Emil Frey Review
What do we like about Emil Frey and MultiLease?
- Large selection of vehicles across a broad spectrum of brands and corporations
- Leasingrate calculator
- Really convenient and clear website
- Different financing options (purchase, leasing, subscription)
What could Emil Frey and MultiLease improve?
- No direct checkout: Waiting for quotes needed
- No all-inclusive offers (except subscription)
- Unclear with whom leasing is arranged
Positive and Negative Aspects of Emil Frey
| Positive | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Offering | Different financing offers (purchase, leasing, subscription) Vehicles: Large selection of many brands | Leasing: High interest rates (up to 5.5%), no possibility to lease all-inclusive Vehicles: Unclear who the leasing bank will be - third party leasing with leasing banks such as BMW financial services. |
| Website | Simple, easy navigation, clarity, information about the vehicle easily visible | Too few infos or guides on leasing and car purchasing etc. |
| Process | Real-time adjustments to estimated leasing rates, leasing rate calculator Quick reaction to application | No guarantee for actual leasing rates, need for quotes |
| Interest Rates | As low as 0.9% | As high as 5.5% Residual values only visible after application |
Your Questions about Emil Frey und MultiLease: Answered!
- Who is Emil Frey?
- What is MultiLease?
- Which cars do Emil Frey and MultiLease offer?
- How can you get a lease with Emil Frey and MultiLease?
- What are the websites of Emil Frey and MultiLease like?
- How does MultiLease's leasing rate calculator work?
- How do you get in touch with an Emil Frey or MultiLease Advisor?
- What are Emil Frey and MultiLease's monthly rates and interest rates?
- Do Emil Frey and MultiLease offer additional services?
- What is 'Emil Frey protect'?
- What is Multiassurance?
- How do I get an all-inclusive package?
- What is Toyota Relax?
- What is 'Emil Frey move'?
- What is Leaseprotection offered by MultiLease?
- Emil Frey Experiences: What do customers say about Emil Frey?
- Emil Frey compared to gowago.ch
- Conclusion: How does Emil Frey do in our test?
If you want to lease an Asian, British or German car other than from the VW Group, you cannot avoid an experience with Emil Frey and MultiLease. Together with its leasing company MultiLease, the long-standing Swiss car dealer offers its leasing either online at emilfrey.ch, multilease.ch, or through one of its 60 branches and garages in Switzerland.
Online, Emil Frey offers new and used cars, which can be easily browsed via the home screen. Emil Frey also offers 'Emil Frey move', a car subscription model. A selection of personalised engine and equipment combinations is not available for either leasing or subscriptions.
Depending on the vehicle, contract parameters, and insurance package (which can reduce the interest rate by 1% for certain vehicles), the nominal interest rate ranges between 0.9 and 5.50%.
Thanks to the leasing calculator on multilease.ch, you can get an overview of the leasing rates for Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota.
For vehicles that Emil Frey does not import itself, the leasing is handled together with the respective brand, i.e. the leasing of a Mini is arranged via BMW Financial Services.
In any case, a quote must be requested from one of the partner garages. In our test, where we started an enquiry on emilfrey.ch, the relevant garage got back to us within half an hour. We received the official offer within a day. Even after another call, all questions were answered competently. This creates trust and transparency, and you do not lose a lot of time.
Who is Emil Frey?
The Emil Frey Group is a Swiss corporation founded in 1924 that specialises in automotive services. Founded in Zurich by Emil Frey, the company is one of the pioneers of the Swiss automotive industry. Frey began importing British motorbikes in the 1920s, and British cars in 1931.
In 1967, the import company Emil Frey was the first importer of Japanese cars, specifically Toyota. By today, the Emil Frey Group is one of the largest car dealers in Europe and has opened several subsidiaries and partnerships.
For example, in addition to MultiLease, the company also owns MF Fleetmanagement (fleet management), MultiAssurance (car insurance), and Emil Frey Finanz AG (financing for independent garages). Emil Frey also owns other service providers and companies in various sectors, such as Cosa Travel (travel company), the Bad Horn Hotel, and Hertz Switzerland (car rental).
What is MultiLease?
MultiLease is the leasing bank of the Emil Frey Group, and is responsible for financing leasing solutions. It manages leasing for the Fisker, Jaguar, Kawasaki, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota brands. No data can be found on its leasing portfolio, number of contracts or other figures. The Emil Frey Group is known for its reluctance to disclose business figures. MultiLease offers private and business leasing.
Which cars do Emil Frey and MultiLease offer?
- Alfa Romeo
- Aston Martin
- Bentley
- BMW
- BMWi
- Cadillac
- Chevrolet
- Citroën
- DS Automobiles
- Fiat
- Fiat Professional
- Ford
- Isuzu
- Jaguar
- Jeep
- KIA
- Land Rover
- Lexus
- Mazda
- Mercedes-Benz
- Mini
- Mitsubishi
- Opel
- Peugeot
- Piaggio
- Polestar
- Smart
- Subaru
- Suzuki
- Toyota
- Volvo
How can you get a lease with Emil Frey and MultiLease?
To access prices, interest rates, and other information about vehicles, Emil Frey and MultiLease have an option each. With Emil Frey, one can simply browse through the website using the search function - similar to AutoScout - and access over 5,000 cars.
In a second step, the selection can be narrowed down using various parameters such as price, vehicle type or technical characteristics. If you want to apply for a lease via the website, you can simply select the desired model, set the leasing parameters and start an enquiry. You will then receive a confirmation e-mail and will be contacted by an advisor of the garage where the car is parked.
With MultiLease, you can use the leasing calculator to select a vehicle (passenger cars, commercial vehicles and motorbikes) and its equipment, and then request a quote. You can also start a leasing application by filling in a physical form.
Both options require official (but non-binding) quotes to obtain the effective price of the lease. The lack of a direct online checkout and the fact that only provisional prices are available on the website create waiting times and uncertainty. BUT: In our test, the effective price was ultimately lower than the one indicated on the website.
We also have to praise the fact that the advisors always got back to us very quickly.
What are the websites of Emil Frey and MultiLease like?
On emilfrey.ch you are able to conveniently browse the entire Emil Frey catalogue from wherever you want. The website is pleasant and simple - the technical data of each vehicle can be easily checked, whether on the overview pages or the dedicated pages for particular models. The fact that the search is only possible via a simple field that allows you to only enter make, model, and price means that you cannot really get lost and can later narrow down your search successively. The imagery leaves a professional and methodical first impression - the design is elaborate and well thought-out.
Although the website is quite sober, the browsing experience leaves you with a pleasant feeling. The photos of the cars are chosen in such a way that you almost feel like you are buying a toy car - so you immediately bond with your inner child which is making a dream come true. Another positive feature is that special offers are displayed clearly.
Thanks to the simple search function, similar to online shops or AutoScout, you always retain an overview of the website despite the wide selection. In general, navigation is easy. The search can be refined through various filters. There is also a brand overview in the header where you can select all the brands offered by Emil Frey. For Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Opel, Peugeot, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota, you can also access specific information pages via the header.
Here you will find additional information on the respective brand and a list of models. This makes it easier to see what size and features the vehicles have. The layout of the search pages also makes it easy to compare prices and vehicle specifications.
All this is different on the MultiLease website, which is not designed to 'browse' a vehicle catalogue. The experience with multilease.ch is very plain and somewhat confusing, because on the one hand the texts attempt to gain people's trust, but on the other hand the visual components of the website give a rather outdated impression. The leasing calculator is positive, but no pictures of the vehicles are provided here.
How does MultiLease’s leasing rate calculator work?
On multilease.ch you can use the leasing calculator to calculate the leasing rates for a Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Suzuki or Toyota. You start by entering the make and model before choosing the engine and equipment.
Here, all possible engines and equipment elements can be selected and one gains an insight into the costs of the vehicle one is configuring. For example, you can compare how much a fully equipped Land Rover Defender with 300hp vs a Land Rover Defender with 400hp would cost fresh from the factory. You can also choose optional extras for the equipment.
Finally, you can change the leasing parameters or simply pick from two ready-made options (Best Leasing 2022 or Standard). If you choose other leasing parameters, the interest rates will change and will be different for each vehicle.
The immediate insight into interest rates is positive, but the fact that with every change of parameters the interest rate is also changed may lead to some confusion.
How do you get in touch with an Emil Frey or MultiLease Advisor?
Ultimately, no matter how you select a vehicle at Emil Frey or MultiLease, the points of contact are the individual dealer garages. You enter your own contact details and are eventually contacted by an advisor. Any questions can easily be asked and the leasing parameters can still be adjusted. However, there is no option to access the effective prices directly on the two websites.
What are Emil Frey and MultiLease’s monthly rates and interest rates?
The basic interest rate at Emil Frey is extremely vehicle-dependent and ranges between 3.9% and 4.9%. Interest rates can vary with certain promotions and can be as low as 0.9% or as high as 5.5%.
However, the interest rate details for each vehicle are easily visible on the website. For certain brands, the interest rate can be lowered by choosing combined insurance. Obtaining a quote for your chosen car should help to clarify this question entirely.
Do Emil Frey and MultiLease offer additional services?
There are only a few additional offers available with Emil Frey and MultiLease. You can purchase additional insurance for a car with 'Emil Frey protect'.
For an all-inclusive offer, you can choose a car subscription through 'Emil Frey move' - but the range of vehicles is rather limited. All-inclusive leasing offers may be available through the individual brands Emil Frey works with. To determine this, it is necessary to visit the website of the specific brand, such as toyota.ch.
With Multilease, you can only purchase the so-called LEASEPROTECTION, which offers financial security if you are unable to pay the leasing rates due to specific circumstances.
What is ‘Emil Frey protect’?
When you buy or lease a car from Emil Frey, you can also sign an insurance contract together with the leasing contract, which is tailored to the car and main driver. The insurance add-on is made possible by Emil Frey's cooperation with iptiQ, a subsidiary of Swiss Re. The insurance through 'Emil Frey protect' offers the following services:
- 100% compensation possible in the event of total write-off within the first four years
- Deductible reduced by 500.- if repair is carried out at an Emil Frey garage
- Insurance can be terminated with effect from the next day
- No premium increase upon first claim
- One year free travel insurance / "ProtectAssistance" travel cover for the whole family
What is Multiassurance?
Similar to 'Emil Frey protect', Multiassurance is a motor vehicle insurance policy that can ultimately also be used for leasing with MultiLease. Multiassurance is backed by Allianz Insurance. Insurance through Multiassurance offers the following services:
- Lower to no deductible for comprehensive insurance if repairs are carried out by the brand representative.
- Extended glass coverage without deductible
- Maximum contract period of one year allows for flexibility
- Replacement car allowance up to 500.- in case of damage
- One year free travel insurance / "Multiassistance" travel cover for the whole family
How do I get an all-inclusive package?
All-inclusive packages are not available with Emil Frey directly - except for the car subscription offer "Emil Frey move". With the individual brands that Emil Frey offers, all-inclusive packages may be available. For example, here is the all-inclusive offer from Toyota.
What is Toyota Relax?
| Standard | Extra | Additional Extra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warranty | 10 Years (also for hybrids) - depends on regular servicing | ||
| Break-down service | Toyota Assistance 24/7: First 3 years 24/7 emergency service in over 40 countries (servicing dependant) | Toyota Assistance Plus: After 10 years or 150’000km renewable annually | |
| Servicing | Toyota Service (with new cars): Only for servicing, as specified by manufacturer | Toyota Service PLUS (with new cars): Wear and tear (brakes, windscreen wipers), fluids | |
| Tyres | Warranty / replacement if damaged (no seasonal changing) | ||
| Insurance | Toyota Assurance: Individually adjustable Replacement car for up to 500.- | Additional parking damage protection: No deductible if comprehensive insurance, extended glass coverage | |
What is ‘Emil Frey move’?
Basically, 'Emil Frey move' is a conventional car subscription where you rent the vehicle - as also offered by Clyde or Carvolution. A subscription includes road tax, registration fees, service costs, tyre changes and insurance. So you get the vehicle for a single monthly price.
But at the same time, there is practically no possibility to buy the car and there are no down payments that would reduce the monthly instalments. The choice of vehicles available for subscription is significantly more limited than those that can be leased.
Nevertheless, there is an offer for almost everyone who wants to flexibly utilise a car. The cars available are not only new cars, but also second-hand cars, some of which have over 70,000 km or are more than 5 years old. All of the vehicles offered in the subscription can alternatively be purchased or leased.
There are four possible durations for the subscription contract: 3, 6, 12 or 18 months. Thus, the Emil Frey subscription is also distinct from leasing in terms of the length of use.
Unlike Carvolution or Clyde, Emil Frey move's kilometres are fixed at 2000 km per month and cannot be adjusted by the customer. Most attractive is that the customer has the possibility to take over the car at the end of the subscription at an offer fixed by the dealer. With the monthly rental invoices, part of the vehicle can already be paid off.
What is Leaseprotection offered by Multilease?
This is a so-called instalment insurance, which protects the consumer if he is no longer able to pay his monthly leasing instalments for specific reasons. Axa Winterthur is the company that effectively provides the background for Leaseprotection.
It covers unemployment without the insured's fault and/or complete inability to work. If the policyholder is no longer able to pay their leasing instalments, the insurance will cover a maximum monthly amount of CHF 2000. In the case of unemployment through no fault of the policyholder, the insurance cover is valid for 12 months.
Incidents that have their origin in the 12 months prior to the signing of the leasing contract are not included in the cover. The costs amount to 4.5% of the monthly leasing rate.
Emil Frey Experiences: What do customers say about Emil Frey?
According to their own website, Emil Frey receives an average rating of 4.5 stars based on 28,525 Google reviews. A look at Google shows that this calculation, which captures the average of the 60 locations, is roughly correct. Most of the garages receive ratings between 4.2 and 4.7 stars, with some lower ones around 3.7 stars.
The overall service of Emil Frey in Switzerland is therefore at a high standard according to customers. Of course, this refers to all services provided by Emil Frey and its partner garages, not just leasing. It is virtually impossible to determine the rating of leasing, as the experience is spread across the 60 Emil Frey garages and other partners.
The picture is different for Multilease: the feedback on Google is dominated by negative experiences and 1-star ratings. Thanks to a few very good reviews, the average is at least 2.7 stars. However, since there are hardly any nuanced reviews, this figure must be viewed with some scepticism.
Emil Frey compared to gowago.ch
| Emil Frey / MultiLease | gowago.ch | |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Bentley, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Citroën, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Ford, Isuzu, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Mitsubishi, Opel, Peugeot, Piaggio, Polestar, Smart, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volvo | Cars from every mass-market manufacturer |
| All-inclusive Leasing | No, only insurance and Abo | Yes (All-in-one) |
| Used Car Leasing | Yes | Yes |
| Residual Value Calculation | None, quote needed | Yes, in real-time |
| Display of actual leasing rates | Only through quotes | Instant calculation |
| Process | Online and physical | Mainly online |
| Interest Rates | 0.9 - 5.5% | always 3.9% |
Conclusion: How does Emil Frey do in our test?
Emil Frey AG is one of the oldest automotive companies in Switzerland and thus has many years of experience in the business. This is also reflected in the website and the structure of their leasing. The website is competently, simply and intuitively designed and impresses with its clarity and simple navigation. The illustrations as well as the listing of the various vehicle features remain informative, but at the same time give the feeling that, with the purchase or leasing, you will experience something special or fulfil a dream.
The leasing rates, which adjust to the leasing parameters in real time, as well as the availability of a leasing rate calculator on MultiLease help the customer to get a more precise idea about their leasing. Unfortunately, however, the last step is missing here: in order to get a fixed price, a quote request is still needed. This represents a hurdle to transparency. The website also lacks clearly visible guides or assistance that could clearly inform the customer. However, the Emil Frey customer team is easy to reach and any questions can be asked.
Although Emil Frey is an importer of several brands, there is no configurator anywhere on the website to order a vehicle from the factory. However, the extremely wide selection with over 5000 vehicles makes up for this. Also commendable are the clearly visible comparisons of the various financing methods. Whether you want to buy, lease or rent - you always have the approximate price in sight.
Despite the very different brands and vehicle classes, you always have an overview and can compare prices relatively easily. However, it remains unclear with whom a contract will be concluded until you finally receive the offer. The contract may be with the leasing company of the respective brand instead of Emil Frey. On MultiLease, unfortunately, all of these points are severely lacking: they work purely with data, and the leasing process is purely a financial transaction - the emotional component of buying a car is completely missing.
At around 5%, the basic interest rate at Emil Frey and MultiLease is higher than that of the competition and can even rise to 5.5%. It is a pity that only insurance can be added to the leasing rate, but no other all-inclusive offers are available at Emil Frey. If you want to lease a car all-inclusive, you can only do so via the individual car brands. Alternatively, it is possible to take out a car subscription with 'Emil Frey move', where you can choose to take over the vehicle at the end of the contract. In summary, Emil Frey is a very good option with a wide range of vehicles and is suitable for people who want to use a vehicle without all-inclusive leasing.
How do we evaluate Emil Frey?
To write this review, we have looked in detail at the website and the information available there. We try to simulate as objectively as possible the experience of a potential customer in order to capture positive and negative aspects of leasing with Emil Frey. Inevitably, however, some subjective preferences will play a part in the evaluation.
