Enterprise Car Rental Review

Enterprise Rent-a-Car is arguably the most well-known car rental company in the country. With over 1.7 million vehicles available worldwide, chances are there’s a rental car location near you or at your travel destination. So, is Enterprise your best option?

Read our Enterprise car rental review to see what the company offers when it comes to cost, industry reputation, rental options, and more. We’ve also reviewed the best car rental companies on the market in several key categories to see how Enterprise stacks up against competitors.

Overall, Enterprise is a reliable rental car company with easy online reservations and plenty of locations nationwide. However, it’s not the cheapest rental car company compared to other companies on the market. Our recommendation is to compare rates from Enterprise with other companies that have locations in your travel area.

Enterprise Rental Car Rating

When reviewing all rental car companies we rate them on five core categories: industry standing, availability, cost, options and restrictions, and customer experience. Below we have broken down our score for Enterprise car rentals in each of these categories:

Enterprise Pros And Cons

• Founded: 1857
• Headquarters: St. Louis, Missouri
• Locations: Over 10,000 worldwide
• Vehicle types: Economy, standard, midsize, and full-size sedans, pickup trucks, vans, SUVs, and luxury vehicles

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a well-known American car rental agency that offers a variety of vehicle rental options including cars, vans, trucks, and luxury vehicles among others. It is the flagship brand of Enterprise Holdings which has ownership of other rental companies including Alamo and National. Currently, the vehicle rental provider serves customers at over 4,000 locations within the United States and more globally.

At this time, Enterprise has a rating of 1.3 out of 5.0 on the BBB site based on customer reviews and has an F rating from the organization. The company also has a 2.2 out of 5.0-star rating on Trustpilot out of over 20,000 customer reviews and has closed over 2,700 complaints in the last three years. Enterprise serves millions of customers each year, so these complaints count for a fraction of its customers. 

However, though the ratings seem low, the service you find from Enterprise depends on the individual location and its staff. Some are run well with employees that take care of you while others have reputations for poor service. To help give you a better idea of what customers truly think, we’ll summarize some themes in positive and negative Enterprise reviews below.

Positive Enterprise Reviews

Considering the number of reviews to total customers, most people have a neutral or positive experience with Enterprise. A few common themes we noticed in positive reviews include:

• Enterprise staff took care of everything without a hitch
• Staff at the location is knowledgeable and helpful
• Enterprise employees create a customer-first environment
• Long-time customers enjoy using Enterprise year after year

Negative Enterprise Reviews

Of course, not everyone has a great rental experience with Enterprise. There have been issues with vehicles not matching what customers picked online and even cases of no vehicle being available on the day of the rental. Some negative patterns we noticed include:

• A customer selected an SUV online at reservation and got a minivan instead
• The final price charged didn’t match the total price for the online reservation
• There were no cars available even though the customer had confirmed reservation the day before by a phone call

Finally, one reviewer even said an Enterprise employee tried to say prior damage was their fault. The customer noticed a crack in the windshield when they rented the vehicle and took a photo of it before leaving Enterprise. Some weeks later, Enterprise notified the customer it was filing a damage claim against them. Fortunately, the customer was able to provide proof the windshield was already damaged.

In light of this last issue, we recommend walking around your rental vehicle before taking it out and photographing any damage you see. You’ll protect yourself in case an Enterprise employee assumes you were the one that caused the damage when you drop off the vehicle.

On average an Enterprise car rental costs around $633 per week based on our rate estimates. Enterprise doesn’t have the cheapest rental cars on the market and their prices tend to be higher on average compared to competitors. However, the price you will receive will vary depending on location, the vehicle you select, the type of service, and the timing of your rental.

Our team compared rental rates for a standard sedan and SUV at three different popular U.S. airports: Orlando, Los Angeles, and Dallas-Fort Worth. These rates are to rent a car for a seven-day and monthly period and were gathered two weeks ahead of the rental period:

Enterprise Car Rental Taxes And Fees

When you book an Enterprise rental car there are many taxes and additional fees attached. Much of what you are charged depends on where you book your vehicle, your vehicle type, and the additional add-ons in the agreement. To help highlight some of these charges, here is an outline of the fees for an Enterprise rental at Orlando Airport:

While some of these seem like hidden fees at first, they are shown when you checkout and each has a reason behind it. The recovery fees are imposed to recuperate the cost of doing business for that particular Enterprise location. In some cases, there may be charges imposed by the airport or other state-specific car rental business regulations. The customer facility charge is also likely a fee from the airport for facility upkeep and, of course, sales tax will depend on the state.

Under 25 Renter Fee

If you’re under the age of 25 you’ll have to pay a young renter fee. This fee is about $25 per day but it can change depending on the rental location. In Michigan and New York, drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 pay steeper fees:

Additional Driver Fee

If you want to have an additional driver that is not your spouse or domestic partner, the flat fee is $15 a day. However, the charge is less in New York state and instead is $5. However, this charge will be waived for commercial rentals as well as renter business partners, employers, and associates.

Drop-off Fee

If you are reserving a one-way car rental you will be charged a drop fee which is shown as part of your taxes and fees in your reservation. There is no set charge amount and it varies depending on the drop-off location and time of year.

Enterprise Security Deposit

Enterprise requires a standard security deposit of $400 or $850 if you are renting luxury vehicles if you do not have a return itinerary. However, the actual amount varies depending on your age and how you pay. If you use a debit card instead of a credit card, Enterprise may place a larger hold on your account until after your reservation. Similarly, drivers under 24 years of age may pay a larger security deposit.

Add-Ons

You can add a variety of perks and services to your rental contract with Enterprise, including:

• Damage waiver: This waives your responsibility for damage, loss, or theft of the rental car (costs $27.99 per day).
• Personal effects coverage: This covers personal items in your rental vehicle up to a limit (costs $7.50 per day).
• Roadside protection: Roadside assistance covers replacement keys, flat tire service, lockout service, jump-starts, and fuel delivery (costs $5.99 per day).
• Supplemental liability protection: This increases liability coverage on the vehicle up to $300,000 (costs $13.31 per day). Liability coverage pays for other people’s medical bills and repairs if you cause an accident. Rental cars already come with basic liability coverage. 
• Sirius XM^®: This option covers ad-free satellite radio during your trip (costs $5.99 per day).
• Greenhouse gas emissions offset: This small fee helps fund greenhouse gas offset projects that remove carbon from the atmosphere (costs $1.25 per rental).
• Child safety seat: Enterprise can provide a certified child car seat for infants and toddlers (costs $8.95 per day).
• TollPass: This program offers an easy way to pay for tolls when you are on the road electronically (costs $3.95-4.95 per usage day up to $30)

To begin our review of Enterprise rental car, we’ll look at the service options available with the company, along with their classes of vehicles, policy, and membership program. Enterprise offers the following main rental choices:

• Short-term rentals: These types of car rentals last less than 28 days and can be booked for daily or weekly rates.
• Long-term rentals: Enterprise Rent-A-Car offers long-term rentals for anything over 28 days and has no time limit. The company also offers a monthly car subscription that gives you access to a variety of vehicles including maintenance and insurance in select states.
• One-way rentals: While not offered at all locations, Enterprise does offer one-way car rentals if you are considering cross-country travel or if you just want to save time. They may have a higher rate than your initial rental location and include an additional drop fee which varies depending on the location. 
• Carshare rentals: As a separate business area, Enterprise Carshare membership is available for 24/7 hourly, daily, and overnight rentals. However, availability is limited to the United States, Canada, and the U.K. and requires you to apply for a membership before using the service.

Will Enterprise Pick You Up?

Yes, Enterprise still offers the pickup option for non-airport locations. You can schedule a pickup in advance and someone from the location will get you from the airport and drive you back to the rental office to complete the paperwork. Enterprise doesn’t deliver cars to you without taking you to the office, though. Also, the company limited its pickup service because of the COVID-19 pandemic but will likely expand it in the future.

Enterprise Rental Car Fleet

Enterprise offers many types of vehicles as part of its fleet from economy cars to full-size SUVs along with luxury options. Below are the main classifications of vehicles offered by Enterprise Rent-A-Car:

• Compact: These vehicles are the smallest of the SUV and sedan classifications and seat up to five people and are the best for city driving and fuel efficiency. For sedans, an example would be a Nissan Versa and an SUV variant would be a Nissan Kicks.
• Economy: This type of Enterprise rental only applies to sedans and is similar to the compact car, but is slightly bigger. Vehicles within this class would be a Mitsubishi Mirage or another comparable car.
• Standard: This type of Enterprise vehicle can seat up to five people regardless of whether it is a sedan or SUV and has much more cargo space. A sedan variant would be a Volkswagen Jetta and an SUV would include a Ford Edge or other similar vehicles.
• Midsize: Known as an intermediate car, these vehicles come with the fuel efficiency of a smaller vehicle and give you more room for storage. A Hyundai Elantra would fall in this category for sedans and a Toyota Corolla would fit in this classification for SUVs.
• Full size: This is the second largest class of sedans and SUVs. A Chevy Malibu or Chevy Tahoe would fall within the bounds of this type of vehicle.
• Premium: This is the largest class of vehicles offered by Enterprise for both sedans and SUVs and comfortably fits passengers and baggage. Inclusions in this category would be a Nissan Maxima, Chevy Suburban, or any other similar vehicle.

Enterprise also offers luxury car rentals at various locations. You can choose from midsize sedans like the BMW 5-Series, full-size sedans like the Audi A8, or even a performance sports car like a Porsche 911. If you want to kick it into full gear, you can also get exotic cars like Aston Martins, Bentleys, and Lamborghinis at some locations.

Enterprise Alternative Vehicles

Enterprise also has many truck and van rental options to fit your needs. Vans are part of their standard car rental offerings including minivans, cargo vans, and passenger vans. Options can seat a range of 2-15 people depending on the vehicle you choose. Standard and heavy-duty pickup trucks can also be rented through the main website.

For a larger selection, other specialized vehicles must be rented through Enterprise Truck Rental. A variety of moving trucks, minivans, and commercial vehicles are available to you as part of this separate service.

Enterprise Car Rental Policy

Below are the policies you need to know when renting an Enterprise rental car:

• Age: You need to be at least 21 years old to rent a car from Enterprise unless you want to rent one in Michigan or New York where the minimum age is 18.
• Debit Card: To rent a car with a debit card you must have a travel itinerary that matches your home address and no additional drivers are allowed. However, any address requirements are exempted if you are an active member of the military.
• Rental Extensions: An extension can be done at any time by calling the location where you received your rental. Loyalty program points cannot be used to pay for any time extensions.
• Returns: Returning a car early results in no penalty to you and you will only pay for the time you used the vehicle. However, if you return a car late there is a 29-minute grace period before you are charged an hourly rate and if it rolls over to the next day, you’ll pay a daily charge.
• Additional Driver: You may have your spouse or domestic partner as an additional driver. However, adding an authorized driver other than this will cost a fee, and they need to meet age requirements and present their driver’s license to an agent in person with the primary renter.
• Damages: Unless you bought extra insurance through Enterprise, you need to pay for any damages out of pocket. If you are in an accident, call Enterprise’s 24/7 roadside assistance number to notify the company for towing and transport services.
• Tolls: Tolls must be paid by the renter unless you are taking part in the Enterprise TollPass program.
• Gas: Rental cars must be fueled up to the level the vehicle was received in or you will be charged a gas fee that is typically higher than local prices.
• Flat Tires: You must pay for flat tires yourself unless you can prove there was damage before you drove the vehicle.

Like many other rental car companies, Enterprise has a loyalty program called Enterprise Plus. It’s free to join – just create an account with your contact and driver’s license information and you’ll earn one point for every dollar you spend with Enterprise. However, to maintain your membership need to schedule at least one rental every three years.

The perks of Enterprise Plus include:

• Points that can be used for free rental days
• Members-only check-in at certain locations
• A members-only phone number for faster service

Enterprise Membership Levels

There are four different levels of Enterprise Plus depending on how many reservations you make:

The free Enterprise app allows you to manage and book rentals easily on one platform and can be downloaded on IOS, Google Play, and Android. The application also has functions for you to call for roadside assistance, access your Enterprise Plus account, and get directions to nearby locations. 

Enterprise App Reviews

Customer reception of the Enterprise app is glowing on all phone platforms and sports a 4.9 out of 5.0-star rating on the Apple Store and 4.7 stars out of 5.0 stars on Google Play. Users report a great customer experience with booking and managing reservations along with superior service support. However, a few select reviews talk about limited functionality when it comes to setting up pick-ups for rentals and access to local prices.

With thousands of locations across the country, Enterprise is easy to use and has rental cars available everywhere. However, it’s not the cheapest company, and some locations may have poor customer service. We recommend comparing a few quotes before you travel to find cheap rental cars – it’s easy to do and totally free.

Top Rental Car Alternatives

As you shop around for rental car rates, we recommend the following companies for affordable rentals:

• Budget: True to its name, Budget offers rental cars for the cost-conscious traveler. It has over 1,400 locations and serves over 300 airports in the country.
• Dollar: Dollar Rent a Car is a budget brand owned by Hertz. Dollar offers low rates on car rentals at nearly 200 locations nationwide.
• Turo: Turo is a platform for regular people to rent out their cars across the country. In our cost analysis, we found daily rates on Turo to be cheaper than rates from most brick-and-mortar rental car operations.

Below are some frequently asked questions about Enterprise car rentals:

When we review rental car agencies, our process aims to give you an unbiased account of their overall services. There are many factors to consider when determining the quality of a vehicle rental company, but we have narrowed it down to five main facets:

• Industry Standing: With most major rental companies having services around the globe, their reputation in the industry is important. We use ratings from organizations such as the BBB and JD Power to assess our scores for this category. Those with good industry ratings have a history of reliability and good customer service.
• Availability: It is important that you can use a rental service wherever you go. This rating takes into account how much coverage a rental car agency locations have across the United States and globally.
• Cost: While cost options vary due to a variety of factors, companies can have higher or lower costs compared to the competition and industry averages. We undertook a secret shopper analysis for costs for different rental services, types of vehicles, and locations to determine our ratings.
• Options and Restrictions: Having plenty of service and vehicle options to choose from when traveling is important. Companies with a wide variety of services without too many restrictions score high in this category.
• Customer Experience: Customer reviews for car rental locations across the country allow you to get a picture of what an agency’s services are truly like. Ratings on reputable sites like Trustpilot and the BBB (Better Business Bureau) are used in our score calculation