer a “flexible car subscription.” In other words, the contract can be adjusted for any length of time, even one day, and canceled at any time, too.
Kinto Join is described as “Corporate Carpooling” that aims to “change the way people travel to work”; whereas Kinto Share is categorised as “Corporate Car Sharing” which allows subscribers access to a specific vehicle they need, if and when they need it.
Kinto Ride is then an on-demand trip service, similar to ride-hailing apps like Uber and Bolt. This will enable members to request a pickup at their current location and a dropoff at a different spot they want to go to.
As it stands, TSAM did not reveal when the Kinto product range will be expanded, stating that the rollout will take place “in line with market requirements.”
Keyword: Toyota Kinto long-term car rentals – What’s available in South Africa and what’s coming