For those who haven't experienced the ownership of an off-road vehicle, it's a bit hard to explain the inherent contradiction between the feeling of freedom that comes with the ability to cut away from the crowd, into the desert or the north, to find a quiet spot to lay out a blanket and stop the rush of life. On the other hand, it's quite easy to explain how much this ownership experience costs. The vehicle itself is expensive, it needs protection, the tires are costly, fuel consumption isn't great, and the components are sturdy, but when it comes time to replace them, it's best if the bank account reflects that as well. Thieves tend to covet them more than regular vehicles, among other concerns.
So whether off-road vehicles are worth it or not is a discussion we can have another time, and even then, we might not agree. But for those who want a taste of this experience, there’s an opportunity to do so. Union Mobility, part of Union Motors, the Toyota importer, adds to its fleet, which includes the Aygo X, Yaris, Yaris Cross, and Corolla, the Land Cruiser in a 3-door configuration for short-term rental.
In the past, there were other rental companies that allowed the rental of off-road vehicles, including Budget, which had a small fleet of open and closed Suzuki Samurais back in the late '80s. However, experiences that included significant damage caused by aggressive driving, rescues of drivers whose egos exceeded the off-road capabilities of the vehicle, and more, led to those companies exiting the market. Today, only a handful of relatively small companies offer vehicles that allow access to off-road areas; the vast majority are simply pickups. This leaves those who are interested in occasional off-road excursions, but don’t want to own an off-road vehicle year-round just for 3-4 serious trips, or tourists looking to explore the area for short periods, or workers needing to reach specific sites in the field, without options.
Union Mobility's solution comes in the form of Toyota's offer for a short-term rental of a Land Cruiser for daily use within its shared ride service. The service, currently available at a single location - Netanya, operates like Toyota SHARE's other car-sharing services, without the need for a subscription, but through an app. The price is NIS 1,000 per day.
In a phone conversation, Dor Pickel, CEO of Union Mobility, explains how they intend to tackle the challenge of renting off-road vehicles to the Israeli public, yes, even if it’s a capable Land Cruiser, even if in his case it has underbody protection. "With many Land Cruiser customers in the private sector and through our leasing arm, we already have a very good familiarity with the vehicle, when it is used reasonably, and the ability to track the vehicle and what happens to it. Yes, this price also reflects the need to protect ourselves in case of damage."
And damage is indeed a potential issue with a vehicle designed for off-road travel, even if it often doesn't seem that way. Still, apart from the usual limitations that the driver must be over 18 and hold a driving license with more than two years of experience, the rental itself includes the cancellation of the deductible - but only in the case of an accident.
The company does not define what types of terrain the vehicle is permitted or prohibited to access, but instances where damage occurs due to reckless use, for example, are excluded, and there the handling will be similar to what is customary in the case of a regular insurance policy, meaning that only use in line with the vehicle's capabilities will be covered. Regarding recovery, there are still no defined services for such cases, but there is a support center available to users; how much this will help rescue someone stuck in the sands of the Negev is unclear.
Using the short version raises questions, despite its advantages in terrain with better belly and tail angles, it’s the less suitable body for carrying family trips. "Using the short Land Cruiser isn’t ideal for everyone," Pickel says, "but when we decided to add them to the fleet, the inventory of long Land Cruisers ran out (the current model is in the process of being replaced - K.K). Additionally, the short version appeals to a younger audience that wants a vehicle for off-road trips but doesn’t need the size; they are less concerned with overall usability and more with capabilities and, yes, also with image."