When was the last time you bought a physical CD or DVD, much less went to Blockbuster? Subscription and digital services such as Netflix and Spotify have all but done away with those physical discs, and they’ve long since put Blockbuster out of business. It’d be a stretch to say car buying and leasing will go the way of Blockbuster anytime soon, but automakers are increasingly dipping their tires into subscription services, which could be seen as an alternative.
As with leasing, one of the main attractions of subscribing to one of these services is that you don’t own the car and therefore don’t have to swallow the bitter pill of depreciation. But these subscription plans go further. Most cover registration fees, maintenance, and insurance, and some allow the customer (pardon us, “subscriber”) to switch vehicles on demand.
Add to that the convenience of potentially having the vehicle delivered right to your doorstep, avoiding the hassle of negotiating with a salesperson, and possibly never having to step foot in a brick-and-mortar dealership again, and the prospect of subscribing to your next new car or truck—instead of buying or leasing it—sounds promising.
Already, subscription services such as Flexdrive, Fair, and Canvas aim to change the face of the used-car market; the concept is just beginning to enter the marketplace for new cars. To date, only a handful of automakers have announced such subscription programs for new cars. Here’s how they compare.
| Price | $1800/month |
| Initiation Fee | $500 |
| Term | Month to month |
| Order Process | Via dedicated app; vehicles delivered |
| Models Included | ATS-V, CT6, CT6 Plug-In, CTS-V, Escalade, XT5 |
| Mileage | 2000 miles/month |
| Insurance | Included |
| Other Perks | Up to 18 vehicle exchanges per year, maintenance |
| Availability | Dallas, New York City, Los Angeles |
Care by Volvo
| Price | starts at $600, plus tax and registration |
| Initiation Fee | None |
| Term | 24 months, renewable |
| Order Process | Book online; sign and receive at dealership |
| Models Included | XC40 T5 AWD (additional models to follow) |
| Mileage | 15,000 miles/year |
| Insurance | Included |
| Other Perks | First three scheduled maintenance services included |
| Availability | Nationwide |
| Electric | Limited | Limited Ultimate | |
| Price | $275/month plus state sales tax | $305/month plus state sales tax | $365/month plus state sales tax |
| Initiation Fee | $2500 | ||
| Term | 36 months | ||
| Order Process | Book online; sign and receive at dealership | ||
| Models included | Hyundai Ioniq Electric (base) | Hyundai Ioniq Electric Limited | Hyundai Ioniq Electric Limited Ultimate |
| Mileage cap | Unlimited | ||
| Insurance | Not included | ||
| Other perks | electric charging reimbursement, HOV sticker, maintenance up to 50,000 miles | ||
| Availability | California | ||
| Price | TBA (likely in early 2018) |
| Down Payment | TBA |
| Term | Month to month |
| Order Process | Details are being determined, but Lincoln said it will be based on Ford Credit’s Canvas ordering system, which has online ordering and a choice of monthly mileage packages. |
| Models included | All models are being considered. |
| Mileage cap | TBA |
| Insurance | Included |
| Other perks | TBA |
| Availability | California, early 2018 |
| Price | TBA |
| Down Payment | None |
| Term | Two or three years |
| Order Process | Order online; vehicle delivered |
| Models included | Polestar 1 (hybrid coupe) |
| Mileage cap | TBA |
| Insurance | Included |
| Other perks | Pickup for service; use of larger Volvo cars when needed |
| Availability | Accepting advance online orders for delivery in 2019 |
| Launch | Accelerate | |
| Price | $2000/month | $3000/month |
| Initiation Fee | $500 | |
| Term | Month to month | |
| Order Process | Via dedicated app; vehicles delivered | |
| Models Included | Cayman, Boxster, Macan, Cayenne (eight model variants) |
911 Carrera, 911 Carrera cabriolet, Cayman, Boxster, Panamera, Macan, Cayenne (22 model variants) |
| Mileage | Unlimited | |
| Insurance | Included | |
| Other Perks | Unlimited vehicle exchanges, hand detailing, maintenance | |
| Availability | Atlanta (pilot program began November 2017) | |
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