The long term car rental: The smart bridge between short-term rental and purchase

What exactly is a long term car rental?

At Carvolution, you choose your desired car, define the term from a few months up to four years, and set your monthly mileage package. If you want to rent a car long-term, you pay a clear fixed price that already includes all essential car-related costs: insurance, taxes, servicing, and even tyres. The only exceptions are fuel and personal parking fines.

Long-term car rental in Switzerland does not mean giving up the feeling of owning a car. On the contrary: it is your car, just without administrative effort and unexpected costs. This makes long term car rentals one of the most predictable forms of mobility in Switzerland.

At the end of the chosen term, you can simply end the subscription, switch the car, extend the contract, or even buy the car if you wish. If you decide to purchase it, you have effectively “made it your own used car”. You know exactly how it was treated and maintained – a key advantage compared to buying a traditional used car, where this certainty is often missing.

Long term car rental or leasing – which is better?

When deciding whether to rent a car long-term or lease it, time is a key factor. While traditional leasing is usually only available for a term of 3 to 4 years, the long term rental covers periods from a few months up to four years and is also the more affordable alternative. There was once a large gap between short-term rental for holidays and long-term leasing. Today, this gap is perfectly filled by the long term rental. A detailed analysis can also be found in our blog: Car purchase, leasing or subscription – which concept is right for you?

True cost transparency instead of hidden fees

The biggest difference to traditional car leasing in Switzerland lies in the cost structure. With leasing, you usually only pay for the use of the car. Additional costs for insurance, servicing, taxes, or tyres often come on top and must be organised separately.

With the long term rental, you benefit from full cost transparency: all relevant costs are already included in the monthly rate. Carvolution takes care of everything: the car is registered for you, insured, and taxed. Even tyre changes and storage are included. The best part: when you honestly calculate all additional costs, the long term rental is even cheaper than a comparable leasing deal. That is why Carvolution offers a best-price guarantee.

Everything from one source: saving time and effort

One contract, everything included – that is the promise of the long term rental. You no longer need to compare insurance providers or waste time booking garage appointments. You save not only money, but also valuable time and energy.

As mentioned earlier, this form of mobility offers maximum predictability with terms from a few months up to 48 months and mileage packages that can be adjusted at any time. This allows you to perfectly align your car with your current life situation without taking long-term risks.

Long term car rental – what does it cost on average in Switzerland?

The question “How expensive is renting a car?” cannot be answered with a single number, as isolated costs do not provide a meaningful picture. Only by comparing all alternatives does the true value become clear. To determine which option is really the cheapest, we need to break down the costs of renting a car in Switzerland into all hidden factors and the monthly amount.

Whether you rent, buy, or lease a car, our comparison table shows the real prices in Switzerland using the example of the Peugeot e-208 GT. The calculation is based on a 36-month term, 10,200 km per year in the canton of Glarus, no down payment, around 8% discount, and an interest rate of 0.9%. (20 March 2026)

*The depreciation in the purchase option does not occur as a monthly payment, but becomes visible when reselling the car as the difference to the purchase price.
**Based on 36 months, 10,200 km/year, Canton of Glarus, 8% discount and 0.9% interest rate in the Carvolution calculator for the Peugeot e-208 GT. You can verify this yourself.

Why comparison makes the difference

The figure of CHF 609.– for the long term car rental in Switzerland only becomes meaningful when you see what additional costs are still included in leasing or purchase. While leasing often only covers usage, insurance, taxes, and maintenance must be organised separately.

If you want to rent a car long-term in Switzerland, you therefore benefit not only from flexibility but also from savings of almost CHF 300.– per month compared to leasing without a down payment. Only by comparing all cost factors does it become clear: the long term rental is often the smartest and most affordable solution.

Who benefits from the long term rental?

Expats: Easy mobility in Switzerland

Anyone coming to Switzerland for work often faces limitations with traditional leasing. Contracts are rigid, and early termination when moving abroad is complicated and expensive.

Buying a car, on the other hand, only makes financial sense if used for 6 to 8 years, followed by the challenge of resale, often under pressure and at a lower price than expected. If the length of stay is uncertain, buying a car is not ideal.

A long term car rental for expats in Switzerland offers the perfect solution. You can use a car for 3 to 48 months and cancel or extend monthly after the minimum term. Requirements are lower than leasing, and there is no need to handle resale. This makes it ideal for expats who want to stay flexible.

Retirees: Mobility without administrative burden

In retirement, people want to enjoy their time rather than deal with garage appointments, insurance comparisons, or complex bank checks. Leasing is often not even available due to strict approval rules.

With a long term car rental, people of any age are welcome. It offers an all-in-one solution so you can focus entirely on driving and enjoying retirement, only worrying about refuelling, charging, or occasional fines.

And if you grow particularly attached to your car, you can simply buy it at the end of the subscription or choose a new one. This allows you to keep your trusted companion in everyday life.

Lifestyle changers: The car that grows with you

Life rarely follows five-year plans. Today a compact city car is enough; tomorrow a larger SUV may be needed due to family or hobbies.

Buying a car only makes financial sense if used for six to eight years, and leasing usually binds you for three to four years with high exit costs. During this time, needs often change significantly.

In such dynamic life phases, the long term car rental is the ideal companion. It allows you to easily switch your car after the minimum term and stay mobile at all times. Mileage packages can also be adjusted, for example if a new job requires more driving.

Companies & self-employed: Predictable fleet solution

For companies, cost predictability is essential. A long term car rental allows businesses to manage their fleet—whether one or multiple vehicles—flexibly. Fixed costs are precisely calculable, greatly simplifying accounting.

Since complex processes around procurement and management are eliminated, valuable internal resources are freed up. Mobility becomes a simple, predictable solution with special corporate conditions, no high acquisition costs, and flexible fleet sizing. At the same time, you benefit from transparent and predictable costs.

If this sounds good, discover our long term rental cars in Switzerland and book a consultation.

And everyone else?

Of course, the long term rental is also suitable for anyone who does not fit into these categories but is tired of unpredictable costs and administrative effort. It is the simple and cost-effective alternative to traditional car ownership and leasing – with a best-price guarantee compared to leasing: if you find the same car with identical specification cheaper from a leasing provider, we adjust the price accordingly.

Conclusion: Why Carvolution is the best choice for your mobility

The transformation of mobility in Switzerland shows that flexibility is more important than ever. As discussed in our article “You rent a home – why not a car?”, ownership is no longer necessary to enjoy full freedom. The car subscription offers the perfect bridge between short-term rental and leasing.

Your benefits at a glance:

• Full flexibility: Adjust mileage packages at any time

• All-inclusive package: Insurance, taxes, servicing, and tyres included

• Economically superior: Often significantly cheaper than leasing or purchase

• Transparency instead of myths: Suitable for learners, expats, and seniors alike

The car subscription is a game changer for every life situation. It offers the predictability of owning a car without administrative burden.

If you have questions or are ready to get started, book an appointment – we’ll guide you step by step to your new car.