The 4 Best Rental Car Companies, According to Drivers

As prices, staff and car availability returns to normal, customers are increasingly happy with their car rentals, a recent study says.

Consumer opinion data company J.D. Power released its latest annual North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study, which gathered insights from more than 8,600 travelers who rented cars at airports between August 2022 and August 2023.

Following are the rental car companies consumers like most.

1. Enterprise

Overall customer satisfaction score: 866 out of 1,000 possible points

Enterprise took top honors for the third year running. The Missouri-based company, founded by World War II vet Jack Taylor in St. Louis, started with a fleet of just seven cars in 1957. Today, it has well over 8,000 locations in dozens of countries.

2. National

Overall customer satisfaction score: 865 out of 1,000 possible points

No. 2 National got its start in 1947 when two dozen rental car companies decided to band together as one chain. In 2007, it was acquired by Enterprise — as was the No. 3 preferred company up next.

3. Alamo

Overall customer satisfaction score: 862 out of 1,000 possible points

Alamo started in 1974 in Florida and offered something different — unlimited free mileage. In 2002, it became the official rental car company of Disney World and Disneyland. And in 2007, it became yet another fleet under the Enterprise umbrella.

That means, yes, the top brands are all technically the same company.

4. Hertz

Overall customer satisfaction score: 845 out of 1,000 possible points

Hertz claims to be “the only true global rental car company,” with 90 years of service under its belt. Also under its belt are less popular rental car “competitors” Dollar and Thrifty, which it purchased in 2012.

How other companies fared

The following rental car companies ranked below study average score of 843 in the J.D. Power study:

• Avis — 825 out of 1,000 possible points
• Budget — 822
• Dollar — 817
• Thrifty — 808