South Africa car rentals in 2026
Get helpful information to start your search for the perfect car rental in South Africa. The average price data is based on the last 12 months and was last updated on 5 October 2026.
Most popular company | Sixt |
|---|---|
Most common car type | Economy |
Average price per day | HK$268 |
Cheapest price per day | HK$110 |
Cheapflights insights for South Africa car rentals
Get relevant, data-driven information to help you hire a car in South Africa, including pricing trends, ideal booking times, and more.
How far in advance should I hire a car in South Africa?
For the best savings on car rentals in South Africa, make your reservation 7 days before pickup. The average price then is just HK$168/day – about 489% less than the yearly average.
What is the cheapest car hire company in South Africa?
In South Africa, the most affordable car hire company right now is Sixt, offering prices from just HK$12.64/day over the past two weeks. Another budget-friendly choice is Firefly, with rates starting at HK$14.80/day.
What is the cheapest month to rent a car in South Africa?
At South Africa, the best time to rent a car is at May, with an average daily rate of just HK$187. Conversely, November is the priciest month, averaging HK$251 per day. Below youll find the monthly average rental prices. Note that costs can fluctuate depending on availability, booking time, and vehicle type.|1#In South Africa, the best time to rent a car is in May, with an average daily rate of just HK$187. Conversely, November is the priciest month, averaging HK$251 per day. Below youll find the monthly average rental prices. Note that costs can fluctuate depending on availability, booking time, and vehicle type.
January
HK$212
February
HK$222
March
HK$216
April
HK$225
May
HK$187
June
HK$195
July
HK$233
August
HK$227
September
HK$236
October
HK$225
November
HK$251
December
HK$224
What car do most people rent in South Africa?
The most popular types of cars to hire in South Africa are the following: SUV cars (Volvo XC60 or similar), Economy cars (Toyota Yaris or similar), and Intermediate cars (Toyota Corolla Quest or similar).
Which car hire company has the most locations in South Africa?
Avis has 108 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. Pace Car Rental has the second-highest number of locations in South Africa at 3.
What are the car rental prices for popular cities in South Africa?
Discover the price range for renting a car in popular cities across South Africa, helping you budget and make informed decisions for your upcoming travel. There are 280 pickup locations in South Africa to choose from. Price data has been averaged over the last 12 months and was last updated on 5 October 2026.
Among the most popular cities in South Africa, Johannesburg offers the lowest average rental price at just HK$125/day. Other affordable options include Cape Town (HK$159/day), East London (HK$162/day), and Durban (HK$189/day).
Top rental agencies in South Africa
Explore the leading car rental agencies in South Africa known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car rental companies in South Africa. Reviews were last updated on 5 October 2026.
Overview
Reviews
Locations
Avis
35 reviews•108 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
8.7
Comfort
8.5
Overall
8.1
Pick-up/drop-off
8.1
Value
8.1
Recent reviews
10.0
|Oct 2026The experience was amazing
2.0
|Oct 2026I booked a car for 25/8/26. I wanted to upgrade my booking. The manager at avis cape town airport just refuse to help us. She demanded my pasport & international licence. She would not even give me chance to speak and canseled my booking on the spot. We wore stranded at airport for more then 8 hours trying to find another car from somewere els. Which cost me over R10 000. December 2025 service was good but this was the worst ever. I will not recomend avis to enny one els in future. Mariaan Robberts
10.0
|Jul 2026Awesome staff, thank you again.
2.0
|May 2026Worst experience in my life I had with a company. They take money with no communication 😒
8.0
|Sept 2023Easy hire convenience. Thank you.
2.0
|Mar 2023The car promised was not available when I went to pick up the car. I was to pay $469 and got charged $662. I brought the car back with 7/8 of a tank of gas instead of it being full. This was in part because I kept getting lost when I tried returning the car. I guess 1/8 of a tank of gas in South Africa is $200 Canadian dollars. I will not rent from Avis again.
1 out of 12
Avis Locations in South Africa
Overview
Reviews
Locations
Europcar
20 reviews•90 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
7.7
Comfort
7.2
Overall
5.8
Pick-up/drop-off
6.4
Value
6.2
Recent reviews
2.0
|Aug 2023When I booked the car I was quoted a cost. After I returned the car I was charged an amount that was 40% higher than the quoted cost.
10.0
|Jan 2023At check in I was given the keys to an economy car not an suv compatible as requested. I had the paperwork with me and they apologised and swiftly rectified their mistake. Everything else was perfect and quick returning the car. Highly recommend
1 out of 7
Europcar Locations in South Africa
Overview
Reviews
Locations
Thrifty
7 reviews•50 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
5.5
Comfort
5.5
Overall
4.7
Pick-up/drop-off
4.7
Value
5.2
Recent reviews
2.0
|Mar 2022They could not find my reservation in their system and denied having reserved a car for me. Consequently I had to pay R700 more for the exact same car that I had reserved in your system. It was incredibly inconvenient and I had no other choice and I’m quite upset with the experience. I will not be doing business through this app/website again for that reason.
2.0
|Mar 2022There is no Thrifty in Cape Town. After standing in line for 2,5h we finally reached the counter and were told that the vender with the name Thrifty does not actually work with Thrifty. They said: you booked with "dollar thrifty" which is no longer a partner. There was no other vender at the airport remotely connected to thrifty.
1 out of 3
Thrifty Locations in South Africa
Overview
Locations
CABS Car Hire
6 locations
CABS Car Hire Locations in South Africa
Overview
Locations
Pace Car Rental
3 locations
Pace Car Rental Locations in South Africa
Overview
Locations
BOBO
2 locations
BOBO Locations in South Africa
Overview
Locations
U-Save
18 locations
U-Save Locations in South Africa
Overview
Locations
Al Wefaq
3 locations
Al Wefaq Locations in South Africa
Car rental FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about car rentals in South Africa, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 5 October 2026.
What is the most popular car hire provider in South Africa?
With an average price of HK$113/day, Sixt is the most popular car hire provider in South Africa, booking 65% more hire cars than any other provider.
What is the cheapest city to get a rental car in South Africa?
When visiting South Africa, it is typically cheapest to rent your car in East London where rental cars typically will cost around HK$167/day (47% less than the country average). The absolute cheapest rental car price in South Africa was found in East London for just HK$146/day.
What side of the road do you drive on in South Africa?
In South Africa, drivers are expected to drive on the left side of the road.
Travelling to a place near South Africa?
Hire a car at South Africa if you plan to visit one of these locationsWisconsin Dells
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