diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/root.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/root.go
index f028873b91e8..336836a50a12 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/root.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine"
@@ -108,6 +109,12 @@ func Execute() {
 		flag.Usage = translate.T(flag.Usage)
 	})
 
+	if runtime.GOOS == "linux" {
+		// add minikube binaries to the path
+		targetDir := constants.MakeMiniPath("bin")
+		addToPath(targetDir)
+	}
+
 	if err := RootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
 		// Cobra already outputs the error, typically because the user provided an unknown command.
 		os.Exit(exit.BadUsage)
@@ -281,3 +288,8 @@ func getClusterBootstrapper(api libmachine.API, bootstrapperName string) (bootst
 
 	return b, nil
 }
+
+func addToPath(dir string) {
+	path := os.Getenv("PATH")
+	os.Setenv("PATH", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", dir, path))
+}
diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
index ed4ab3de1049..71552e94e41c 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start.go
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"os/user"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"regexp"
 	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -44,6 +43,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
 	cmdcfg "k8s.io/minikube/cmd/minikube/cmd/config"
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/drivers"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/bootstrapper/kubeadm"
 	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/cluster"
@@ -274,7 +274,8 @@ func runStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		registryMirror = viper.GetStringSlice("registry_mirror")
 	}
 
-	if err := cmdcfg.IsValidDriver(runtime.GOOS, viper.GetString(vmDriver)); err != nil {
+	driver := viper.GetString(vmDriver)
+	if err := cmdcfg.IsValidDriver(runtime.GOOS, driver); err != nil {
 		exit.WithCodeT(
 			exit.Failure,
 			"The driver '{{.driver}}' is not supported on {{.os}}",
@@ -284,7 +285,7 @@ func runStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 
 	validateConfig()
 	validateUser()
-	validateDriverVersion(viper.GetString(vmDriver))
+	validateDriverVersion(driver)
 
 	k8sVersion, isUpgrade := getKubernetesVersion()
 	config, err := generateCfgFromFlags(cmd, k8sVersion)
@@ -981,9 +982,21 @@ func validateDriverVersion(vmDriver string) {
 	var driverExecutable string
 	driverDocumentation := fmt.Sprintf("%s%s#driver-installation", constants.DriverDocumentation, vmDriver)
 
+	minikubeVersion, err := version.GetSemverVersion()
+	if err != nil {
+		out.WarningT("Error parsing minukube version: {{.error}}", out.V{"error": err})
+		return
+	}
+
 	switch vmDriver {
 	case constants.DriverKvm2:
 		driverExecutable = fmt.Sprintf("docker-machine-driver-%s", constants.DriverKvm2)
+		targetDir := constants.MakeMiniPath("bin")
+		err := drivers.Download(driverExecutable, targetDir, minikubeVersion)
+		if err != nil {
+			out.WarningT("Error downloading driver: {{.error}}", out.V{"error": err})
+		}
+		return
 	case constants.DriverHyperkit:
 		driverExecutable = fmt.Sprintf("docker-machine-driver-%s", constants.DriverHyperkit)
 	default: // driver doesn't support version
@@ -1000,7 +1013,7 @@ func validateDriverVersion(vmDriver string) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	v := extractVMDriverVersion(string(output))
+	v := drivers.ExtractVMDriverVersion(string(output))
 
 	// if the driver doesn't have return any version, it is really old, we force a upgrade.
 	if len(v) == 0 && !viper.GetBool(force) {
@@ -1017,12 +1030,6 @@ func validateDriverVersion(vmDriver string) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	minikubeVersion, err := version.GetSemverVersion()
-	if err != nil {
-		out.WarningT("Error parsing minikube version: {{.error}}", out.V{"error": err})
-		return
-	}
-
 	if vmDriverVersion.LT(minikubeVersion) {
 		out.WarningT(
 			"The installed version of '{{.driver_executable}}' ({{.driver_version}}) is no longer current. Upgrade: {{.documentation_url}}",
@@ -1030,20 +1037,3 @@ func validateDriverVersion(vmDriver string) {
 		)
 	}
 }
-
-// extractVMDriverVersion extracts the driver version.
-// KVM and Hyperkit drivers support the 'version' command, that display the information as:
-// version: vX.X.X
-// commit: XXXX
-// This method returns the version 'vX.X.X' or empty if the version isn't found.
-func extractVMDriverVersion(s string) string {
-	versionRegex := regexp.MustCompile(`version:(.*)`)
-	matches := versionRegex.FindStringSubmatch(s)
-
-	if len(matches) != 2 {
-		return ""
-	}
-
-	v := strings.TrimSpace(matches[1])
-	return strings.TrimPrefix(v, version.VersionPrefix)
-}
diff --git a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start_test.go b/cmd/minikube/cmd/start_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 446091c17f0e..000000000000
--- a/cmd/minikube/cmd/start_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-/*
-Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors All rights reserved.
-
-Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-You may obtain a copy of the License at
-
-    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-
-Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-limitations under the License.
-*/
-
-package cmd
-
-import (
-	"testing"
-)
-
-func Test_extractVMDriverVersion(t *testing.T) {
-	v := extractVMDriverVersion("")
-	if len(v) != 0 {
-		t.Error("Expected empty string")
-	}
-
-	v = extractVMDriverVersion("random text")
-	if len(v) != 0 {
-		t.Error("Expected empty string")
-	}
-
-	expectedVersion := "1.2.3"
-
-	v = extractVMDriverVersion("version: v1.2.3")
-	if expectedVersion != v {
-		t.Errorf("Expected version: %s, got: %s", expectedVersion, v)
-	}
-
-	v = extractVMDriverVersion("version: 1.2.3")
-	if expectedVersion != v {
-		t.Errorf("Expected version: %s, got: %s", expectedVersion, v)
-	}
-}
diff --git a/pkg/drivers/drivers.go b/pkg/drivers/drivers.go
index ca5262faabc3..60c24721d304 100644
--- a/pkg/drivers/drivers.go
+++ b/pkg/drivers/drivers.go
@@ -20,15 +20,29 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 
+	"github.com/blang/semver"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine/drivers"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine/mcnflag"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine/mcnutils"
 	"github.com/docker/machine/libmachine/ssh"
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/go-getter"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/version"
+
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/minikube/out"
+	"k8s.io/minikube/pkg/util"
+)
+
+const (
+	driverKVMDownloadURL = "https://storage.googleapis.com/minikube/releases/latest/docker-machine-driver-kvm2"
 )
 
 // GetDiskPath returns the path of the machine disk image
@@ -136,3 +150,88 @@ func fixPermissions(path string) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// Download downloads driver if it is not present, or if the version is old
+func Download(driver, destination string, minikubeVersion semver.Version) error {
+	_, err := exec.LookPath(driver)
+	// if file driver doesn't exist, download it
+	if err != nil {
+		return download(driver, destination)
+	}
+
+	cmd := exec.Command(driver, "version")
+	output, err := cmd.Output()
+	// if driver doesnt support 'version', it is old, download it
+	if err != nil {
+		return download(driver, destination)
+	}
+
+	v := ExtractVMDriverVersion(string(output))
+
+	// if the driver doesn't return any version, download it
+	if len(v) == 0 {
+		return download(driver, destination)
+	}
+
+	vmDriverVersion, err := semver.Make(v)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't parse driver version")
+	}
+
+	// if the current driver version is older, download newer
+	if vmDriverVersion.LT(minikubeVersion) {
+		return download(driver, destination)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func download(driver, destination string) error {
+	// only support kvm2 for now
+	if driver != "docker-machine-driver-kvm2" {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	out.T(out.Happy, "Downloading driver {{.driver}}:", out.V{"driver": driver})
+
+	targetFilepath := path.Join(destination, "docker-machine-driver-kvm2")
+	os.Remove(targetFilepath)
+
+	url := driverKVMDownloadURL
+
+	opts := []getter.ClientOption{getter.WithProgress(util.DefaultProgressBar)}
+	client := &getter.Client{
+		Src:     url,
+		Dst:     targetFilepath,
+		Mode:    getter.ClientModeFile,
+		Options: opts,
+	}
+
+	if err := client.Get(); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrapf(err, "can't download driver %s from: %s", driver, url)
+	}
+
+	err := os.Chmod(targetFilepath, 0777)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "chmod error")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// ExtractVMDriverVersion extracts the driver version.
+// KVM and Hyperkit drivers support the 'version' command, that display the information as:
+// version: vX.X.X
+// commit: XXXX
+// This method returns the version 'vX.X.X' or empty if the version isn't found.
+func ExtractVMDriverVersion(s string) string {
+	versionRegex := regexp.MustCompile(`version:(.*)`)
+	matches := versionRegex.FindStringSubmatch(s)
+
+	if len(matches) != 2 {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	v := strings.TrimSpace(matches[1])
+	return strings.TrimPrefix(v, version.VersionPrefix)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/drivers/drivers_test.go b/pkg/drivers/drivers_test.go
index 98982b9b36ea..c4d9aafe03b0 100644
--- a/pkg/drivers/drivers_test.go
+++ b/pkg/drivers/drivers_test.go
@@ -48,3 +48,27 @@ func Test_createDiskImage(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Disk size is %v, want %v", fi.Size(), sizeInBytes)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestExtractVMDriverVersion(t *testing.T) {
+	v := ExtractVMDriverVersion("")
+	if len(v) != 0 {
+		t.Error("Expected empty string")
+	}
+
+	v = ExtractVMDriverVersion("random text")
+	if len(v) != 0 {
+		t.Error("Expected empty string")
+	}
+
+	expectedVersion := "1.2.3"
+
+	v = ExtractVMDriverVersion("version: v1.2.3")
+	if expectedVersion != v {
+		t.Errorf("Expected version: %s, got: %s", expectedVersion, v)
+	}
+
+	v = ExtractVMDriverVersion("version: 1.2.3")
+	if expectedVersion != v {
+		t.Errorf("Expected version: %s, got: %s", expectedVersion, v)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/util/downloader.go b/pkg/util/downloader.go
index 81d951276a2d..f6ed32a58a30 100644
--- a/pkg/util/downloader.go
+++ b/pkg/util/downloader.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func (f DefaultDownloader) CacheMinikubeISOFromURL(url string) error {
 	// Predictable temp destination so that resume can function
 	tmpDst := dst + ".download"
 
-	opts := []getter.ClientOption{getter.WithProgress(defaultProgressBar)}
+	opts := []getter.ClientOption{getter.WithProgress(DefaultProgressBar)}
 	client := &getter.Client{
 		Src:     urlWithChecksum,
 		Dst:     tmpDst,
diff --git a/pkg/util/progressbar.go b/pkg/util/progressbar.go
index 14bb33f169bc..f144d4266ada 100644
--- a/pkg/util/progressbar.go
+++ b/pkg/util/progressbar.go
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 // This file implements a go-getter wrapper for cheggaaa progress bar
-
 // based on:
 // https://github.com/hashicorp/go-getter/blob/master/cmd/go-getter/progress_tracking.go
+
 package util
 
 import (
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-getter"
 )
 
-var defaultProgressBar getter.ProgressTracker = &progressBar{}
+var DefaultProgressBar getter.ProgressTracker = &progressBar{}
 
 type progressBar struct {
 	lock     sync.Mutex