A car subscription service is similar to a lease only in the sense that there’s no personal ownership, but terms are generally far shorter and more flexible. The service is now nationwide. For those who hate commitment and don’t mind overpaying versus a standard lease, rental or financing arrangement in order to access the associated perks, a car subscription is worth considering.

Restrictions: 21+ years old, 15,000 miles/year, one swap per month Cars: Chevrolet Spark, Ford Focus, Mazda 3 or similar; Volkswagen Tiguan, Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Altima or similar; Jeep Grand Cherokee, Infiniti QX60, Ford F-150, or similar This program allows you to comb through most of the Enterprise fleet, but at a significant premium compared to Hertz. Since this is a traditional rental company, in most cases, you cannot book the exact model in a given segment. Volvo’s subscription service is technically a 24-month lease that includes full insurance, maintenance and other add-on insurance items like tire and wheel protection. Price: $199 per month for nine months (Smart) to $1499 per month for three months (Tesla) Price: $600 to $675/month (XC40); $650/month (S60); $700/month (XC60); $775 to $875/month (XC90) Price: $995/month Restrictions: 3000 miles/month, four swaps per month within the same state, two-month minimum, refueling penalty, in-store pickup/return only, 25+ years old, exact car not guaranteed These subscription services also provide a variety of flexible terms and vehicle choices not often found in the fine print of lease agreements.

It’s especially valuable if you’re in a major metro area and need a late-model car for a month or longer. Price: $569/month to $1329/month That’s if you qualify for the state’s Affordable Access Program, a benefit borne from Volkswagen‘s multi-billion-dollar settlement with California over the diesel emissions scandal. Volvo also waives $1000 in excess wear charges when turning in the car. You can’t do that with a lease.

Most of the vehicles we could find in this limited area were several years old—including a 2016 Camry—and many traditional EV leases in California are much cheaper even after accounting for insurance. Locations: Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada Cars: Volkswagen e-Golf, Chevrolet Bolt, various Toyota models Unsurprisingly, Porsche‘s program is the priciest of all. Location: Los Angeles It works with dealers in California and Florida to lease vehicles for three years, two years, or on a month-to-month basis. Restrictions: Two swaps a month, 180-day max, 25+ years of age Sixt doesn’t charge an activation fee and appears more flexible with its vehicle choices and prices than the other major rental competitors—and it offers luxury cars from BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes, and Land Rover. Price: $1499/month It’s serious dough.

But be aware: Most every plan on the market, despite the inclusion of “white glove” service, can become cost-prohibitive in a matter of weeks. The company merged with Canvas, which had been offering new-car subscriptions for Ford. Restrictions: Swap twice per month, 2000 miles per car per month, two-month minimum, credit check, enrollment in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, refueling penalty, 25+ years old, exact car not guaranteed. Activation: $595 (waived for the three-month single-vehicle plan) In northern California, it’s possible to rent a Volkswagen e-Golf for as little as $11 per day.

Cars: Core Collection (A4, Q5, S3, TT); Premier (adds Q7, S5 Coupe, A6 sedan, A5 cabriolet) But unlike other services, the monthly prices reflect only a starting point—they vary with the exact car and don’t include tax. Fair is an all-digital leasing company. Most of the models seem undesirable—we’d prefer swapping into an LS, RC, and the almighty LC—and the cars may be up to two years old.

Cars: Tesla Model S, BMW i3, Fiat 500e, Smart ForTwo Electric Drive, Kia Soul EV, Hyundai Ioniq EV Locations: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and various cities in California, Miami and multiple cities in Florida, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle Locations: Bellevue, WA and San Jose, CA Locations: Sacramento and Davis, California Maintenance is included on a choice of six EVs, though don’t spring for the Tesla right away. Locations: Anywhere except CA, HI, MS, NC, ND, NY and SD Cars: XC40, S60, XC90, XC60 Price: Single-Vehicle Subscription for one or three months at $1500 to $2600 per month; Multi-Vehicle Subscription at $2100 or $3100 per month (plus tax); Daily rentals between $245 to $395 a day ($2500 security deposit required) Cars: 911, Boxster, Cayenne, Cayman, Macan, Panamera, Taycan

Car Subscription Services: The Complete Guide To Getting The Car You Want

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p> Borrow offers short-term leases of used electric cars in Los Angeles. Cost: Varies; Down payment and disposition fee required; security deposit may be required The downside is that the lessee is on the hook for insurance, maintenance and repairs for the duration of the lease. Locations: Atlanta, Houston, Irvine, Los Angeles, Monterey, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose If you live in the swanky tech hubs of Bellevue or San Jose, you can get a fleet of Lexus SUVs and one sedan delivered to your door. https://cars45.co.ke/listing/skoda/octavia The electric Taycan (in base and 4S trims) is now available for daily rentals or a single-vehicle subscription. Location: Nationwide (corporate locations only) It also does not include any of its genuine performance cars like the RS3 and R8.

But the loans are flexible from just one day to an entire month, and subscribers can keep a single car for up to three months at a time. Fair lets the customer cancel their lease within two days and 100 miles. At the end of the agreement, subscribers can purchase the vehicle at a preset price, just like a lease. Cars: Range Rover Velar, Kia Rio, and various SUVs, sedans, and minivans Restrictions: 1200 miles a month, 18+ years old, requires insurance From the Macan SUV to the almighty 911 sports car, this is a great way to experience one or several of Stuttgart’s best cars. Insurance and maintenance costs also are included, unlike a lease.

Activation: $495 Restrictions: 15,000 miles/year Price: $995/month (Core); $1495/month (Premier) While Audi does have a subscription service, its offering is tightly limited and based only in Texas. Location: Dallas-Fort Worth You&#8217;ll have to pick up the car at a tire shop in West Hollywood. Thanks to the rise of car subscription services, that dream may become a reality. Restrictions: Age 21+, 1500 to 2000 miles/month (subscriptions); Age 27+, driver&#8217;s license holder for five years, 200 miles/day (daily rentals) Leasing also is an attractive option for drivers uninterested in entering a long-term loan agreement.

Restrictions: 21+ years old (18+ in New York; additional fee for certain vehicles and drivers under 25), one swap per month, one-month minimum, no delivery, security deposit required, exact car not guaranteed. Price: $599/month, $999/month, or $1399/month; Additional monthly surcharge in certain areas of CA, HI, MA, NY, and PA The terms are typically shorter in duration and allow drivers to move into a new vehicle every few years while sidestepping the hassle of selling or trading their current vehicle. Cars: Thousands of vehicles from twenty plus brands, most with less than 70,000 miles and five years old or newer.

Leasing has grown in popularity over the last few decades for several reasons. That’s because the subscription model offers consumers premium vehicles direct from manufacturers and third-party leasing companies. Price: $449 to $649/month (EV); $539/month (Sedans); $579/month (SUVs) Although it generally requires a down payment (no-down leases do exist but are the exception rather than the rule), the monthly payment is usually lower compared with financing the same vehicle through conventional means. Restrictions: 23+ years old, three-month minimum, 500-1500 miles/month (EV) Activation: $25 reservation fee, $50 cleaning fee upon turn-in How does a new Porsche every month sound? How about getting into a lovely long-term rental without signing up for a whole year?

It&#8217;s a fantasy scenario for many drivers and enthusiasts, one that until very recently primarily remained out of reach. AAA membership isn&#8217;t required and AAA will refund the subscription if you cancel within three days or 100 miles. Cars: ES, IS, NX, RX, UX Cars: Various Enterprise segments including Nissan Altima, Chevy Impala, Toyota Camry, Chrysler 300 or similar; Ford EcoSport, Hyundai Kona, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4, Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Pathfinder or similar; Chevy Colorado, Nissan Frontier, Dodge Ram 1500, Ford F150 or similar Leases run for three, six or nine months at a time. Location: California and Florida Activation: $250 However, an &#8220;upgrade&#8221; to another car is available after 12 months in return for signing a new 24-month contract.

Activation: $250 Charging is free if you stick to the 30-minute limit at a Volkswagen-funded Electrify America station, which are the fastest-charging EV stations in the country and in very limited supply. On the plus side, customers get two days of Silvercar rentals (Audi&#8217;s rental company that primarily has A4 sedans) anywhere else in the country and unlimited miles. Hertz, which is currently running through bankruptcy and selling a huge chunk of its fleet, allows long-term rentals with insurance, maintenance and an additional driver included.

For those looking for a short-term Stay in it for the short term, however, and you could have an enjoyable time free of the long-term worry of maintenance and depreciation. Restrictions: 18+ years old, credit check, proof of income, identity, and residence; must have car insurance, 10,000 miles per year, but additional miles can be added to the agreement for a fee. Borrow doesn&#8217;t offer delivery.