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Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing platform that allows private car owners to rent out their vehicles securely. However, many Turo users are unsure which cars Turo allows to be listed on its platform, let alone those cars that will rent well. If you’re wondering whether a Smart car is a good idea for Turo, this is what you need to know!
There are many Smart cars listed on Turo. However, these Smart cars are mainly listed in the European Turo market. This means renting a Smart car is suitable for Turo in Europe. However, for those living in the United States, renting a Smart car on Turo would not be advised.
In this article, we’ll help you decide whether or not listing a Smart car on Turo is a good idea. Of course, there are plenty of smart cars available to rent on platforms like Avail and Turo. However, it’s essential to consider the regional availability of both Turo and Smart’s vehicles. Let’s take a look at whether or not a Smart car is suitable for Turo!
Is A Smart Car Good For Turo?
Smart is a well-known German automotive brand that was founded in 1994. Today, this brand is marketed in more than forty countries around the world. This brand is a subsidiary of Daimler AG, which is also the parent company of fellow German brand Mercedes Benz.
Despite sharing a parent company, however, these brands manufacture entirely different vehicles. Whereas Mercedes Benz specializes in luxury vehicles, Smart manufactures subcompacts and microcars. One of Smart’s most popular vehicles is the Fortwo, a micro hatchback that can seat two.
By 2015, the production of Smart’s Fortwo has surpassed 1.7 million units globally. Between 2000 and 2020 in Europe alone, more than 1.6 million Fortwo models were sold. Between 2008 and 2019 in the United States, nearly 100,000 Fortwo units were sold.
Given the popularity of Smart’s vehicles, what are the chances consumers will find them to rent on Turo’s peer-to-peer rental platform? On their official website, Turo states that more than 450,000 cars are listed on their platform. Furthermore, the company says that this value is comprised of more than 850 unique makes and models.
Now, you might be wondering, do any of Smart’s vehicles form part of those 850 unique makes and models? You’ll be glad to know they do! The Fortwo, which we discussed above, is the most popular Smart car listed on Turo. However, now it’s essential to consider whether listing a Smart car on Turo is a good decision for you.
In order to adequately address this question, it’s crucial to look at the regions where Turo operates and the popularity and availability of Smart’s cars in these markets. This will allow you to decide whether or not listing your Smart car on Turo is the right decision for you!
Where Is Turo Available?
In order to understand whether a Smart car is good for Turo, we need to look at the geographical regions where Turo is available. This will be an essential aspect when determining whether Smart's cars are fit for this peer-to-peer rental marketplace.
In this section, we’ll be looking at the different geographical regions Turo is available in. We’ll also consider the availability and popularity of Smart’s cars in these regions. Let’s take a look!
Turo In The United States
Given that Turo is an American company based in San Francisco, the United States is the main region where Turo is available. In fact, Turo is supported throughout the states. However, are Smart cars as popular a Turo in this region?
The previous section mentioned that nearly 100,000 Smart Fortwo models were sold between 2008 and 2019 in America. An important aspect to note here is that this figure is much lower when compared to European sales numbers. Furthermore, Smart cars are no longer sold in the United States.
Currently, support for Smart cars is still providing support and coverage for these vehicles in America. This is done through Mercedes Benz in the United States. If this support is dropped in the future, it could be harder to maintain a Smart car regularly rented out in the United States.
Currently, there are no Smart cars listed for rent in the United States, which indicates that listing a Smart car on Turo might not be the best decision for those residing in the United States. With low sales figures and Smart sales being discontinued in the US, Smart isn’t the most popular car in this region!
Turo In Canada
In Canada, Turo is only supported in certain provinces. This includes Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. Support of Turo in Canada is not as widespread as in America. However, let’s take a look at the popularity and availability of Smart cars in Canada.
In Canada, between 2012 and 2019, less than 11,000 Fortwo vehicles were sold in Canada. As the most popular Smart car listed on Turo, these sales figures are rather low in Canada. You would think that this means the chances of finding a Smart car on Turo in Canada are also very low. However, there are still a handful of Smart cars listed on Turo in Canada.
Generally, these are only Fortwo models. This means that renting out your Smart vehicle in Canada could be viable! However, given that sales of Smart cars have ceased in Canada, servicing your Smart car could become tricker down the line.
As is the case with the United States, support for these vehicles is still provided through Mercedes Benz. This is an important consideration for Turo users to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to list your Smart car on this platform in Canada.
Turo In The United Kingdom
On their official website, Turo states that Smart cars were designed specifically for narrow European streets. This description hints at why Smart cars have remained popular in Europe. Earlier, we mentioned that more than 1.6 million Smart cars were sold between 2001 and 2020 in Europe.
On Turo, most of the Smart cars listed are available in the United Kingdom. This is another region supported by Turo. Due to the popularity of Smart cars in this region, it would be a good idea to rent out your Smart car on Turo. After all, this will likely help European travelers navigate those narrow roads!
Ultimately, this is the best region to rent out your Smart car. This is due to the continued availability and popularity of this car brand in Europe.
Conclusion
Smart cars are supported on Turo. However, when deciding whether or not it’s a good idea to rent a Smart car on Turo, it’s important to consider your location. That’s because Turo is only supported in certain regions. Your region will ultimately determine whether or not you should rent out your Smart car on Turo!
