Kinto Select: A Lexus subscription service for Japan

Joaquin Ruhi

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Even as luxury brand car subscription services allowing you to switch vehicles within a given period of time falter in the United States (with the notable exception of Care by Volvo), Lexus Japan unveils Kinto Select. Announced alongside a more pared-down Kinto One program for Toyota-branded vehicles, here are the pertinent bits of information for the Lexus Kinto Select subscription program:

Feb. 05, 2019
Toyota Establishes New Company "KINTO"Subscription services launch for "beloved cars" to promote a new user-car relationship in Japan

Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announces today it has established KINTO Co., Ltd., a new company to manage and operate its beloved-car subscription service (monthly fixed-sum service) that proposes a new user-car relationship. The new company is jointly funded by Toyota Financial Services, Co., Ltd. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota) and Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service Company, Limited (a member of the Sumitomo Corporation Group).

As society shifts from conventional car ownership to car usage that can be enjoyed wherever and as much as users would like, there is a growing need for a service that allows customers to freely select the car that they like or want to drive and enjoy it as they like, instead of using a car simply as a means of transportation.

KINTO proposes a new form of vehicle ownership that invites customers to enjoy their relationship with the car of their choice in a fun and easy manner. Specifically, two services will be offered in Japan. "KINTO ONE" allows customers to drive one Toyota-brand vehicle over a three-year period, and "KINTO SELECT" allows customers to drive six models of Lexus-brand vehicles over a three-year period. Both services are offered as a monthly fixed-sum service that packages voluntary insurance payments, vehicle tax, registration charges, and (for Kinto One only) regularly scheduled maintenance of the vehicle. To make the service accessible, customers can easily apply online (https://kinto-jp.com/, Japanese-language only) or through Toyota/Lexus dealers nationwide, where a safe and secure service is offered.

KINTO SELECT will be offered from 6th of February 2019, and KINTO ONE from 1st of March 2019. Both services will be deployed on a trial basis through select Toyota dealers and Lexus dealers in the Tokyo metropolitan area, with nationwide rollout scheduled from summer 2019. The number of vehicle models available as part of the service is slated for expansion from the beginning of autumn.

The Kinto name signifies a service that quickly appears when necessary, enabling mobility as per the user's wishes like a kintoun (Japanese for "flying nimbus")

KINTO SELECT services will be available at Lexus dealers within Tokyo except for Lexus Tama, Lexus Higashiyamato, Lexus Nerima, Lexus Koishikawa, and Lexus CPO dealers.

KINTO SELECT
Applicable models
Users can select Lexus models from the following six choices, with changes possible every six months: ES300h, IS300h, RC300h, UX250h, RX450h, NX300h. Grade, options, and color are all specified by KINTO.
Contract period 36 months
Deposit Not required
Payment methods Monthly fixed-sum
Monthly rate 180,000 yen, excluding tax (194,400 yen including tax)
Monthly rate includes Vehicle charge, registration fees, tax, voluntary insurance, automotive tax
How to apply Select Lexus dealers within Tokyo (nationwide rollout slated for after summer). Online applications will be accepted when the service rolls out nationwide.

https://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/corporate/26466171.html
 

krew

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Lexus Launches Vehicle Subscription Service in Japan

19-02-05-lexus-japan-subscription-service.jpg


Six vehicles to cycle through every six months.
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Joaquin Ruhi

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TechCrunch's Kirsten Korosec notes a gaming-inspired aspect of the Kinto programs:

Unlike other subscription programs, Kinto has gamified the service. The company is planning to introduce a service this fall that will award points to customers based on how they drive. Toyota doesn’t explain how safe or “ecological” driving would be tracked, but the assumption is that the vehicles would be equipped with connected-car technology that can monitor driving. Points can be applied toward payments, the company said.

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/04/t...-company-kinto-is-gamifying-driving-behavior/