These Are The Worst Rental Car Companies, According To Consumer Reports

Whether you dream of experiencing the absolute best of the West on a scenic road trip around America, or you're looking for an easy way to reach the most adorable small towns in Europe — you're going to need a rental car. Unfortunately for travelers, rental cars have become increasingly more expensive over the last several years. These days, if you're renting a car for a week in the United States, you should expect to spend several hundred dollars at least.

In Chicago, the average weekly rental car cost is a whopping $624.71 according to NerdWallet. Other major cities aren't much cheaper. If you're going to shell out the big bucks for a car rental, it's important to make sure that the company you choose is going to offer a satisfactory experience. Consumer Reports released the findings of their survey to help their readers make the best possible decision when selecting a vehicle for their next vacation. While Dollar, Fox, and Thrifty are all popular options, the survey results revealed they are some of the worst rental companies available, with the lowest ratings out of the 10 major rental car companies considered.

Consumer Reports is an independent nonprofit organization that supports fairness in the marketplace through unbiased product testing and reviews, buying guides, and consumer advocacy. The organization has been around since 1936, and aims to help consumers make informed choices when they spend their hard earned money. As part of its efforts, the organization does some in-depth research on various companies based on reviews from their members. In the spring of 2024, Consumer Reports sent out a member survey to 6,236 people who had rented a car over the previous 12-month period.

Based on their responses, Consumer Reports published a list of the best and worst rental car companies. Factors like vehicle safety, customer service, pick-up and drop-off, available vehicle options, cost, and pricing transparency were considered. With the ratings in each category, Consumer Reports formulated an overall rating for each of the 10 rental car companies that were considered. Dollar, Fox, and Thrifty were the worst.

Out of the three worst rental car companies, Dollar Rent A Car was the most favorable option with a total rating of 39 out of 100. Dollar Rent A Car Company, whose parent company is Hertz, advertises itself as a great place to score deals on rental cars. However, according to the Consumer Reports survey the prices aren't very transparent, with just a 3 out of 5 rating in that category.

Regarding the process of renting a car from Dollar, those who responded to the survey were least satisfied with the pick-up process, with an overall rating of 1 out of 5. It's no surprise that a frustrating pick-up process left an imprint on customers. The last thing most of us want to do is wait in a long line and deal with difficulties when we're ready to hit the road. Dollar's customer service was also not the best according to customers who participated in the survey. In the customer service category Dollar was rated 2 out of 5.

The booking process wasn't that bad, though. The company received an overall score of 4 out of 5 in that category. When it came to the cleanliness and condition of the vehicles customers received, Dollar wasn't a terrible choice. In both categories the company received a 4 out of 5 rating. It also scored decently well when it came to returning vehicles with a rating of 4 out of 5.

Fox Rent A Car was next up with a rating of 31 out of 100 overall. The company is owned by France-based Europcar Mobility Group and appeals to budget-conscious airport travelers. Although the company markets itself as a discount brand, customers who responded to the Consumer Reports survey were not thrilled when it came to pricing transparency. It was ranked 1 out of 5 in that category. Fox renters were just as dissatisfied with the pick-up process, which also received the lowest possible rating.

Fox Rent A Car has a fleet of over 20,000 vehicles, but when it came to vehicle selection customers only gave it a 2 out of 5 rating. The "high-quality, friendly and honest service" advertised by Fox was not felt by many who participated in the Consumer Reports survey, as that category also received an overall rating of 2 out of 5. The only categories in which Fox Rent A Car did receive good ratings were vehicle condition and the return process. Both of those areas scored a 4 out of 5 rating. 

Thrifty received the lowest overall rating of all rental car companies surveyed by Consumer Reviews — 26 out of 100. Like Dollar, Thrifty is owned by the Hertz Corporation. As its name implies, it is intended to serve budget-conscious consumers. Dollar Rent A Car is its sister company, but Thrifty is the larger of the two with more locations and vehicles to choose from. You'll find hundreds of corporate locations in the United States and Europe and even more franchise locations around the world, with around 4,000 different locations to choose from. Thrifty received the lowest possible rating of 1 out of 5 in the customer service and picking up categories.

According to the survey, customers were mostly satisfied with the condition of the cars they rented from Thrifty, and the overall rating in that category was 4 out of 5. The process of returning the cars also received a good rating. Most customers did not think that the company was a good value and were displeased with the pricing transparency. In both categories it only received 2 out of 5 stars. If you choose Thrifty, ignoring the fine print could ruin your rental car experience. 

To create our list of the worst rental car companies, we relied on data gathered by Consumer Reports in their 2024 member survey. More than 6,000 members participated in the survey and all of them had rented cars in the twelve months leading up to the survey. The 10 most popular rental car companies were considered including; National, Enterprise, Alamo, Hertz, Sixt, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Fox, and Thrifty. We researched the specifics to understand exactly why Dollar, Fox, and Thrifty were ranked as the worst companies. In order to make your rental car experience stress free, check out our list of the worst rental car mistakes to avoid.