Cars for Hire in Australia

The transport options available within your holiday destination will be an important aspect of planning your travel itinerary. If you are an international traveller, take the time to research your travel destination to ensure you plan and incorporate the most appropriate modes of transport for your needs.

To assist international visitors to Australia, we have prepared some helpful tips on the car hire options available and how to determine which vehicle is most suited for your travel requirements.

Transport Overview

Australia is a vast destination that offers contrasting landscapes from city coastal regions to desert-like remote outback locations. While planes allow travel between states and the territory, trains and buses offer convenience to navigate around major city centres, car hire will provide you the flexibility to explore and discover more of Australia.

Who are the Top Car Hire Suppliers in Australia?

Australia's car hire market has a range of suppliers offering affordable car rental packages. Major suppliers servicing all top locations and majority of remote destinations include Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty, Redspot, Budget, and Avis. Most of these major suppliers are renowned internationally and are reputable in their customer service, pricing, and types of cars offered for hire.

What are the Types of Cars for Hire?

Most suppliers in Australia, both major and independent, will offer you a broad selection of hire vehicles to choose from, such as:

Economy
Compact
Standard / Intermediate
Fullsize
Van / Minivan
SUV

Suppliers generally stock renowned and reputable car hire models from manufacturers that include Hyundai, Toyota, Nissan, Holden, Audi, Suzuki, Ford, and Mitsubishi.

Manual or Automatic Transmission

Suppliers have both manual and automatic transmission vehicles available. Automatic rental packages are slightly more expensive than a manual and are also a popular choice for many car hire customers.

When viewing rental packages online, it is important that if you require an automatic vehicle you make the appropriate selection whilst booking. Please do not select a manual rental package in the hope that you can change to an automatic at the time of pick up. Suppliers have limited stock and are not able to make changes easily, especially during peak car hire season.

Popular Cars for City Driving

The hatchback ranges found within the economy and compact categories offer a fuel efficient hire package that is perfect for city driving. Do not overlook this range in fear of them lacking space and comfort.

These vehicles have come a long way and are quite spacious in their seating, leg, and storage space. Hatchbacks also have the added feature of moveable and folding back seats to provide you with extra storage capacity. Move the seats forward to give extra room whilst still having the ability to cater for five passengers. You can also fold one or both seats completely down to offer extensive storage capabilities.

Many of the major car models within this range now come standard with features that were normally only available in your standard / intermediate car hire range.

Top Tip: Intrigued to know the interior features of a hire vehicle? Visit the car hire maker's website with most offering 360 degree interior views and more detailed specifications of their vehicles.

Great Choice for Groups of Five or More

Vans offer you value for money with a choice of seven, eight, or 12 seater vehicles available. The Kia Carnival (seven seats), Toyota Tarago (eight seats), and the Toyota Commuter (12 seats) are popular vans for many car hire customers within Australia. Spacious and reliable, they offer you great car hire value for your group travel needs.

Best Rental Package for a Road Trip

If you would like greater flexibility with your travel plans, choose a rental package that offers unlimited kilometres. Whilst most suppliers offer this inclusion as standard across their rental packages, there may be instances where a kilometre allowance is applicable. While the allowance is still sufficient to enjoy travelling and getting out and about, unlimited kilometres provides you with extra peace of mind - especially if you would like to be spontaneous with your holiday plans.