New Volvo XC40 – exterior

Swedish automaker Volvo has launched a twist on traditional car leasing, named Care by Volvo. The plan is a 24-month subscription service which aims to make “having a car as transparent, easy and hassle free as having a phone,” the company says.

The just-unveiled XC40 will be Volvo’s first model to be offered with the service. Earlier this month, Volvo acquired the technological platform and key staff of Luxe, a US-based premium valet and concierge service company.

“There will be a clear difference between traditional leasing and this subscription model. We want to provide customers with a clear, premium, typically Volvo user experience,” said head of Volvo Hakan Samuelsson. In Eurozone countries, customers just need to pay a standardised price every month, and after the stipulated 24-month period, customers can opt for a new Volvo model of their choice.

Volvo adds that customers will be allowed to switch cars temporarily depending on their needs, while Care by Volvo does away with the practice of price negotiations as its customer research has found it to be among the least desirable elements of the car-buying process.

Depending on availability between regions, the leasing service will be backed by a concierge offering fuelling, cleaning, service pick-up and e-commerce delivery. The service will first be available in its native Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, Norway, Poland and the United States, with other markets to follow suit later on, and there will be no geographical or customer age price differences.