For the past two years, I’ve worked at a rental car company. Over these years, I’ve formed some pretty strong opinions about the cars we carry as I spend hours upon hours driving them. Some cars are great and some… well let’s just say they could use some work.

Have you ever wanted to rent a car but didn’t know which category or style to book? Look no further! I’m going to rank all of the rental cars by category (worst to best) to help you make a decision next time you need to rent a car!

For the sake of sheer length, I won’t go into super detail about every car.

Economy/Compact Car

Worst: Ford Fiesta

Courtesy: autoblog.com

This car looks like it’ll be a fun and peppy little ride but it turns out to be anything but that. Its engine is underpowered and it lacks nice control. The interior feels cramped and cheap. Not to mention they always come back filthy for some reason so we hate cleaning them. And they always smell like wet socks, it’s the weirdest thing. About the only plus this car has is Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Mitsubishi Mirage

It’s well known in the car world that this car is a piece of garbage. The three-cylinder engine makes it feel like you’re driving a go-cart. Everything about the car is cheap and feels cheap. The only reason it’s above Fiesta is because it’s great for upselling people. That sounds like a slimy salesman talking but it’s true. People see this car and they will pay for something better.

Nissan Micra

Toyota Yaris

Kia Rio

Hyundai Accent

Nissan Note

The Note is basically a bigger version of the Micra. The inside is actually bigger than an intermediate car (trade secret) but the interior is very cheap. It runs and drives just fine and actually feels quite comfy on long drives. It is a little underpowered and is lacking some of the features that the best e-car has.

Best: Chevy Spark

Courtesy: autoblog.com

This is the only car in this category that feels like the makers actually cared about. Yeah, it’s small but it doesn’t feel that small until you try to park it. It has CarPlay, it has XM radio, some of them even have heated seats! Most importantly, I feel the safest driving them over any other car so far.

Intermediate/Standard/Elite Standard Car

Worst: Mercedes-Benz B250

Courtesy: caradvice.com.au

Literally, the only good thing about this car is the badge on the front. This car is just a car for someone who wants to say they drive a Mercedes. The interior is really bad and the seats are so uncomfortable one couldn’t take this car for a long drive.

Nissan Sentra

Hyundai Elantra

Honda Civic

Kia Soul

This one is just a box on wheels. It’s very versatile though. It looks kind of like a compact SUV and it can almost fit into any of the other car classes. For that reason, it’s in the middle of the pack.

Subaru Impreza

Volkswagen Golf

Mazda 3

Toyota Corolla

Volkswagen Jetta

Best: Kia Forte

Courtesy: autoblog.com

This honestly is my favourite car in our entire fleet. The interior is nice, the exterior looks kind of sporty and fun and they always come back CLEAN. Not to mention they’re an absolute joy to drive. They hug corners and feel just fast enough but not too fast that you’ll get into trouble.

Fullsize/Fullsize Hybrid/Elite Fullsize/Premium

Worst: Chevy Malibu

Courtesy: autoblog.com

To be honest, this car isn’t that bad. The fullsize cars are all pretty good cars. This one has the worst interior and feels the worst to drive. Its engine is also extremely underpowered. The best way I can describe it is a granny car. I also had a customer steal one of these cars once and when we finally got it back, the inside was destroyed. Now I dislike all Malibus because I had to clean that one.

Volkswagen Passat

Mercedes-Benz CLA250

Buick Regal

Somehow we get off calling this a premium car. This is definitely not a premium car.

Toyota Camry

Ford Fusion Hybrid

This is the only hybrid car we have. I actually quite like it. It has heated and cooled seats, navigation, XM radio, and its a hybrid so it’s great on gas. What makes it the middle of the pack is the number of phone calls I get asking why the car won’t turn on even though I spent 15 minutes explaining that the car was a hybrid and it doesn’t make any noise when you picked it up.

Nissan Altima

Chevy Impala

Mercedes-Benz C300

Dodge Charger

Chrysler 300

Best: BMW 330

Courtesy: autoblog.com

Okay, I would never own this car, BMW’s are a pain in the ass. But as a rental, you can’t beat this. It’s fast, it’s fun to drive, and it’ll definitely put a smile on your face when you take it up the Sea to Sky Highway. And the interior is extremely comfy. The only downside is that it’s pretty brutal on gas but if you only drive for the weekend who cares right.

Compact/Intermediate SUV

Worst: Chevy Trax/Buick Encore

Courtesy: autoblog.com

This car is so bad it feels like you’re driving a riding lawnmower with a touch screen. You’re supposed to be able to fit 5 people in here but my old Nissan sports car had more room than this thing does. Not to mention, GM was so uncreative that they just slapped a Buick badge on this thing and called it premium. IT’S THE SAME CAR!!

Hyundai Venue

This car is the same size as a Kia Soul and somehow it fits in this category but a Soul doesn’t… go figure.

Ford EcoSport

Chevy Equinox

Hyundai Tuscon/Kia Sportage

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

This used to be a sports car… what happened Mitsubishi??

Mercedes-Benz GLA250

Subaru Crosstrek

Mitsubishi Outlander

Ford Escape

Subaru Forester

BMW X1

Best: Hyundai Kona

Courtesy: autoblog.com

There’s just something very charming about this car. It won’t get you anywhere fast but it’s quite comfortable. The engine is underpowered but for the price you pay, it’s pretty nice. It comes with CarPlay and has ample room for 5 people. It’s also all-wheel drive so it’ll attack any weather easily. Don’t let the funny appearance throw you off! It’s a good car.

Standard/Fullsize/Large SUV

Worst: Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon

Courtesy: autoblog.com

Chevy… taking the worst spot three categories in a row. The build quality just doesn’t feel good. Driving a Tahoe or Yukon just feels like an accident waiting to happen. They’re too big and many people don’t know what they’re getting into when they rent one. And the interior is the cheapest thing ever. You’d think for the amount of money you spend on them they would make the inside a bit better.

Chevy Suburban

Jeep Wrangler

By far the most overrated vehicle that exists. They drive like hot garbage and have the least comfortable interior of all time. Every time you hit a little bump it feels like you’re going to fly off the road. Plus, they always come back dirty, inside and out.

Hyundai Santa Fe

Kia Sorrento

BMW X3

Ford Edge

Nissan Murano

For every car that I’ve complained about not being comfortable, this one makes up for it. The seats feel like actual recliners. Like the one your dad watches TV and falls asleep in.

BMW X5

Best: Ford Expedition

Courtesy: autoblog.com

This car just barely edged out the X5. It has 8 seats with plenty of room for everyone. Not to mention best in class cargo space. It’s very luxurious and wears its size nicely. It’s huge but it doesn’t feel huge like the Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban does. It has a fantastic sound system too. I have fond memories of piling everyone in the branch into an Expedition and going to raid the airport for more cars.

Of course, all of this is just my opinion but I hope this list has been educational! Which cars do you like to drive? Let us know down below.