Cheap car rentals in Asheville
| Mini |
| Economy |
| Compact |
| Intermediate |
| Standard |
| Full-size |
| Luxury |
| Minivan |
| Passenger van |
| SUV |
| Commercial |
| Pick-up truck |
Top tips for hiring a car in Asheville
- Asheville has plenty to offer, from a vibrant arts scene to historical buildings, and, of course, the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a 1-hour drive from the center. Don’t miss out on any of Asheville’s attractions and rent a car to get the most out of your visit. Many of the outer attractions, including the Blue Ridge Mountains, are not available with public transport and a car will give you the most flexibility to explore the city and surroundings in your own time.
- Asheville Regional Airport features five on-site car rental companies which offer vehicles for all tastes. Follow the signs out of the terminal to their service desks and pick up a car to be in Asheville center in less than half an hour via the I-26 W. The transfer will take almost an hour with public transport, so the most convenient way to start your time is with a rental car directly from the airport. If arriving by train or bus, there are also car rental locations in the city -- for instance, in Tunnel Road or Patton Avenue.
- Asheville has wonderfully breathtaking scenic routes; however, these routes are also very steep in some places and it is important to shift to a lower gear instead of breaking down on your way. If braking too much, the brakes can overheat and, in the worst case scenario, stop working altogether. Drive slowly through the winding roads in and around Asheville as well, especially in winter, with snow and ice possibly on the streets. Ensure the rental car has winter tires, make sure to adjust your speed, and have some extra snacks and thermos flasks ready in the car in case you get stuck.
- The I-240 goes right through the heart of Asheville and the I-40 is a major route connecting many places, so these roads can be congested when commuters come into Asheville in the morning between around 7-9am and leave the city between 5-8pm. If going west, the US-23 can be an alternate route, depending on your ultimate goal.
- Book your rental car in Asheville at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Mini rental cars in Asheville are around -107% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Asheville
Asheville car rental reviews and directory
Thrifty
6.2
Okay
102 reviewsCleanliness
6.1
Comfort
6.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.0
Value for money
6.4
One location in Asheville
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Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Cons:
Everything went smoothly2.0 Poor
Mar 2021
Pros:
The staff at the airport was uncooperative and when I asked if I could change the drop off location the person at the counter made a point to be short and was not helpful. I also asked about adding another driver and he seemed annoyed at my questions. Because of this I canceled my reservation and booked at the counter next door. He told me that I would still be charged for the day if I switched in a manner that was intended to scare me than in making any effort to be helpful. but once I made the other reservation he was able to refund my money.Cons:
Better customer service at the counter.10.0 Wonderful
Jan 2021
Cons:
Experience was great.2.0 Poor
Sep 2020
Pros:
Nothing.Cons:
They could have had a car. Some car. They did not. There were no cans or Uber's. So I was stranded at the airport. Thanks thrifty! Go fu k yourselves8.0 Very Good
Aug 2020
Pros:
Staff was great! Second time we have rented from the same location. Got the managers special which at first was a shock...not a car but a truck!! That was the only vehicle they had available. I use a cane and had to step on my suitcase to get into the vehicle. Ended up being a very comfortable ride and so easy to drive. It ended up being a great ride with grand kids too!2.0 Poor
Jul 2020
Cons:
Car was filthy and stinky - still had trash from prior renter. Ugh. Tire needed air.Enterprise
6.2
Okay
59 reviewsBest rated
Cleanliness
6.6
Comfort
6.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.5
Value for money
6.2
4 locations in Asheville
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1.9 Poor
Jun 2021
2.0 Poor
Apr 2021
Cons:
The car was not clean. Especially in these times that is very disappointing. We believed we were renting a vehicle from the airport location not the TUNNEL RD location 30 minutes away. This was a total pain. The taxi to the location cost us $45 dollars. We literally begged them to change our drop off location. We made no less then 5 phones, tried to speak with a manager to change our drop off location and all we were told was NO- GET AN UBER. We were left with no options, we TRIED to get an UBER and the Asheville Uber did not show up at 5:00 am as we suspected we wouldn't. We drove an unnecessary hour in the car prior to driving to the actual airport Enterprise location and leaving the car there. We new we were going to have a problem and the staff simply did not care.10.0 Wonderful
Mar 2021
Pros:
Friendly staff.8.0 Very Good
Jan 2021
Pros:
The staff at this location is greatCons:
The selection of vehicles and the cleanliness of the vehicle2.0 Poor
Jan 2021
Pros:
Car wasn’t available10.0 Wonderful
Dec 2020
Pros:
Absolutely wonderful people to deal with. The are knowledgeable and share that information. They will help well above and beyond other rental place I have dealt with. This crew is excellent.Hertz
5.8
Fair
48 reviewsCleanliness
6.6
Comfort
6.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.6
Value for money
5.9
2 locations in Asheville
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8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Pros:
VERY friendly staff. Vehicle upgrade was excellent.Cons:
Way too expensive.2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
Staff in Asheville was terrible. They ended up giving us the wrong car and we only found it out when we dropped it off in Jacksonville. Staff in Jacksonville as almost as bad. The car was also not cleaned before. Someone's old coke can was left in the car.Cons:
Whatever you do, make sure you get a PAPER contract when you pick up your car. They said we didn't need one in Asheville and they just emailed it to us, but once we got to Jacksonville, Hertz acted like we should have had one and they treated us as if we were the problem with it not being there.10.0 Wonderful
Dec 2020
Pros:
Could not have been easier all the way around from staff at the counter to the car itself.Cons:
Not a thing.10.0 Wonderful
Nov 2020
Pros:
Staff. Car.2.0 Poor
Oct 2020
Pros:
They had over booked by 35 cars and we were stranded at a small airport with no rental car. They did not help in any way.Cons:
Had a car for us. I'm very disappointed.4.8 Mediocre
Oct 2020
Pros:
Got there and line was 20 people deep and people in front of me had been there for 90 minutes. One person at counter. left after an hour without a car.Cons:
more people at desk, don’t overextend reservationsBudget
5.0
Fair
69 reviewsCleanliness
5.9
Comfort
6.1
Pick-up/Drop-off
4.8
Value for money
5.5
One location in Asheville
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6.0 Okay
Oct 2022
2.0 Poor
Oct 2022
10.0 Wonderful
Mar 2021
Pros:
Friendly and professional staffCons:
Additional staff. Had to wait 45 min for car during pickup6.8 Okay
Sep 2020
Cons:
The car smelled like cigarettes5.6 Fair
Jul 2019
Cons:
Price5.6 Fair
Jun 2019
Pros:
The employee at the airport was able to switch my reservation around so I could get a car from the airportCons:
It was not clear from my reservation that the pickup location was not the airport and what time I would need to be there by to get the car.Avis
5.7
Fair
25 reviewsCleanliness
6.0
Comfort
5.8
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.3
Value for money
5.7
One location in Asheville
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Reviews
6.0 Okay
Jan 2021
Pros:
Not much, honestly. I specifically rented a small car and was given a larger SUV that I didn't really want to drive. See below. The dropoff in Chesapeake was fine. The rental price was much better than what competitors quoted me.Cons:
Just about everything. The vehicle was in need of alignment so driving it was a challenge. And despite being told there was half a tank of gas, it was barely 1/4 of a tank. The pickup took forever because there was only one employee and the Asheville location was quite busy. And people pick specific cars during rental for a reason. I was supposed to get a Corolla or similar. Instead I got this EcoSport SUV that was bigger than I wanted, and wasn't really in great shape. Beyond that, the dropoff location is really hard to find. It's in an area with lots of other businesses and there's no sign that's visible from the road. If you happen to turn into the right place, there's a very small sign next to the front door that says "AVIS/Budget Group" but otherwise the building looks like a white house next to a Verizon store.4.0 Mediocre
Dec 2021
Cons:
The car was absolutely filthy and most of the staff were rude, even on the phone trying to figure out where in the mall they're located. They didn't give me a printout with my total when I picked up the car and it wasn't emailed to me, turns out they overcharged me.2.0 Poor
Sep 2020
Pros:
Drop off was easy, convenient location in airport.Cons:
The car was not ready at the specified time. When it was 1 hour later at the closing time of the Avis branch, it had not been cleaned or vacuumed and smelled like marijuana smoke. Unacceptable during a pandemic.6.0 Okay
Sep 2020
Cons:
Went to pick up my vehicle at scheduled time and there were no cars available . Also asked for a car and they put me into an suv and charged me for it5.6 Fair
Jun 2019
Pros:
Drop-off staff was helpfulCons:
Car smelled like smoke. Pick-up was slow and sales rep was distracted. Expensive for what we got2.0 Poor
Jan 2017
Pros:
I did not receive the SUV that I rented online.Desty-Nation Rentals LLC
No score available yet
One location in Asheville
Sunnycars
No score available yet
One location in Asheville
303 travellers who rented a car in Asheville gave the car agency they used an average rating of 5.8
Car hire locations in or near Asheville
Good to know
Most popular car type | Mini |
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When to book a car hire in Asheville
Average daily price per month
Car hire prices as pick-up date approaches