Toyota Launches Kinto Subscription Service With Gamified Driving Rewards
Toyota introduces Kinto, a new car subscription service in Japan that gamifies safe driving by awarding points that reduce monthly payments. The joint venture offers flexible three-year plans for both Toyota and Lexus vehicles.
Toyota officially launches Kinto, a new joint venture with Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service that provides car subscription services and other mobility solutions exclusively in Japan. Backed by 1.8 billion yen in initial funding, this new company reflects a broader industry shift away from traditional car ownership toward flexible vehicle usage models. Beyond basic subscriptions, Kinto also handles used vehicle sales and automotive repair services.
Setting Kinto apart from competing automaker programs is a gamified driving system that launches this fall. The service tracks driving behavior through connected-car technology and rewards customers with points for safe and ecological habits. Subscribers can then apply these earned points directly toward their monthly subscription payments, creating a financial incentive for better driving.
Kinto offers two distinct three-year subscription tiers for Japanese customers. The standard Kinto One plan provides access to Toyota models like the Prius and Corolla Sport for monthly fees ranging from $419 to $901 before taxes. For luxury seekers, Kinto Select grants access to six Lexus models for a flat rate of $1,638 per month, with both options conveniently bundling insurance and taxes into one fixed payment.