Cheap car rentals in Hilo
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| Intermediate |
| Standard |
| Full-size |
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| Pickup truck |
Top tips for renting a car in Hilo
- Rent a car in Hilo and experience all that Hawaii’s Big Island has to offer. Discover the sights within the city limits, including the rugged black-sand beaches, the Wailuku River State Park, the Imiloa Astronomy Center, and the Hilo Farmers Market. Or venture a little further and check out the island’s volcanoes at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. With many scenic drives and hiking trails in and around the park, it is only a 40min drive from Hilo.
- The rental car offices at the Hilo International Airport (ITO) are located on the ground level, near the arrival hall of the airport’s main terminal. Your Hilo rental car may be waiting for you near the terminal, or the rental company may provide a shuttle to transport you from the rental office to a car parked at one of the satellite lots.
- With car rentals in Hilo, driving in and around the city is pretty straightforward. Keep in mind that the GPS in your rental car might not properly pronounce many of the Hawaiian words and names. Cars share the roads on Big Island with cyclists and tourists who may be paying more attention to the scenery than the road, so stay alert. You may even come across a wild pig or goat on the road. A word of caution when you’re traveling on the island’s more remote roads (like Saddle Road): large sections of these roads are without cell service.
- When visiting Hilo, one thing you won’t have to worry about is traffic. Unlike some of the other parts of Hawaii, Hilo typically does not have significant rush hour traffic. Winter is a busy season for tourists, so the traffic gets a bit heavier in this season. The largest traffic concern with the Hilo car rentals is the rain. It rains almost every day in Hilo, and you’ll want to be prepared for slower travel times in the wet weather.
- 25% of our users found rental cars in Hilo for ₪734 or less
- Book your rental car in Hilo at least 2 days before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Economy rental cars in Hilo are around 12% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Hilo
What type of car is recommended for driving in Hilo?
When considering car rentals in Hilo, we recommend a convertible for cruising around the beaches and taking in the sights of Big Island. If you do rent a convertible, be sure it has a power-folding top for quick closures if it starts to rain. If you’ll be spending time at the beach with the family, an SUV might be needed to store all of the beach essentials, such as towels, toys, and beach bags.
What’s the speed limit in Hilo?
The fastest speed limit on Big Island is 60mph, but most of the roads are 25 to 35mph. Drivers should know that it is easy to speed here if you’re not paying attention, as speed limits frequently change on the roads. Many of the local police use private, unmarked vehicles with only a small blue light on top to distinguish them from other cars, and you might not notice them until it’s too late to avoid a ticket.
Where are the best places to park in Hilo?
Free parking is easy to find in Downtown Hilo, either in lots attached to businesses and attractions or on the street. A few streets, such as Kalakaua St and Kamehameha Ave, have metered parking. Many of the Hilo hotels include free daily parking. By law, access to Hawaii’s beaches is free, including free parking for the beaches, and most of the beaches have parking lots.
How much does it cost to rent a car in Hilo?
On average a rental car in Hilo costs ₪734 per day.
How much is gas price in Hilo?
The average gas price in Hilo is ₪15.62 per gallon over the past 30 days. Filling up a gas tank costs between ₪187 and ₪250, depending on the car size.
What is the most popular rental car in Hilo?
Economy (Kia Rio or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in Hilo.
Which car rental companies are at Hilo Intl airport (ITO)?
The only car rental company onsite at Hilo Intl airport is Alamo.
Which car rental companies will pick you up at Hilo Intl airport (ITO)?
The only car rental company that offers shuttle or pick-up services from Hilo Intl airport to off-airport locations is Alamo.
How can I find car rentals near me in Hilo?
Take a look at our extensive car rental location map to find the best rental cars near you.
How much does an Economy car rental cost in Hilo?
An Economy car rental in Hilo costs ₪241 per day, on average.
How much does a Mini car rental cost in Hilo?
A Mini car rental in Hilo costs ₪185 per day, on average.
How much does an Intermediate car rental cost in Hilo?
An Intermediate car rental in Hilo costs ₪192 per day, on average.
How much does it cost to rent a car for a week in Hilo?
On average a rental car in Hilo costs ₪5,140 per week (₪734 per day).
How much does it cost to rent a car long term for a month in Hilo?
On average a rental car in Hilo costs ₪22,027 per month (₪734 per day).
Which car rental companies in Hilo have updated their vehicle cleaning and safety policies because of Coronavirus (COVID-19)?
One car rental company which has updated their car rental health and safety policies due to COVID-19 to make sure vehicles are clean and disinfected is Alamo
Hilo car rental reviews and directory
Hertz
8.8
Very good
145 reviewsCleanliness
8.9
Comfort
8.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.8
Value for money
8.5
2 locations in Hilo
Filters
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Nov 2021
10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Staff was very accommodating, rental was top notch!Cons:
The website is not very user friendly2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
hertz car rental rep. is very nice. We cancel the booking due to we were not allow to enter HI, we arrived at Honolulu at 05:00am on Monday with hawaiin airline en rout to Hiloi, but we were not allow to unless we agree to be quarantine for 10 day,yet our time to stay in HI only 7 day, so we decided to fly back to Las Vegas the same day, we called hertz car rental and we inform that we need to call expedia.com to get the refund, the 800# weren't answer for 2 day, finally got live person answer and we were to direct to call another #, the number he gave us wes the wrong #. 3 days pass finally talked to the rep. and he said to to confirm with hertz, and they will call back, in short they told us not to expect a refund at all.Cons:
We will not recommend to book anything thru racrental.com, getting a red tape all around, book direct to hertz car rental or any other well known car rental such as avis or enterprise.10.0 Wonderful
Feb 2021
Pros:
YesCons:
They were very fast and efficient.8.0 Very good
Nov 2020
Pros:
The vehicle was ver clean and comfortable.Cons:
The counter person was impersonal and unfriendly.10.0 Wonderful
Jun 2019
Pros:
Ease of picking up and dropping off. Shuttle driver and staff were very helpfulAlamo
9.2
Wonderful
90 reviewsCleanliness
9.5
Comfort
9.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
9.3
Value for money
8.6
One location in Hilo
Filters
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
They had a car for 1.5 daysCons:
If they had cars available for most or all of my trip8.0 Very good
May 2021
Cons:
The staff at pick up was not Aloha friendly, but the staff at drop off was super nice and help to fill out turn in papers10.0 Wonderful
Mar 2021
Pros:
Great prices, friendly staff. Very fast and efficient check in and out.Cons:
Nothing, this was the best car rental experience I have every had.10.0 Wonderful
Feb 2020
Pros:
The pick up and drop off at the airport in Hilo was the easiest interaction with a rental car company I've ever had.10.0 Wonderful
Jan 2020
Pros:
friendly staff, good selection of cars8.8 Very good
Sep 2019
Pros:
Very organised, great offer of options, friendly stuff.Cons:
Better understanding of costumers needs.Enterprise Rent-A-Car
8.4
Very good
52 reviewsCleanliness
8.6
Comfort
8.8
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.0
Value for money
8.5
2 locations in Hilo
Filters
Reviews
8.8 Very good
Aug 2020
Pros:
Friendly, helpful staff.Cons:
The car we reserved was not ready and we had to wait about 30 minutes for them to prep another one. Since we had reserved it online, it should have been available.10.0 Wonderful
Jul 2020
Pros:
Staff very friendly and helpful. Great price through PriceLine.Cons:
All the rental car places in Hilo close at 5pm. I had to rebook my flight after discovering that. They are 5 minutes away from the airport, which is why the price was so cheap. Had to take a cab to pick up the car (I called Enterprise from the airport to inquire about transportation), but they offered me a ride when I dropped off the car, which I didn’t need then. Curious why they didn’t offer me a ride from the airport v10.0 Wonderful
Jun 2020
Pros:
VeryCons:
Nothing6.4 Okay
Oct 2019
Cons:
Not at airport did not pick up or drop off, not 24 hours5.2 Fair
Apr 2019
Cons:
All the employees I dealt with were friendly and helpful, so excellent service. I realize inventory was low, but my car had stains on the seats and scratches all over the outside body. It was embarrassing to ride around in.9.6 Wonderful
Nov 2018
Pros:
It was so fast & easy to get a rental. Both picking up & returning, service was awesome!Thrifty
8.1
Very good
31 reviewsCleanliness
8.2
Comfort
8.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.2
Value for money
7.6
One location in Hilo
Filters
Reviews
8.0 Very good
Sep 2020
Pros:
Employees were so incredibly friendly, vehicle was clean.Cons:
Breakdown of charges on receipt. I wasn’t aware there would be an extra $200 hold and it scared me.5.2 Fair
Feb 2020
Pros:
Yes, and yes.Cons:
The price of the rental could have been way better. The shock came with the added fees at the end of the rental...$91! It was already over $50 per day, and then I added a $10 per day upgrade to get a better car than a Spark. So that last chunk of money just added insult to injury.6.4 Okay
Nov 2019
Pros:
Very friendly staff. Good price. Car mechanically ok.Cons:
Car had a lot of scratches and dings. Interior reeked of smoke2.0 Poor
Aug 2019
Cons:
There was a long line and only one representative. She was still working on the first person after 10 minutes, then she went to another desk to take in a return. We went to National and drove away before she got to the second person. We were number six.2.0 Poor
Apr 2019
Pros:
Nothing they couldn’t honor our reservation didn’t have a car ready for us...Cons:
They could have let us know in advance if they wouldn’t have a car for us...10.0 Wonderful
Jan 2019
Pros:
Great, fast online process and terrific service at checkin and checkout!Dollar
7.6
Good
62 reviewsCleanliness
8.0
Comfort
8.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.0
Value for money
7.2
One location in Hilo
Filters
Reviews
1.9 Poor
Jul 2021
10.0 Wonderful
Apr 2021
Pros:
Let switch drop off after airline messed us up.Cons:
There was definitely a speed sensor that would ding when you went 56 mph. That was super annoying 😒6.8 Okay
Nov 2020
Pros:
The counter person was pretty nice and friendly. The check in and check out was really quick. We love the vehicle because it accommodated our whole family and the purpose for the rental and it was a really smooth and comfortable ride.Cons:
The rental company should have cleaned the vehicle before renting it out. It was really dirty, inside and out, and my daughter found a used, dirty mask, that could have exposed us to Covid!!! There was dirt in the center council and in the storage compartments on the doors, and the vehicle looked like it hadn’t been vacuumed. Also, there were smudges/hand and fingerprints on the windows and center council. We really would expect a higher level of cleanliness during a time like this!!!10.0 Wonderful
May 2020
Pros:
very good staff8.0 Very good
Dec 2020
Pros:
The counter staff is very nice.10.0 Wonderful
Dec 2019
Pros:
Friendly staff, no lineBudget
7.5
Good
33 reviewsCleanliness
7.7
Comfort
8.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.9
Value for money
7.3
One location in Hilo
Filters
Reviews
2.0 Poor
Sep 2023
10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Staff was super helpful and, as always, full of the aloha spirit!!🤙Cons:
Nothing. All was excellent!10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Drop off was super easy; the staff was super helpful and very sweet as she upgraded us to a bigger vehicle during our stay. Couldn’t have asked for a more pleasant interaction.Cons:
This is not on the staff but ensuring there is a new battery in the key fob is important... there were a couple of times where I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to lock/unlock the vehicle at some of our destinations. Spent $5 to replace the battery and it worked just fine afterwards.10.0 Wonderful
Jul 2020
Pros:
She was niceCons:
although she was nice, she should have pointed out the rates, bcoz the counter girl surely made sure i noticed it now that im away from the counter.6.4 Okay
Aug 2019
Pros:
Staff rushes you and does not make you feel valued, then again local people seem to not like tourist.Cons:
A sense of friendly from the staff in Hilo would be nice. They are very unwelcoming.10.0 Wonderful
Jul 2019
Cons:
We had a great car and the unlimited miles were awesome! We had a great time!National
9.9
Wonderful
21 reviewsCleanliness
9.7
Comfort
10.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
9.4
Value for money
9.1
One location in Hilo
Filters
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Mar 2021
Pros:
Very friendly, easy going and nice. Getting the car and returning it was easy and niceCons:
Nothing, wish there were deals on pricing9.2 Wonderful
Mar 2018
Pros:
Fast, friendly service. No issues checking in or out. A little pricey but would definitely rent from them again.8.8 Very good
Mar 2018
Pros:
Friendly service10.0 Wonderful
Feb 2018
Pros:
Su at the Hilo airport National car rental was absolutely AWESOME! She saved our trip and was so kind. Thank you Su.Cons:
We rented a jeep and it had no running boards which made it hard for my wife to get in out. Also it had manual locks and manual windows.10.0 Wonderful
Feb 2018
Pros:
Very quick and easy to pick up and return at Hilo. Recommend!10.0 Wonderful
Aug 2017
Pros:
Great service and friendly!Cons:
Nothing great experiencePayless
9.0
Wonderful
25 reviewsCleanliness
8.9
Comfort
8.9
Pick-up/Drop-off
9.3
Value for money
8.8
One location in Hilo
Filters
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Sep 2023
8.0 Very good
May 2021
Pros:
The staff was very friendly. They had a cancellation on a mini-SUV and gave us a free upgrade.Cons:
The vehicle could have been a little cleaner.9.6 Wonderful
Mar 2019
Cons:
Everything was cool6.0 Okay
Oct 2017
Pros:
Nice peopleCons:
I booked an Audi convertible but was left with a Mustang. sobI switched to a hard top sedan because Mustangs are so uncomfortable.10.0 Wonderful
Jul 2017
Pros:
Quick and easy10.0 Wonderful
Nov 2016
Pros:
Easiest rental experience ever...so easy that I am horrified at all my previous airport rental experiences that are thought were "okay." Friendly service, fast paperwork, upgrade (very exciting) and we were off on our Hawaiian adventure in just a few minutes. Payless is curbside at the airport in Hilo, and after you walk right up to the attendant, we walked across the access road and there was our car waiting in the second row. Couldn't have been easier. I didn't get any "up sell" on insurance or coverage after firmly saying I wasn't interested. Easy drop off as well. In and out of the Payless booth in less than 5 minutes. Again, pleasant attendants and I will definitely use this company again!Avis
5.0
Fair
7 reviewsCleanliness
5.5
Comfort
6.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.0
Value for money
6.0
One location in Hilo
Filters
Reviews
4.0 Mediocre
Mar 2021
Pros:
They were quick to replace the offered car, they were polite and efficient when dropping car.Cons:
Not offered us a car which was undriveable due to a damaged front fender which was rubbing front wheel. The cars, inc replacement were filthy.10.0 Wonderful
Sep 2023
4.0 Mediocre
Feb 2023
Easirent
4.7
Mediocre
No reviews available
One location in Hilo
Sunnycars
No score available yet
2 locations in Hilo
VIPCars Recommendation
No score available yet
One location in Hilo