There is a widespread belief that offering additional features, such as vehicle swaps, in auto financing is a marketing stunt because customers prioritize affordability over everything else. To test this assertion, we asked more than 4,000 customers across France, Germany, and the United Kingdom in our regular McKinsey Mobility Consumer Pulse Survey for their thoughts on the future of auto finance. We wanted to know if and why customers appreciate leasing offerings and add-on features, as well as whether they are willing to pay for such features. Further, we wanted to gather more information on the use and true cost of all-in service deals, which are now becoming a necessity.
Overall, additional features could become key purchasing criteria in leasing, especially the flexibility to swap vehicles or pause contracts. Of course, the survey captures only self-reported preferences. A recent analysis of data from subscription players shows that the actual number of people who swap vehicles during the contract duration is lower than those who express interest in doing so. Thus, the true cost of those features has yet to be determined.
