5 Of The Best Car Rental Companies, According To Consumer Reports

Price is an important concern when renting a car, but so is the convenience of pickup and drop-off and the range of car models. Spend enough time scrolling reviews, and you'll also almost always be able to find complaints from renters who say they've been overcharged, falsely accused of damage, or told that their chosen car wasn't available.

The best way to cut the confusion when choosing a rental company is to consult user reviews and third-party feedback. A Consumer Reports study surveyed its members about their recent experiences with car rental companies and rated them across a range of categories. These five companies came out top overall, making them a safe bet for renting a car, whether you're looking for a ride in your local area, a new city, or even a new country.

German rental company Sixt has been renting cars for more than 100 years in Europe, but it's a relatively new entry to the American market. It debuted in 2011 and quickly gained a reputation as being a premium option, with a fleet of both American and European cars. Today, its network spans 105 countries and more than 2,200 locations. Sixt has locations at 57 airports across the U.S., but if you prefer to cover most of your mileage on the ground, it also offers one-way rentals between several major cities.

In addition to its range of premium cars, Sixt also offers family haulers such as the Chrysler Pacifica minivan, traditional sedans including the Toyota Camry, and compact SUVs like the Volkswagen Taos. Like any chain, the exact selection of models available will vary slightly between locations, but in general, renters won't be short on choice. While the chain offers a variety of cars and trucks that are, in theory, capable of towing, Sixt does not allow towing with any of its rental vehicles, unlike some of its rivals.

Consumer Reports ranked Sixt as the fifth best car rental company, giving the cleanliness of its cars a particularly high rating. However, its value for money, pricing transparency, and ease of pickup were behind the best in class.

Hertz celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018, having started as a single rental location in Chicago. Over the decades, it has expanded its network of locations significantly, and renters can now find its distinctive yellow signage across the U.S., Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The first Hertz rental cars back in 1918 were Ford Model Ts, but its modern selection of car models encompasses everything from Kia econoboxes to sports cars like the Ford Mustang.

Hertz is also responsible for commissioning two of the most underappreciated Shelby Mustangs — the Shelby GT-H and GT500-H, both of which can be rented at select Hertz locations. The latter car has a whopping 900 horsepower, making it one of the most extreme cars from any major car rental chain.

Of course, most Hertz renters won't be looking for a supercharged Shelby. They'll seek something practical and affordable, whether they're heading to one of the chain's many airport locations or its neighborhood branches. Renters subscribed to Hertz's Gold Plus Rewards program get additional benefits at some of these locations, with the company offering a pickup service at the end of the rental period for some neighborhood branches.

In Consumer Reports' survey, Hertz received relatively consistent scores across all categories, although it didn't stand out in any one area. Its selection, value, and customer service were not ranked as highly as some rivals.

Founded in 1974, Alamo hasn't been around as long as some of the other rental companies here. Nonetheless, its network of locations is comprehensive, with more than 1,100 locations worldwide and 249 in the U.S. alone. Renters can expect to find a range of cars at their disposal, from affordable models like the Nissan Versa and Chevrolet Malibu to sporty convertibles like the BMW 4 Series and Mazda Miata. Alamo also offers a wide selection of SUVs and trucks, although, much like Sixt, renters aren't allowed to tow with any of them.

Alamo came third in Consumer Reports' rankings, with only its value for money being slightly behind the class leaders. In all other aspects, survey respondents came away impressed.

Alamo is one of three international car rental brands owned by Enterprise Holdings. The same company also owns the National brand and its eponymous Enterprise brand, both of which also feature among Consumer Reports' top-rated brands. Alamo has been part of the Enterprise group since 2007. By then, it had already become a well-known chain, but it started small, with only four operating locations when it first launched in the '70s. The brand's popularity quickly grew thanks to its unlimited free mileage offer, and today, Alamo's Gold package still includes unlimited mileage plus a full tank of fuel.

The Enterprise name comes from an unlikely source: founder Jack C. Taylor served in the U.S. Navy and on the USS Enterprise before starting the company. At its founding in 1957, he named the company Executive Leasing Company, but in 1969, he renamed it in honor of the aircraft carrier. As its original name suggests, the company initially focused on car leases, but it began offering rentals in 1962. Today, it has more than 10,000 rental locations around the world.

The chain's ubiquity means that most renters looking for a car will have either considered an Enterprise rental or will have seen the distinctive green signage at airports and cities. States like California have Enterprise locations in most urban centers, although even sparsely populated states like Wyoming have multiple branches.

Alongside its core range of cars, trucks, and SUVs, certain locations also have a selection of luxury cars available. Exact models will vary between locations, but they can include cars like a Porsche 911, Lamborghini Huracan, and even a Rolls-Royce Ghost. Renters looking for a pickup to tow trailers will also be able to use the company's truck rental service, although its main car rental service does not allow towing.

Consumer Reports rates Enterprise's overall rental experience highly, awarding it second place with only its car selection being a minor downside. It isn't just Consumer Reports that is impressed either; in a similar customer satisfaction survey, JD Power crowned Enterprise the best in the business.

The same JD Power study that crowned Enterprise the most satisfying rental company to deal with also gave National Rent A Car the second place spot. However, in Consumer Reports' rankings, National edged slightly ahead of Enterprise to be the best-rated rental company overall. National scored highly in every area of the Consumer Reports survey, with no notable areas for improvement.

Since 2007, both brands have been owned by the same parent company, Enterprise Holdings. National is a smaller chain compared to the Enterprise brand, with around 1,500 branches globally. Many of its branches are spread across North and South America, although the chain can also be found across Europe, the Middle East, and select countries in Asia, Africa, and Australasia.

In the U.S., National offers a similarly diverse range of cars, trucks, and SUVs to Enterprise, from budget-friendly options to exotics from the likes of Range Rover and Lamborghini. However, when overseas, renters should expect its range to skew more towards budget cars than luxury.