Why not tour Toronto this summer?
The Six was always on the map, but the Raptors’ recent NBA title sure drew a bright red circle around it thanks to the city’s passionate fans and energetic players. Back in 2017, we gave you the 411 on the 416’s thriving market. Since then, both bookings and listings have doubled year over year, bestowing Toronto with the title of Turo’s 5th largest global market by number of trips.
Demand Trends
TORONTO LOVES LUXURY AND CONVERTIBLES
Torontonians continue their appetite for luxury and upscale cars — they account for 35% of listings viewed — while recent trends indicate that convertibles are the most-searched vehicle feature. Despite Canada’s harsh winters, Toronto makes the most out of summer and lives it up with the top down!
GUESTS APPRECIATE CONVENIENCE AND PROXIMITY
Overall, what’s driving decision making is convenience. 26 percent of guests use the map to search for cars near popular destinations, while 12 percent filter for listings that offer instant booking. Guests know what they want and aren’t afraid to ask for it: 70 percent of searches use at least one filter, so hosts should keep their listings up to date to give ‘em what they’re looking for.
Booking trends
PRACTICALITY OVER EXTRAVAGANCE
Sure, Torontonians have a taste for car candy, but their overall mobility diet has a little more substance. The majority of Ontario’s guests prefer practicality over extravagance when booking a car. Over the past year, subcompacts and compacts accounted for 36 percent of booked trips while luxury and upscale vehicles accounted for just 23 percent.
Hyundai Elantra owners will be pleased to hear they own the most frequently booked vehicle in Toronto, followed by the Honda Civic, Mercedes C-Class, and Mazda 3. We’ve also got good news for Dodge Grand Caravan owners: your spacious car took home the title for most-booked minivan.
Seasonality
DEMAND PEAKS IN AUGUST AND DECEMBER
The average trip length is just under three days. What can we say? Torontonians love their weekend getaways and hosts provide them with the wheels to escape to a Muskoka cottage or explore Ontario’s beautiful provincial parks.
Car sharing in Toronto and in the rest of Canada is a seasonal business. Demand peaks in August when people scramble to squeeze a trip out of the last days of summer. December is similarly fruitful, as guests often steer their cars homeward to visit family for the holidays. But don’t wait for the snow to fall to grow your income: take advantage of the bustling summer season by listing your car on Turo today.
Meet some of our top hosts
- Art has been a host since July 2016, completing 1,439 trips to date on 23 vehicles, not to mention an additional 1,256 on his mother’s account which he also runs. He’s got you covered when it comes to reliable and affordable vehicles ranging from minivans and SUVs to subcompacts and compact cars.
- With his one year anniversary coming up this July, it’s amazing that Andrew has managed to host 501 trips in less than 365 days! Boasting a one-minute response time for his nine fuel-efficient and economic vehicles, he’s been commended by guests for his speedy communication.
- Nicholas is the ultimate all-star when it comes to customer service — he prides himself on always putting the guest first. Many of his guests have made him their go-to host when they’re in need of a car, as he goes above and beyond to make their Turo experience as smooth as possible.
- Jemma has earned All-Star Host status with her Tesla Model 3, which she shares on Turo so her guests can enjoy the experience of driving a Tesla and decide if it’s the right car for them. She’s known for delivering seamless experiences and excellent communication.
