Types of Car Rental in Singapore: Models, Rates and Uses

The types of car rental in Singapore split two ways: by the car you drive and by how you book it. This blog will walk you through each vehicle category in our fleet with its starting rate and best use, then the booking types, so you can match the right car to your trip and budget.

Types of Car Rental Models

Our fleet is grouped into five vehicle categories. Every rental includes insurance, road tax, unlimited mileage, breakdown service and full maintenance, so the category you pick decides the price and the space, not what is covered.

Saloon Cars

A saloon, also called a sedan, is a car with four doors and a boot sealed off from the cabin behind the rear seats. It seats five and keeps luggage out of sight, which makes it the everyday choice for commuting, airport runs for two or three, and family errands.

Our saloon car rental range starts from S$70 per day. It covers the Toyota Vios, Corolla Axio, Corolla Altis in three generations, Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Mitsubishi Lancer, with engines from 1.5 to 1.8 litres. A saloon suits four adults who want more rear legroom than a hatchback offers.

Hatchbacks and Stationwagons

A hatchback is a compact car whose rear door lifts up together with the back window, so the boot opens into the cabin. That makes loading shopping or a folded pram easier than with a saloon’s boot lid. A stationwagon stretches the same idea into a longer body with a bigger load area.

Our hatchback and stationwagon range starts from S$70 per day. It includes the Honda Fit, Nissan Latio Sport and Mitsubishi Colt Plus, and the Honda Shuttle stationwagon, all with 1.5 litre engines. These cars are the easiest to park and among the cheapest to fuel, which suits solo drivers, couples and city errands.

Luxury Sedans and SUVs

This category covers larger sedans and sport utility vehicles. The Toyota Camry and Nissan Teana are larger sedans for client driving and airport transfers. The Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson and Honda Vezel are five seat SUVs with a higher driving position and a bigger boot, and the Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota Fortuner add a third row.

Our luxury sedan and SUV range starts from S$120 per day. The Mercedes-Benz E250, Mercedes S-Class and BMW 523i sit in this category too, but they are available on long term rental or with a chauffeur only, not as short term self drive.

MPVs and 7/8 Seaters

An MPV, or multi purpose vehicle, is a passenger car built around three rows of seats, with boot space behind the last row. Americans call the same class a minivan. It is the car you need once a sixth person joins the trip.

Our MPV and 7/8 seater range starts from S$120 per day. The Toyota Sienta sits at the compact end, the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Estima and Mitsubishi Grandis make up the family tier, and the Toyota Alphard and Vellfire sit at the premium end. The Hyundai Trajet seats eight, and still drives on an ordinary Class 3 or 3A licence.

Commercial Vans

A commercial van carries goods rather than passengers. Our commercial vehicle range covers the Citroen Berlingo 1.6 Auto and Opel Combo 1.3 Auto, both diesel vans suited to deliveries, stock runs and moving equipment. Ask our team for the current rate.

Check your licence before booking a van. Under the Singapore Police Force licence classes, a Class 3 or 3A licence covers light goods vehicles, but the car only Class 3C and 3CA licences do not. Many expats who convert a foreign licence receive Class 3C, so they can rent any car or MPV in our fleet but not a van.

Types of Car Rental by Booking

The second way to look at rental types is by how long you book and who drives.

Short Term Rental

Short term car rental covers a day to a few weeks, charged per day. The minimum is one day on weekdays and two days for the weekend package. It suits holidays, weekend trips, business visits and workshop replacements.

Monthly Rental

A booking of 30 days or more moves to a lower monthly rate. Compact cars and stationwagons start from S50perday,aboutS1,500 for 30 days, full size cars and SUVs from S60,andMPVsfromS65. Our guide to monthly car rental in Singapore sets out when it beats daily hire.

Long Term Leasing

For six months or more, a lease brings the cost per day down further in exchange for a fixed contract, with terms from 6 to 72 months. It suits expats on multi year postings and companies running staff vehicles.

Chauffeured Rental

With our chauffeur service, a professional driver comes with the car. It suits airport transfers, corporate events, weddings and visiting executives, and it is the only way to book the Mercedes S-Class or BMW 523i on a short hire.

Cross Border Rental to Malaysia

Our saloons and MPVs can be driven into Malaysia as far as Kuala Lumpur, with a surcharge from S$50 per day on the days the car is there. Singapore registered cars must leave with at least three quarters of a tank under the ICA three quarter tank rule. Our car rental to Malaysia page covers the full terms.

Which Category Gives the Best Value

The cheapest category is not always the best value. The right car is the smallest one that fits your passengers and luggage, booked for the right length.

For one to four people, a saloon or hatchback from S70perdayisthebestvalueinthefleet,andthelowestrateweoffer.Perseat,afiveseatsaloonatS70 works out to S$14 a day.

For six to eight people, an MPV beats two cars. One MPV from S120perdaycostslessthantwosaloonsatS140, needs one driver, and pays parking and ERP once. The eight seat Hyundai Trajet brings the cost to S$15 per seat per day.

For a month or more, booking length matters more than category. A compact car drops from S70toS50 per day on a monthly rate, a saving of about S$600 over 30 days.

An SUV or luxury sedan earns its S$120 rate when you need the boot, the comfort or the image, not when a saloon would do the same job. For all our affordable car rental options, call +65 6858 0166 or WhatsApp +65 9690 2887 with your dates and group size.

FAQs About Types of Car Rental 

What types of car rental are available in Singapore?

By vehicle, the main types are saloons, hatchbacks and stationwagons, luxury sedans and SUVs, MPVs and 7 or 8 seaters, and commercial vans. By booking, you can rent short term, monthly, on a long term lease, with a chauffeur, or for cross border trips into Malaysia.

What is the cheapest type of car to rent in Singapore?

Saloons and hatchbacks, from S70perday,withmodelssuchastheToyotaViosandHondaFit.Onamonthlybooking,compactcarsstartfromS50 per day. Every rate includes insurance, road tax, unlimited mileage and breakdown service.

What is the difference between a saloon and a hatchback?

A saloon has a separate boot sealed off behind the rear seats. A hatchback’s rear door lifts up with the back window, so the boot opens into the cabin, which makes loading bulky items easier. Both start from S$70 per day in our fleet.

Which rental car type suits a family of six or more?

An MPV. The Honda Odyssey and Toyota Estima seat seven with boot space behind the third row, and the Hyundai Trajet seats eight. MPVs start from S$120 per day, which costs less than renting two saloons and keeps the group in one car.

Can I rent a van with a Class 3C licence?

No. Class 3C and 3CA licences cover cars only, so vans and other light goods vehicles need a Class 3 or 3A licence. A 3C licence still covers every car and MPV in our fleet, including the eight seat Hyundai Trajet.

Can I rent a luxury car like a Mercedes S-Class for self drive?

Not on a short hire. The Mercedes-Benz E250, S-Class and BMW 523i in our fleet are available on long term rental or with a chauffeur. For short term self drive, the Toyota Camry and Nissan Teana are the premium sedan options, from S$120 per day.