Car Hire in South Africa

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- Cheapest Car Hire Rates
- Why book with us?
- Travel information
- Why hire a car in South Africa?
- One-way Car Hire in South Africa
- Top ways to enter South Africa
- Top cities and places to visit
- Most popular hire car
- Most popular types of hire car
- Top driving routes
- Car hire prices in South Africa
- How can I save money on my hire car?
- The 9 most popular cities in South Africa
- Top 9 Most Popular Locations in South Africa
- Map of top car rental locations
- When to book in South Africa and for how long?
- Car hire information
- Most popular car models of suppliers
- Here's what travellers say about hiring a car in South Africa
- Car Hire Statistics
- Top 20 suppliers in South Africa in 2025
- Award-winning service
Travel information
Why hire a car in South Africa?

From famous cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg to nature areas and an extensive coastline, South Africa really seems to have everything. The large distances can sometimes feel overwhelming, but the road network is generally in good shape and even if you choose to stick to just one region of the country, you’ll most likely end up being surprised by the incredible diversity that you’ll find.
If you want to know more about hiring a car in South Africa, don't miss our complete guide.
One-way Car Hire in South Africa
Here are the most popular one-way car hire options for pickup in South Africa and drop off in another country:
- From South Africa to Namibia - 92 offers from 38,04 EUR per day
- From South Africa to Lesotho - 10 offers from 22,82 EUR per day
- From South Africa to Botswana - 35 offers from 26,54 EUR per day
- From South Africa to Swaziland - 10 offers from 22,82 EUR per day
Top ways to enter South Africa
- Cape Town Airport: The fifth-busiest in Africa, this airport serves not only Cape Town, but also the wider Western Cape Region.
- Johannesburg Tambo Airport: South Africa’s busiest airport serves nearly 30 million passengers annually.
- Durban King Shaka Airport: Named after a leader of the Zulu nation, Durban serves not only domestic routes, but also flights to and from many other African countries like Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, and Ghana, as well as destinations in Europe and the Middle East.
- By land: If your car hire company permits it and if you have the right visa and other documentation, it’s possible to rent a car in a neighboring country and then drive to South Africa. Some large international airports near South Africa are Gaborone Airport in Botswana and Maputo Airport in Mozambique.
Top cities and places to visit
- Cape Town: One of the most popular city destinations in Africa, Cape Town is home to the Cape of Good Home, Table Mountain, a large wine region, and an extensive sea coast.
- Johannesburg: Huge and hugely impressive, Johannesburg is home to interesting museums and great cuisine from all over Africa. Many great national parks are also nearby.
- Durban: The city on the Indian Ocean has many natural landmarks, opportunities for water sports, and the famous Crocodile Creek.
- Eastern Cape: This regions is best known for having one half of the beautiful Garden Route (that starts in Western Cape), as well as its surfing towns and villages, but the Addo Elephant National Park and the Tsitsikamma National Park shouldn’t be overlooked, either.
- Limpopo: Something of an unknown quantity up to this day, the South African region bordering Mozambique and Zimbabwe is best known for the beautiful Kruger National Park.
Most popular hire car
The most hired car in South Africa are the VW Polo. The Toyota Corolla and the Chevrolet Spark are also popular choices.
Most popular types of hire car
The most popular car types in South Africa are economy, mini, and compact.
Top driving routes
- Cape Town - Port Elizabeth (282 km / 175 mi) It’s a long road between the capitals of Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces, but many travelers still choose to do it because of the many nature reserves, coastal areas, and the beautiful Garden Route that are on the way.
- Johannesburg - Durban (568 km / 353 mi) The two great cities of Eastern South Africa are about six hours apart. Many travelers also choose to visit Lesotho that is on the way, but if you’d like to do the same, first make sure that your rental car provider permits it as you’d be entering another country.
- Johannesburg - Nelspruit (341 km / 212 mi) Cozy Mbombela, still often referred to by its former name, Nelspruit, is about four hours drive east of Johannesburg.
Car hire prices in South Africa
- Small cars - starting at 10 EUR per day
- Large cars - starting at 14 EUR per day
- Medium cars - starting at 13 EUR per day
- People Carriers - starting at 20 EUR per day
- SUVs - starting at 19 EUR per day
- Premium cars - starting at 44 EUR per day
- Station wagons - starting at 70 EUR per day
- Convertibles - starting at 343 EUR per day
How can I save money on my hire car?
You can do a number of things to get a good car hire deal in South Africa:
- Compare rates of different car hire companies
- Book your car well in advance
- Plan your route before you go
- Know your fuel and mileage requirements
- Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting South Africa is the cheapest in May when hiring a car is about 29% cheaper than the yearly average and about 56% cheaper than hiring a car in November.
Learn more about our Editorial Policy.
The 9 most popular cities in South Africa
Top 9 Most Popular Locations in South Africa
Map of top car rental locations
When to book in South Africa and for how long?
In which month is car hire in South Africa the most affordable?
Prices for hiring a car in South Africa fluctuate depending on the time of year. This table and graph can help you find the best bargain.
Saver's insights
Cheapest monthMay | Most expensive month August | ||
Average price 24 EUR | A good deal 14 EUR | Cheapest supplier Carwiz | Cheapest car type Small cars |
29 EUR
in January
32 EUR
in February
28 EUR
in March
29 EUR
in April
22 EUR
in May
23 EUR
in June
31 EUR
in July
37 EUR
in August
35 EUR
in September
35 EUR
in October
33 EUR
in November
36 EUR
in December
The best month to hire a car in South Africa is May — when the average price for a hire is 21,95 EUR per day. This is 7% less than the yearly average and 40% less than hiring a car in August (when the average price is 36,55 EUR per day).
This information can help you determine the low season. But note that these prices are only averages. The cost of your hire is determined by the type of car you select, the length of time you hire it for and how much in advance you book. Simply type in your dates in the form at the top of the page in order to find out the exact prices.
Which month is most favoured for hiring a car in South Africa?
Given the number of customers searching for a car in South Africa, December is the most popular, while May is the month that sees the lowest demand.
1,2 times in January
1,2 times in February
1,2 times in March
1,3 times in April
0,7 times in May
0,8 times in June
0,8 times in July
0,8 times in August
0,8 times in September
0,9 times in October
0,9 times in November
1,4 times in December
How many days do people keep their hire cars, on average, in South Africa?
How long renters typically keep their vehicle sometimes varies depending on the time of year. Travelers tend to keep their rental cars longer in January — an average of 15 days. They tend to keep them for a shorter time in August — an average of 9 days.
15 days in January
12 days in February
11 days in March
10 days in April
10 days in May
11 days in June
11 days in July
9 days in August
9 days in September
10 days in October
12 days in November
12 days in December
Car hire information
📍 Car hire locations | 147 |
✈️ Airport locations | 22 |
🔥 Popular suppliers | First Car Rental, Carwiz, Firefly, Hertz, Europcar |
🚗 Popular car types | Small cars, SUVs, Medium cars, People Carriers |
🤑 Lowest price | 10 EUR per day |
👛 Cheapest supplier | Carwiz |
Most popular car models of suppliers
Hire Agency | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
First Car Rental | Suzuki Celerio | 5 | 1 | Small car |
Firefly | Toyota Agya | 5 | 1 | Small car |
Firefly | Toyota Corolla Quest | 4 | 2 | Medium car |
First Car Rental | Volkswagen Polo | 5 | 1 | Small car |
Carwiz | Renault Kwid | 5 | 1 | Small car |
First Car Rental | Suzuki Ciaz | 4 | 2 | Medium car |
Hertz | Suzuki Swift | 4 | 2 | Small car |
First Car Rental | Proton X50 | 4 | 2 | SUV |
Europcar | Volkswagen Polo | 5 | 2 | Small car |
Carwiz | Suzuki Swift | 5 | 1 | Small car |
Here's what travellers say about hiring a car in South Africa





Car Hire Statistics
Top 20 suppliers in South Africa in 2025




















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