Toyota subsidiary KINTO has announced the nationwide launch of KINTO Flex, a new subscription-based, monthly hybrid car rental plan which offers Australians a way to have a car without being locked into a long term lease plan.

This could be useful for people who are commonly waiting 6-12 months or longer for their new car order to be shipped to Australia, in the meanwhile they need something a decent modern car to drive.

KINTO Flex has over 160 national locations and allows shortening or lengthening a subscription depending on whether you need a small hatchback around town, family sedan, SUV etc.

Service is all managed through the KINTO smartphone app from sign up and picking a vehicle, to unlocking the car and hitting the road.

It would be great if the big Australian vehicle rental companies like Hertz and SIXT enabled self-service car rental like this.

Kinto subscribers pay a monthly fee plus a per kilometre fee that is inclusive of fuel, insurance, 24/7 roadside assistance, maintenance, and servicing with no sign-up fee, no security deposit or establishment fee. Drive as little or as much as needed with no excess km or additional driver fees.

KINTO Flex subscriptions start from $1215 per month and $0.17 per kilometre travelled including fuel, 24/7 roadside assistance, maintenance, servicing.

Users can also extend their subscription through the digital self-service function within the KINTO app, and if they’re ready to unsubscribe from KINTO Flex, cancel free of charge from the upcoming bill cycle with just 7 days notice.

Mark Ramsay, General Manager of KINTO commented:

“We’ve seen the demand for short term and flexible mobility increase, and KINTO Flex is the nation’s answer to those who want all the benefits of car ownership for those who may not want to take the leap yet into purchasing their own vehicle”.

“There is no one size fits all to travel, that’s why we prioritise flexibility and are creating a service that aims to fit into the lifestyle of our customers, not the other way round. KINTO Flex allows users to drive some of the latest cars without any long-term commitment, and the flexibility to adapt to their lifestyle, and we hope the Australians love KINTO Flex as much as we do.”