San Jose car rental information
| Pick-up location | San Jose |
|---|---|
| Car types | Compact, Compact SUV, Economy, Full-size, Intermediate, Intermediate SUV, Luxury, Premium, Standard, Standard SUV |
| Rental locations | 54 |
| Airport locations | 28 |
| Popular agencies | Turo, Dollar, Thrifty, Payless |
Cheap car rentals in San Jose
| Economy | C$ 57/day |
| Compact | C$ 49/day |
| Intermediate | C$ 42/day |
| Standard | C$ 60/day |
| Full-size | C$ 53/day |
| Premium | C$ 74/day |
| Luxury | C$ 85/day |
| Intermediate SUV | C$ 53/day |
| Compact SUV | C$ 65/day |
| Standard SUV | C$ 65/day |
Top tips for renting a car in San Jose
- Travelers entering San Jose by road do not need to go to San Jose International Airport to acquire a car rental. There are several car rental locations in downtown San Jose where you can acquire a cheap San Jose car rental. Companies like Enterprise, Alamo, Budget, Service Rent A Car, and Hertz have downtown rental addresses, which provide a broad fleet of vehicles you can select from. Most downtown rental locations do not operate 24 hours like some airport locations. However, you can still request to pick up or return your rental outside the operating hours with companies like Enterprise and Alamo.
- Driving cheap car rentals in San Jose is easy with these simple rules. First, always use turn signals in advance before making turns. Be extra careful in parking lots; the spaces are tight, thus reducing your visibility. It is also difficult to hear electric cars in some parking spaces, so be careful when entering or exiting the parking lot. Blood alcohol concentrations of the driver should always be below 0.08%; any higher levels attract a DUI. Always slow down and drive at a slow speed in school zones and residential areas. Lastly, avoid handling smartphones while operating cheap car rentals in San Jose.
- Watch out for bicycles and motorcycles on San Jose roads since they have many bike lanes. Be extra keen on Highway 9 and roads in Mount Hamilton since other road users with motorcycles enjoy engaging in canyon curving here. Always yield to anyone on a motorcycle, cyclists, or pedestrians to avoid hitting them. This includes pedestrians or any road user breaking any road rules. Moreover, San Jose also has lane-splitting for motorcycles, so you still need to be vigilant even in traffic to avoid any accidents.
- Explore every nook and cranny of San Jose with the flexibility a rental car can provide. Whether it is a trip to the Alum Rock Park in the northeast of San Jose or the Levi Stadium, which is about 9 miles out of the city, a rental car can get you there in no time.
- There are various rental car options at San Jose International Airport, including Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, and Sixt. The Rental Car Center can be found at Terminal B and passengers landing at Terminal A are provided with a shuttle bus transporting them directly to the Rental Center.
- Californian cities in general are teeming with tourists during the summer season and traffic can be a challenge during peak times. Also, drivers have a reputation to not use the turn signals when changing lanes or making a turn, so always double-check and drive carefully. Always watch out for pedestrians, as crosswalks are sometimes not properly indicated, and San Jose is one of the cities with the highest pedestrian death rates, so it’s better to be safe.
- San Jose’s morning rush hour is at its worst between 7 and 8:30 AM, so it is advisable to avoid starting any trips during that time. Between 4:30 and 6:00 PM, when workers return to their homes, traffic increases significantly again, especially on the US-101. As San Jose is famous for its amazing weather, the summer season comes with tourists and therefore more congestion on the roads, so always plan at least 30 minutes ahead.
- 25% of our users found rental cars in San Jose for C$ 70 or less
- Book your rental car in San Jose at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Off-airport rental car locations in San Jose are around 17% cheaper than airport locations on average
- Standard rental cars in San Jose are around 70% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in San Jose
San Jose car rental reviews and directory
Alamo
8.5
Very good
402 reviewsBest rated
Cleanliness
8.7
Comfort
8.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.5
Value for money
8.1
One location in San Jose
from C$ 86/day
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6.0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
Check-in was easy and she/the agent was friendly.Cons:
Not a fan of NISSAN cars. Dash isn't intuitive and not the best car to drive. Found trash under the seat from a previous driver.10.0 Wonderful
Sep. 2020
Pros:
The staff was amazing.8.0 Very good
Sep. 2020
Pros:
Vehicle fine. Check in process easyCons:
Explanation of car features as no vehicle manual supplied. Had no idea how to access gas tank4.4 Mediocre
Jul. 2020
Cons:
The agent offered a upgrade for a fee for a jeep cherokee. I had an issue with my card and had to call them. I walked from the transaction to call the card provider and was assigned a Nissan Rogue. I have hated every Nissan I have driven and would never pay extra to drive one. It was past 9 pm and I still had to go home and load up before leaving on my 800 mile drive to be with my mom who's husband died the next morning. My back still hurts from the low quality nissan seating .8.0 Very good
Jul. 2020
Pros:
Ease of rentalCons:
Had to cross busy airport road to get to rental area. Maybe people bridge would be safer.2.0 Poor
Jun. 2020
Cons:
My reservation was cancelled when I arrived. I paid more for a shittier car. Won’t rent cars through kayak again.Enterprise Rent-A-Car
8.0
Very good
293 reviewsCleanliness
8.3
Comfort
8.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.9
Value for money
7.6
9 locations in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
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4.8 Mediocre
Oct. 2020
Cons:
We rented for a month an SUV in order to go from CA to FL. The internal electrical stopped working on our way there. When I called to alert the problem in California, they told me to go to the nearest airport enterprise location in FL. Here, their first answer was that I should take it to a Firestone store to get it checked. I called the nearest Firestone and they told me they couldn't touch the car being so new and low milage; it was the dealership's problem. I called enterprise again and they told me to take it to the nearest dealership. At the dealership they told me that they can't service a car brought in by the customer. With enough frustration built, and the original San Jose office shinning by their absence, I demanded a simple swap of the car but they made me call 4 different enterprise locations in FL looking for an SUV replacement. An assistant manager in Daytona finally managed to put us in a minivan, but all of this took 20 calls and 3 days of painful dodging by their representatives. I will definitely be dodging their service in their future. Not recommend.8.0 Very good
Sep. 2020
Pros:
All good3.2 Poor
Aug. 2020
Pros:
Price did not show fees upon pickupCons:
Show all fees instead of catching your consumer off guard10.0 Wonderful
Aug. 2020
Pros:
Staff was quick to help. Great car.Cons:
Nothing4.8 Mediocre
Jul. 2020
Pros:
Friendly staff.Cons:
1. Someone picking up the phone (called two open locations, no answer, one said to leave a message). 2. Being given instructions for one-way drop off at airport at time of rental or at least posted in rental car drop off lot. I had to call Enterprise to find out what to do once I parked the car as there was no attendant (Medford, OR). 3. Receiving revised receipt. There "special" car was a huge, double-cab pick up truck. Basically, no trunk and this was an airport pick up. So, I upgraded to a Toyota Corolla. When I dropped off the car, I was told a receipt would automatically be emailed to me but I never received and had to contact customer report for a copy.5.6 Fair
Jan. 2020
Pros:
Drop off was a nightmare. I dropped it off at another location as the original reservation was, but I was not registered in the system when I picked up the car. The manager and staff did not know what to do and couldn’t assist me. They could not get a hold of the original airport I rented from to finish my registration so they could close my account. I had to call enterprise customer service personally standing in the enterprise office to speak to customer service to help. I spent nearly 2 hours there just trying to drop off my car. Staff and manager were not helpful and did not apologize once.Cons:
The car was great and clean, no issues there. See above for why I am rating a poorly.Dollar
8.0
Very good
217 reviewsCleanliness
8.5
Comfort
8.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.6
Value for money
8.0
One location in San Jose
from C$ 89/day
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6.0 Okay
Apr. 2021
Pros:
The car was clean and the price was very fair. However, see below...Cons:
I rented a certain class for not only the luxury comfort, but for the size. However, Dollar did not have the car I rented. They first tried to down grade me to a lower class, but larger car. I did not think this was fair so I did not agree. We went through the options and I explained, due to having two of my elder uncles with me and their need for a larger car, I needed something larger. Eventually a larger car was offered, but at a much higher rate. Again, I did not agree as a car in my category should have been available to me. Eventually I was offered another luxury vehicle (supposedly in the same class), but much smaller and the entire weekend we had difficulty getting my uncles in and out of it. Due to the inability to have a car ready for me in the class I rented I would have preferred the “upgrade” to an adequate car but the agent would not agree without additional payment to which I did not think was fair.10.0 Wonderful
Feb. 2020
Pros:
Staff very friendly and helpfulCons:
Should be more proactive in looking for damages during inspection10.0 Wonderful
Feb. 2020
Pros:
Friendly service4.4 Mediocre
Dec. 2019
Cons:
I prepaid and Dollar upsold my poor mother. Never again will I use kayak for car rentals.10.0 Wonderful
Nov. 2019
Pros:
The whole experience was a breeze and was fastCons:
No complaints7.2 Good
Sep. 2019
Pros:
Easy drop off.Cons:
Was expecting a lower rateThrifty
7.8
Good
210 reviewsMost popular
Cleanliness
8.2
Comfort
7.9
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.5
Value for money
7.5
One location in San Jose
from C$ 82/day
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4.4 Mediocre
Nov. 2020
Pros:
Pick up has been painful. Drop off was cumbersome. Still awaiting my final receipts.7.2 Good
Oct. 2020
Pros:
Straightforward process. Car feels cleanCons:
The hood of the car open but there was no indication of it on the car. Found out when it started moving on the freeway. This put my life in danger. Staff should have made sure that the hood was close and the car should have warned the driver that the hood is open.6.4 Okay
Sep. 2020
Pros:
The staff were very friendly at pick up and drop off and the car was clean. It had a few scratches, but nothing too bad. Fuel economy was better than expected.Cons:
The price was significantly better than other companies for the same type of car and it would have rated a higher score on value for money if it were not for the fact that the car needed some TLC. The engine sounded rough under load (like it was knocking), it needed oil (which I added) and the convertible top had trouble locking properly when it was lowered. I noticed later that the key had a sticker on it that said "check engine", but it seems that was not done.9.2 Wonderful
Aug. 2020
Pros:
Staff was very helpful and friendly at SJCCons:
Car wasn't in spot marked on envelope. Had to look around for a few minutes to find it.10.0 Wonderful
Jul. 2020
Pros:
All aspects of this rental were wonderful. Typical pushy sales on upselling when you go to pickup, but that's expected and you can "nope" your way through it.10.0 Wonderful
Jul. 2020
Pros:
YesBudget
6.6
Okay
195 reviewsCleanliness
7.7
Comfort
7.4
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.5
Value for money
6.5
5 locations in San Jose
from C$ 102/day
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2.0 Poor
Sep. 2022
8.0 Very good
Apr. 2021
Pros:
Staff member just left the station saying he wioo up or be back and never came back. The other agent had to take over both lines8.0 Very good
Apr. 2021
Cons:
Better price and less wait time2.0 Poor
Feb. 2021
Cons:
I went to pick up my car and the location was closed. I spent $40 on Uber ans had to scramble to find another rental. Spent three days prior calling customer service to confirm but no one would answer. Hours of location should be detailed in the confirmation email.2.0 Poor
Jan. 2021
Pros:
Guy in the booth was nice.Cons:
Loaded car up and drove off only to find they put the wrong car in the wrong parking spot. THEN AVIS Budget group has done this repeatedly. You drive less than 75 miles and THEY AUTOMATICALLY ADD A FUEL CHARGE, even if the guy at returns notes that you filled the tank. Most people won't complain and you will spend hours trying to resolve this with their Call Center, the Social Media Group and then the Executive TEAM, JUST SAVE TIME AND AVOID BUDGET AVIS AT ALL COST (or be prepared to be ripped off and spend hours needlessly.)5.2 Fair
Oct. 2020
Pros:
Not much.Cons:
On the website, I had reserved a standard-size SUV. When I went to pick up the vehicle, they gave me one that I was not familiar with but which I soon learned was compact SUV. I did not have time to go back and complain, but it made our entire trip a bit harrowing, and I feel like I was ripped off by Budget. This felt like a bait-and-switch scam. When I picked up the car, it was clean, but it had that horrible "new car smell" in it that is really disgusting, especially for someone who has allergies. I ended up having to light a match inside the vehicle in order to subdue that grotesque smell. When I went to drop off the vehicle, the entrance to the Budget drop off location was closed and it pointed me to Avis. This forced me to backup in the wrong direction on a one-way street. There was a tiny sign at the Avis drop-off location for Budget but it was not visible unless you stopped at the Avis drop-off location and looked for it. Overall, this was not a pleasant experience and I cannot recommend either Budget or Kayak.Payless
6.1
Okay
219 reviewsCleanliness
7.0
Comfort
6.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.7
Value for money
6.5
One location in San Jose
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10.0 Wonderful
Apr. 2021
Pros:
Staff was excellent at pick up and drop offCons:
Had difficulty finding the actual registration desk. Confusing multiple floors/signing. Didn’t know Payless was also Avis.10.0 Wonderful
Mar. 2021
Pros:
The staff was helpful. When I picked up the car, it had a half tank of gas. They told me to return it with the same amount, which I did. But when I got there, they charged me for the remainder for a full tank. I went to the desk and the agent there and guy who checked it out a few days before to me were very helpful and corrected it (refunded the difference).6.0 Okay
Mar. 2021
Pros:
Clean car, employees at counter very politeCons:
For starters I thought I was renting car with kayak not with other party that I never heard of it. On paper it says I got car at 5:36 but reality was that car was no ready and got it at 5:59p not a problem understandable even if it delay me am put me to more traffic time but for them is not ok for us to turn late, I got there at 8;07p and seems I was charge another. My point is we don’t get discount for pick up late but get fully charged for being late “very fair”2.0 Poor
Oct. 2020
Pros:
I can't cancel8.4 Very good
Aug. 2020
Cons:
The signs at the airport were poor. Luckily a security guard arrived and directed me to the 4th floor. I rented from Payless, a sign at their counter directed me to Budget and, in the end I got the car keys from Avis. Car was small, as ordered, so the comfort wasn't excellent, but as expected. The onboard computer and controls, in the Nissan Versa, are hard to understand and reset. I never trusted the distance-to-empty indicator/estimate and when driving almost 2,000 miles that is important. Had two cellphones connected, one for calls and one for audio. The incoming calls always kept going to voice mail after pausing the audio. Overall excellent, but quirky. Recommend9.6 Wonderful
Jul. 2020
Pros:
The person that helped us was extremely helpful and friendly. She recognized it was my birthday on the day of pickup and greeted me. No issues at drop offCons:
Our pick up was scheduled for 9 and we came to the counter at 8:45, but no one was there. We waited until about 9:14 and decided to just go to the elevator to the lot since there was still no one there to help or no sign for instructionsHertz
6.0
Okay
285 reviewsCheapest deal
Cleanliness
6.6
Comfort
6.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.7
Value for money
6.1
10 locations in San Jose
from C$ 48/day
Locations in San Jose
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2.0 Poor
Nov. 2022
2.0 Poor
Oct. 2022
2.0 Poor
Oct. 2022
6.0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
The Staff at Pick-Up and Drop-off were professional and very nice.Cons:
The car was dirty, low on oil and wind shield fluid when we picked it up.4.0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
The pick up location (And drop off) were not at the airport, but at a remote location that required us to Uber to that location from the airport for an additional expense.Cons:
Hertz itself was fine, but Kayak should have highlighted that the rental location was not on the airport property.2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
It was an easy pick up and drop off experienceCons:
the condition of the vehicleFox
5.9
Fair
566 reviewsCleanliness
6.1
Comfort
6.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.8
Value for money
6.1
One location in San Jose
from C$ 51/day
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4.0 Mediocre
May 2021
Cons:
The car had not been cleaned. Also it had body damage that had not been fixed. The car was expensive, and they would not let me cancel my reservation. I will not use them again.10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
The associates there were really friendly and kind. Our car got broken into the first day of our vacation. Thank goodness we had insurance on the vehicle. We did a swap that same day and went on out way.Cons:
Honestly, everything was amazing!10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Everybody was friendly!6.0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
nice vanCons:
charged for full tank was only supposed to pay &3.99 pet gallon for what was needed to fill up. needed only about 6 gallons so should have been charged about $25 not almost $80 which is about 19 gallons. i have been on hold with fox for almost an hour to resolve and still holding8.0 Very good
May 2021
Cons:
All controls were not operable, wasn't perfectly clean when I picked it up.2.0 Poor
Apr. 2021
Cons:
The agent was very rude, required a 500$ deposit to rent locally. Do NOT rent from these guys - especially in your own towns. I think they don’t want your business.Sixt
7.7
Good
70 reviewsCleanliness
7.9
Comfort
7.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.5
Value for money
7.4
One location in San Jose
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10.0 Wonderful
Oct. 2022
4.0 Mediocre
Oct. 2022
10.0 Wonderful
Aug. 2022
10.0 Wonderful
Jun. 2022
10.0 Wonderful
Nov. 2018
Pros:
Great services replace10.0 Wonderful
Sep. 2017
Pros:
Cheap price and no wait. Because SixT is less well known than the others, the lines for pick up were atrocious at Hertz, Avis, etc but non-existent at SixT. Mildly slick attempt at getting us to choose un-needed insurance (aren't they all?) but otherwise super-attentive service. No prob with the car at all. Drop off was a breeze.Cons:
A couple of dents in the car not documented at pick-up - we had to note these and have them write then down before we took off with the vehicle.Avis
7.1
Good
66 reviewsCleanliness
7.7
Comfort
7.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.1
Value for money
7.3
5 locations in San Jose
from C$ 71/day
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4.0 Mediocre
Apr. 2021
Pros:
Staff was inept and inexperienced to handle a simple situation. We liked the car model.Cons:
The car was not cleaned at all. Surprising they rented out without cleaning and sanitizing in COVID times. After bringing this issue to the agent, he said he could not help it. I was mad but had no option but to take it. Myself and two of my family members cleaned the car inside out for two hours before starting the trip. Horrible experience. Won’t rent from Avis again.10.0 Wonderful
Aug. 2020
Pros:
professional staff. very efficient checkin and return process. nice car in good shape and very clean. everything that I could ask for worked very well6.4 Okay
Jul. 2020
Cons:
The car needs a good wash8.0 Very good
Mar. 2020
Cons:
Rented from San Jose airport but actually was recorded as one mile away at a hotel pickup9.6 Wonderful
Jul. 2019
Pros:
Staff was great, price was good4.0 Mediocre
Jun. 2019
Pros:
NothingCons:
I waited for over two hours to pickup my rental. When I finally got to the desk, all they had left was 12 person van.Airport Van
5.6
Fair
25 reviewsCleanliness
6.5
Comfort
6.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
4.5
Value for money
5.5
2 locations in San Jose
from C$ 69/day
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10.0 Wonderful
Jul. 2020
Cons:
Good overall2.0 Poor
May 2020
Cons:
Incorrect pick up address and contact information, no one there to assist4.8 Mediocre
Jun. 2019
Pros:
The can was in good condition.Cons:
The offices were filthy, the line desperately long. I lined up for more than an hour to pick up the van. And no excuses were given by the staff.5.6 Fair
Jul. 2018
Pros:
Lot of Van optionsCons:
Limited Mileage and long wait2.0 Poor
May 2018
Pros:
The rate appeared favorable for newer vehicle with unlimited mileage.Cons:
Did not rent from AVR when it turned out not to be unlimited mileage. My experience with Sixt was excellent.3.2 Poor
Apr. 2018
Pros:
They did have availability of the van. Ran well.Cons:
wrong address was provided by Kayak. They gave us 15 seat passenger van with zero cargo space. They did not even tell us about this upfront. Also i had to wait 45 minutes at the rental space for them to finish cleaning up, and they changed the rental vehicle at the last minute. Van was not fully cleaned. The back seats were very dirty.National
No score available yet
One location in San Jose
3 locations in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
1659 Airport Blvd
+1 800 940 9332
1701 Airport Blvd
+1 800 940 9332
561 W Hedding Street
+1 800 940 9332
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2 locations in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
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2 locations in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
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One location in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
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One location in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
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One location in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
561 West Hedding St.
+1 866 932 0060
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One location in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
Please Go To Fox Counter
+1 408 709 2950
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One location in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
San Jose airport
+1 844 742 5870
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One location in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
1659 Airport Blvd Car Rental Center San Jose Ca
+1 408 709 2950
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One location in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
1701 Airport Blvd, San Jose, CA
+1 415 370 8478
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One location in San Jose
Locations in San Jose
San Jose Airport
+1 408 709 2950
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2549 travellers who rented a car in San Jose gave the car agency they used an average rating of 6.8
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