Car rental companies in Australia:Which are most popular?

Name: Car rental companies in Australia: Which are searched most?
Creator: Brandwave
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In September 2026, Hertz was the most searched car rental company in Australia, accounting for 21.2% of all searches among the seven companies we track. When we checked with ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews, Sixt, Budget and East Coast Car Rentals showed up in every answer. Sixt was recommended most often, though no response put it first.

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Top car rental companies in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In Brandwave's three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Sixt, Budget and East Coast Car Rentals appeared every time. Sixt was recommended most often, though no answer put it first. Budget was second, and Avis was third.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

How many AI answers named each brand
Brand	ChatGPT	Google	Answers that named it
Sixt	Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 2 of 2 Google AI Overviews	5 of 5
Budget	Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 2 of 2 Google AI Overviews	5 of 5
East Coast Car Rentals	Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 2 of 2 Google AI Overviews	5 of 5
Hertz	Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 2 of 2 Google AI Overviews	4 of 5
Avis	Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 1 of 2 Google AI Overviews	4 of 5
Europcar	Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 0 of 2 Google AI Overviews	2 of 5
Thrifty	Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 0 of 2 Google AI Overviews	1 of 5

Sixt5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Budget5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
East Coast Car Rentals5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Hertz4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Avis4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Europcar2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Thrifty1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers

See every answer about car rental companies

5 answers

Asked ChatGPT
“Which car rental company should I use in Australia?”
1. 1Avis
2. 2Sixt
3. 3Budget
4. 4East Coast Car Rentals
5. 5Hertz
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best car hire companies in Australia?”
1. 1East Coast Car Rentals
2. 2Budget
3. 3Avis
4. 4Sixt
5. 5Hertz
6. 6Thrifty
7. 7Europcar
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the cheapest car hire company at Australian airports?”
1. 1East Coast Car Rentals
2. 2Sixt
3. 3Budget
4. 4Avis
5. 5Europcar
Searched Google, AI Overview
“car rental”
1. 1Hertz
2. 2Avis
3. 3Sixt
4. 4Budget
5. 5East Coast Car Rentals
Searched Google, AI Overview
“car hire”
1. 1Hertz
2. 2Budget
3. 3Sixt
4. 4East Coast Car Rentals

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in Australia on October 22, 2026.

Which car rental companies do people search for most?

This chart shows how often people search Google for each car rental company by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven car rental companies we track, month by month, from searches in Australia.

Share of searches among car rental companies in Australia, by month

Month	Hertz	Europcar	Sixt	Avis	Budget	East Coast Car Rentals	Thrifty
Oct 2025	37.1%	13.6%	13.6%	13.6%	11.1%	6.1%	5%
Nov 2025	36.2%	13.3%	13.3%	13.3%	13.3%	5.9%	4.9%
Dec 2025	36.6%	13.4%	13.4%	11%	13.4%	7.3%	4.9%
Jan 2026	33.7%	15.1%	15.1%	12.4%	12.4%	6.8%	4.5%
Feb 2026	35.4%	15.9%	13%	13%	13%	5.8%	3.9%
Mar 2026	34.7%	12.7%	12.7%	15.6%	12.7%	7%	4.7%
Apr 2026	32.4%	14.5%	14.5%	11.9%	14.5%	7.9%	4.3%
May 2026	32%	14.4%	14.4%	14.4%	11.7%	7.9%	5.3%
Jun 2026	29%	16%	16%	13.1%	13.1%	7.1%	5.9%
Jul 2026	25.2%	16.8%	16.8%	13.8%	13.8%	7.5%	6.2%
Aug 2026	23.7%	15.8%	15.8%	15.8%	15.8%	7.1%	5.8%
Sep 2026	21.2%	17.3%	17.3%	14.2%	14.2%	9.5%	6.4%

Rank	Brand	Share of searches	Estimated monthly branded searches	vs prior month	Share change
1, held 1st	Hertz	21.2%	74K	-18.2%	-2.5 points
2, moved from 4th to 2nd	Europcar	17.3%	60.5K	0%	+1.5 pointsmoved from 4th to 2nd
3, moved from 5th to 3rd	Sixt	17.3%	60.5K	0%	+1.5 pointsmoved from 5th to 3rd
4, moved from 2nd to 4th	Avis	14.2%	49.5K	-18.2%	-1.7 pointsmoved from 2nd to 4th
5, moved from 3rd to 5th	Budget	14.2%	49.5K	-18.2%	-1.7 pointsmoved from 3rd to 5th
6, held 6th	East Coast Car Rentals	9.5%	33.1K	+22.1%	+2.4 points
7, held 7th	Thrifty	6.4%	22.2K	0%	+0.5 points

1.Hertz
21.2%
Held 1st. 74K estimated branded searches, -18.2% vs prior month. Share -2.5 points.
2.Europcar
17.3%
Moved from 4th to 2nd. 60.5K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +1.5 points.
3.Sixt
17.3%
Moved from 5th to 3rd. 60.5K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +1.5 points.
4.Avis
14.2%
Moved from 2nd to 4th. 49.5K estimated branded searches, -18.2% vs prior month. Share -1.7 points.
5.Budget
14.2%
Moved from 3rd to 5th. 49.5K estimated branded searches, -18.2% vs prior month. Share -1.7 points.
6.East Coast Car Rentals
9.5%
Held 6th. 33.1K estimated branded searches, +22.1% vs prior month. Share +2.4 points.
7.Thrifty
6.4%
Held 7th. 22.2K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +0.5 points.

Which brand is most popular in search among car rental companies in Australia?

7 brands

In September 2026, Hertz was the most searched among car rental companies in Australia, with an estimated 74K branded searches, 21.2% of all searches for the seven we track. Europcar is in 2nd place, 3.9 percentage points behind at 17.3%.

Australia car rental companies, last 12 months ending September 2026
Brand	Share of searches	Peak	Low	Rank
Hertz	37.1% → 21.2%	37.1%Oct 2025	21.2%Sep 2026	1st
Europcar	13.6% → 17.3%	17.3%Sep 2026	12.7%Mar 2026	3rd → 2nd
Sixt	13.6% → 17.3%	17.3%Sep 2026	12.7%Mar 2026	4th → 3rd
Avis	13.6% → 14.2%	15.8%Aug 2026	11%Dec 2025	2nd → 4th
Budget	11.1% → 14.2%	15.8%Aug 2026	11.1%Oct 2025	5th
East Coast Car Rentals	6.1% → 9.5%	9.5%Sep 2026	5.8%Feb 2026	6th
Thrifty	5% → 6.4%	6.4%Sep 2026	3.9%Feb 2026	7th

Each finding as a sentence

Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Hertz’s share of searches among car rental companies in Australia decreased from 37.1% to 21.2%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Europcar’s share of searches among car rental companies in Australia increased from 13.6% to 17.3%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sixt’s share of searches among car rental companies in Australia increased from 13.6% to 17.3%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Avis’ share of searches among car rental companies in Australia increased from 13.6% to 14.2%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Budget’s share of searches among car rental companies in Australia increased from 11.1% to 14.2%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, East Coast Car Rentals’ share of searches among car rental companies in Australia increased from 6.1% to 9.5%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Thrifty’s share of searches among car rental companies in Australia increased from 5% to 6.4%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Europcar’s share of searches among car rental companies in Australia peaked at 17.3% in September 2026 and was lowest at 12.7% in March 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sixt’s share of searches among car rental companies in Australia peaked at 17.3% in September 2026 and was lowest at 12.7% in March 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Avis’ share of searches among car rental companies in Australia peaked at 15.8% in August 2026 and was lowest at 11% in December 2025.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Budget’s share of searches among car rental companies in Australia peaked at 15.8% in August 2026 and was lowest at 11.1% in October 2025.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, East Coast Car Rentals’ share of searches among car rental companies in Australia peaked at 9.5% in September 2026 and was lowest at 5.8% in February 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Thrifty’s share of searches among car rental companies in Australia peaked at 6.4% in September 2026 and was lowest at 3.9% in February 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Europcar rose from 3rd to 2nd among car rental companies in Australia.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sixt rose from 4th to 3rd among car rental companies in Australia.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Avis fell from 2nd to 4th among car rental companies in Australia.

How did search popularity change for Australia car rental companies in September 2026?

7 changes

In September 2026, Europcar overtook Avis and Budget to rank 2nd among car rental companies in Australia, with 17.3% of the searches.
In September 2026, Sixt overtook Avis and Budget to rank 3rd among car rental companies in Australia, with 17.3% of the searches.
In September 2026, East Coast Car Rentals gained share of searches among car rental companies in Australia, from 7.1% to 9.5%.
In September 2026, Thrifty gained share of searches among car rental companies in Australia, from 5.8% to 6.4%.
In September 2026, Hertz lost share of searches among car rental companies in Australia, from 23.7% to 21.2%.
In September 2026, Avis lost share of searches among car rental companies in Australia, from 15.8% to 14.2%.
In September 2026, Budget lost share of searches among car rental companies in Australia, from 15.8% to 14.2%.

How are branded searches counted for car rental companies?

8 search terms

Each brand's share of searches among car rental companies comes from the terms listed under its name. When people mostly search for a brand because of something else it sells, only the searches that name this product count here.