Hertz Vs. Enterprise: Battle of The Best Car Rental Brands

Getting a reliable car rental is quite challenging, which may be surprising when you consider the many players in the industry. Despite the presence of several firms, landing the perfect companion is tricky, as you have to carefully sift through them out to remain with the finest.

Your sifting may lead you to the Hertz vs. Enterprise dilemma, where you have two prominent car rentals that boast impressive brand prestige. So, which is the best travel partner between the two?

With a little guidance, you can effortlessly pick the befitting car hire firm. At your convenience, we exhaustively compare the two brands, focusing on their differences and appealing aspects to help you pick the best.

Hertz Car Rental

Hertz Global Holdings, base­d in Estero, Florida, is the parent company of He­rtz Car Rental. It also oversee­s other rental firms such as Thrifty Car Rental, Dollar Re­nt A Car, and Firefly Car Rental.

The company began its operations in 1918 as a small car rental founded by Walter L. Jacobs. Originally called Rent-A-Car Inc., it started with just a handful of Model T Ford cars. The fleet quickly grew to around 600 vehicles within five years.

John D. Hertz, owner of the Yellow Truck and Coach Manufacturing Company, purchased the car hire firm, renaming it to Hertz Drive-Urself System. Three years later, General Motors acquired the company from Hertz, witnessing its expansion to Canada in 1938 and France in 1950. Hertz bought the entity back from General Motors in 1953, rebranding it to The Hertz Corporation.

Hertz Car Rental is among the top three car hire firms in the USA, with a 36% market share. It is also a major player on the global stage, boasting over 12000 locations around the world. It was a pioneer in the Chinese market, being the first international car rental firm to set up shop in the country in 2002.

The company has over 23000 employees, with a $7.34 billion revenue and a $2.04 billion operating income. These figures are as of December 2021.

Hertz Car Re­ntal has collaborated with various players in the aviation, hospitality, and other service sectors to simplify booking and getting around. You can seamlessly access Hertz’s services from their website or app.

Enterprise Car Rental

Enterprise­ Car Rental is part of Enterprise Holdings, an American company based in Clayton, Missouri. Enterprise Holdings also owns Alamo Re­nt A Car and National Car Rental.

In 1957, Jack C. Taylor established the company as the Executive­ Leasing Company. From its inception, Jack Taylor’s guiding principle was to prioritize­ both customers and employee­s to create a successful business. In 1969, the company underwent a name change to Enterprise in honor of the USS Enterprise, the warship where Jack Taylor served. Today, the company is recognized as Enterprise­ Rent-A-Car.

The holding company came to be in 2009 following Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s acquisition of Vanguard Automotive Group, which owned Alamo and National car rentals. Enterprise has a reputation for providing cars to local residents while their own vehicles are being repaired or serviced and has also been rapidly expanding its services to airports.

Enterprise Car Rental is one of the top three car hire companies in the United States, claiming a market share of 33%. It is an organization with 80,000 employees working across its 9,500 branches worldwide. As of the end of 2020, this company generated revenue of around $30 billion.

This car hire company has a huge car selection, comprising compact cars, minivans, exotic cars, SUVs, and trucks. You can access this car rental’s services from its website or app. Besides hiring a car, you can also buy one from this company. You should visit its premises if you are interested in a used car.

Hertz Vs. Enterprise Differences

When choosing between Hertz and Enterprise car rental services, you must weigh several factors. The following are some of these attributes.

Quality of Services

You should always pick a rental companion with high-quality services. Hertz and Enterprise spare no effort in providing client satisfaction, a reason why they rank among the top car rental firms. The two companies have friendly websites for convenience when renting a car, especially if you are distant from their physical locations.

Besides the website, Hertz and Enterprise have mobile apps that are handy if you frequently need vehicle rental services. The apps are user-friendly and versatile, with versions for iOS and Android devices.

The staff of both car rental companies is friendly, and you will have an excellent time consulting them for your car hire needs. Customer support is always ready to help in case of an issue with the services.

Hertz and Enterprise are friendly to drivers living with disabilities. You can hire a car from either company if you are deaf, visually or physically impaired. The vehicles have adaptive driving devices, such as hand controls, pedal extenders, spinner knobs, and left-foot accelerators for effortless driving.

Regarding quality of service, it is a draw between Hertz and Enterprise, as both firms outdo themselves.

Rental Terms

You must review the rental terms of your preferred car rental to see if you qualify for their services. You need a valid driver’s license unless you have a driver with you. You should also meet the age requirements, an area where Hertz and Enterprise differ.

Hertz requires you to be at least 20, the minimum age to hire a vehicle in the USA, though it may be lower in states like Michigan and Alabama, at 18 and 19, respectively. You have more rental options if you are over 25. Enterprise requires the renters to be over 25. You pay extra fees if you are below 25.

The two companies have reasonable fueling terms. For Hertz, you may opt for a refueling service fee, prepaid fuel, or refueling before returning the car. Enterprise allows for prepayment, refueling to the same level during pickup, or paying for fuel at Enterprise’s rate, which is typically higher than that of local pump stations.

Hertz and Enterprise allow pets, though the former advises you to drive with your pets caged and deliver the car free of pet hair. The two car hire entities have strict no-smoking policies. Evidence of smoking attracts a cleaning fee of $400 for Hertz and $250 for Enterprise.

Car Collection

As leading car rental companies in the USA, Hertz and Enterprise have large fleets with various types of vehicles. You can get any car you want, depending on your budget and needs. Hertz’s catalog peaked at 428700 in December 2022, with cars falling under the following categories.

Standard cars are the budget option, comprising sedans and hatchbacks like Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Jetta, and Ford Focus. The Green Traveler Collection consists of electric cars, mostly Teslas.

You find muscle cars under the Adrenaline category, such as Camaros, Shelbys, and Challengers. Hertz’s Prestige Collection comprises high-end models like Infiniti, BMW, Mercedes and Audi. Available car models depend on your location.

Enterprise’s inventory, with more than 600000 cars, has three major categories. The first category is cars, SUVs, trucks, and vans, which have more subcategories. For instance, under cars, you have:

The other category is moving trucks and vans, which you may consider for short-term, heavy-duty, and commercial work. Cars under this class include standard pickup trucks, electric pickup trucks, cargo vans, box trucks, parcel vans, and stakebed trucks. 

Finally, there is the exotic car division, where you find luxury models. Its subdivisions include American muscle cars, electric luxury SUVs and sedans, limo vans, luxury convertibles, elite performance sport, and many more. 

On the Hertz vs. Enterprise fleet discussion, we can agree that both brands have massive car collections. Nevertheless, the enterprise appears more diverse, with a more specified fleet.

Locations

An ideal car rental company should have readily accessible services, which you weigh by their reach. Enterprise and Hertz are global brands with a solid presence in the USA and other countries.

Hertz, which has been around longer than Enterprise, has a broader reach, with over 12000 locations in more than 160 countries. Enterprise trails at about 9500 branches, most of them in the USA.

Hertz car rental is a reliable companion if you frequently travel overseas and require rental services. Enterprise is renowned for its ‘home city service’ tag, with many locations in the USA, making it the perfect rental partner for country driving.

Insurance

Car rental companies require insurance plans to cover clients and their possessions against different eventualities. Relating to Hertz vs. Enterprise car rental insurance comparison, we learn that both companies offer numerous options, depending on your budget, preferences, and the vehicle you want to rent.

Hertz offers the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) protection plan. While basically not an insurance policy, Hertz’s LDW acts like one, waiving your liability in case of car damage or loss. Hertz’s Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) shields you from collision aftermath and other damages you may encounter on the road.

The Supplemental Liability Protection (SLP) plan covers you if you cause an accident that results in injury or property damage. The Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) offered by Hertz covers accidental and medical expenses to passengers of the rented car. The Personal Effects Coverage (PEC) covers property loss or damage during your car rental period.

Enterprise car rental insurance options include the Damage Waiver (DW), which is similar to Hertz’s LDW. Enterprise’s PEC policy insures the personal effects of the passengers in the rental car. The Roadside Assistance Protection (RAP) has your back against roadside mishaps like fuel outages and lost keys. Enterprise’s Supplemental Liability Policy covers the renter from third-party claims, going up to $300000.

The two car rental firms offer their respective insurance policies as extras, though it is advisable to buy into some policies to shield you from the unknown. The cost of the policies varies based on location, type of car, age of driver, driver history, and more.

Price, Rewards, and Offers

The Hertz vs. Enterprise pricing debate ends in favor of the former, as its services are relatively cheaper. For example, hiring an economy car from JFK Airport, New York, will cost $63.20 per day if dealing with Hertz. With Enterprise, you will part with $82.39, which adds up to $111.26, with the difference accounting for taxes and fees.

The cost fluctuates determined by location. If in Orlando, Florida, you pay $62 to Hertz and $64.50 to Enterprise. You will pay more for the services of either company if you are under 25 and opt for add-ons like insurance, GPS, a child safety seat, and Sirius XM.

Enterprise vs. Hertz vs. Avis, how do they fare in pricing? Avis is also a leading car rental firm with over 5500 locations in 165 countries.

Concerning the cost of services, Avis is pricier than its two competitors. Renting an economy car from JFK costs $82.99 and goes up to $115.09 due to taxes and other fees. However, it takes the second spot if you take advantage of its offers and end up paying $103.94.

Talking about offers, Hertz and Enterprise have plenty that you should use for amazing price cuts. Presently, Hertz has more promotions than its counterpart, mostly partner offers, such as:

Furthermore, you can join Hertz’s Gold Plus Rewards for excellent services. Enterprise has corporate coupons that you can apply to your bill when renting a car. You can Join the Enterprise Plus program to earn redeemable points when renting a car. Use the earned points for free rentals.

Cancellation Policy

You might want to cancel your car rental reservation for various reasons, and suitable firms will support your decision. As for Hertz vs. Enterprise cancellations, the former is stricter, with hefty fees.

You won’t face any penalties if you cancel your Hertz reservation within 24 hours of booking. Canceling your reservation more than 24 hours before the timed pickup attracts a $100 fee. Opting out of your reservation less than 24 hours to schedule will cost you $200, while no-shows cost you the total paid amount.

Enterprise will charge you $50 for cancellations more than 24 hours before pickup time and $100 if you cancel your booking less than a day before the scheduled pickup time.

What Do Customers Think About Hertz Vs. Enterprise?

Generally, views on Hertz and Enterprise vary and depend on who you ask, though they are mostly rave. Customer opinion may be excellent in one location and take a nosedive in the next. Hertz has had an amazing run in the industry for a long time, though customer confidence dipped in mid-2020 after its parent company filed for bankruptcy.

Presently, the company is back on its feet and clients still rate it highly. For instance, this contribution on an online forum lauds Hertz’s smooth operations and its great discounts, especially as a gold member.

Enterprise has also had a pretty sail in the industry, a fact its many customers attest to. This Quora comment highlights how customer-oriented Enterprise’s services are, enhanced by a decent car collection.

The presented reviews give one side of the story. If you are dedicated to finding the best car hire firm, you should check out more customer reviews.

Which Car Rental Place Is Better, Hertz or Enterprise?

We learn several things from the Hertz vs. Enterprise weigh-up, such as the companies lengthy stay in the industry, which has earned them a huge customer base. We also learn that they are different when it comes to mode of operation, pricing, and fleet.

Hertz has more locations, and its services are cheaper than its counterpart. It is the ideal companion if you frequently travel overseas. On the other hand, Enterprise Fashions itself as a ‘home city’ brand and is ideal when moving around the country. Enterprise has a larger fleet than Hertz.

For convenience when using either car hire firm, you should use the website or better still their respective mobile apps.