Why Toyota deciding it's not a car company anymore means you might be able to drive the 2022 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series sooner than you think

Toyota sold more cars than any other brand on the planet last year, but it has decided it is not a car company anymore. Instead, it's become a mobility company following the Australian launch of its Kinto rideshare business.

Speaking to CarsGuide, Kinto general manager Mark Ramsay said Kinto “is part of our transition from a car company to a mobility company. It is one of the new transport-related services we can offer to people across Australia.” 

Toyota’s not the first car maker to rename itself a mobility company. Ford declared itself a “mobility company” in 2017, and last month Volkswagen said it now provides “mobility solutions” after signalling its intent to purchase Europcar.

The reasoning behind the reorientation to mobility might be found in Mr Ramsay’s next words.

“We are seeing transformational change across the world driven by new technological advances and customer preferences,” he said.

Decoded: many people like using ride-hailing platforms such as Uber and hiring a car through ride share companies like GoGet, and so are less inclined to buy a car than they would have been years ago.

And so, even the world’s largest car seller doesn’t want to miss this boat.

Kinto started operating in Melbourne and regional towns Kilmore and Seymour on June 1, and has also started operating in Dubbo, NSW, and in Hobart, Tasmania. A national rollout is expected to follow.

Currently, Kinto offers 11 vehicles, all Toyotas of course, ranging from a Prius C and Corolla, to a Camry, C-HR, RAV4 and Kluger. Commercial vehicles such as the HiLux and HiAce are also available.

Users of Kinto need to sign up to an app, but there’s no membership fee and the costs of hiring a car are dependent on the vehicle, the distance travelled or the time used.

Kinto started operating in Melbourne and regional towns Kilmore and Seymour on June 1.

A Corolla hatch, for example, is $10.40 per hour + 30c per kilometre or $72 for 24 hours + 27c per kilometre. So, hiring the car for three hours covering 50km comes out to be $46.20.

Hiring a Corolla through GoGet involves a $25 joining fee and a membership fee ranging and a $49 a year to $30 per month depending on the frequency of usage. A $12 per month ‘Occasional’ plan would let you hire the Corolla for $10.90 per hour + 40c per km or $94 for 24 hours. That same three-hour, 50km round trip with GoGet would come out to be $52. But don’t forget you’ll have to pay the $12 each month whether you use it or not.

GoGet has a sizeable head start on Kinto with a fleet of 3000 vehicles in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, but it’s early days for Kinto, which plans to offer its cars in similar street pick-up locations and also its dealerships around Australia.

But Toyota hasn’t lost sight of selling cars just yet, with Mr Ramsay saying customers could use Kinto to test drive a vehicle before they buy it.

“Families and other users looking to purchase a new vehicle might also use Kinto as a form of extended test drive,” he said.

So, could Kinto be one of the first ways Aussies can drive the new Land Cruiser 300?

“The LandCruiser 300 is due for launch in Australia in the fourth quarter. We are continuously monitoring demand and model mix to understand the needs of Toyota customers and Kinto members,” Mr Ramsay said.