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Low emission car rental - which rental cars are eco-friendly?

We’ve previously looked at eco-friendly hire cars in the UK and Europe and also asked the question why are there so few Electric Vehicles for rental available and now it’s time to review Australia’s lowest emission rental cars. Price is often a significant factor when renting a car, however in the increasingly climate-aware world we now live, more and more customers are asking for information on the emissions of our rental fleet and requesting the most environmentally friendly rental cars.

Which low emission rental car?

We’ve delved into the details and scoured the spec sheets of all current make and model rental cars in Australia to reveal the most eco friendly to help you make an informed decision when selecting the right rental car for you. We have reviewed all of the current make and models of rental cars available on the Rhinocarhire.com fleet via our suppliers and can reveal the lowest emission rental cars by category here;

low emission rental cars

Low emission rental car agents in Australia

Our list of low emission rental cars in Australia is generated by the most popular make and model cars offered by our trusted rental partners in Australia, including;
  • Alamo
  • Avis
  • Budget
  • East Coast
  • Enterprise
  • Europcar
  • Firefly
  • Hertz
  • Keddy by Europcar
  • National
  • Thrifty
See the full list emissions ratings for rental cars in Australia here;
Class
Make/Model
co2
L/100km
Exact Model
Small
Suzuki Swift
106
4.6
1.2L 4cyl Petrol 91RON, 5 spd Manual
Small
Holden Spark
122
5.3
1.4L 4cyl Petrol 91RON, 5 spd Manual
Small
Kia Rio
129
5.6
S 1.4L MPI Petrol Manual
Small
Toyota Yaris
134
5.8
Ascent 1.3L VVT-i Petrol Manual
Small
Hyundai Accent
136
5.9
1.4L 4cyl Petrol 91 RON, 6 spd Manual
Small
Nissan Micra
138
5.9
1.2L 3cyl Petrol 91RON, 5 spd Manual
Medium
Hyundai i20
126
5.3
1.4 4cyl Petrol 91RON, 6 spd Manual
Medium
Ford Focus
131
5.7
1.5 3cyl Turbo petrol 95RON, 6 spd Manual
Medium
Hyundai Accent
136
5.9
1.4L 4cyl Petrol 91 RON, 6 spd Manual
Medium
Toyota Corolla
148
6.3
Ascent Sport 2.0L 4-Cylinder Dynamic Force Dual VVT-I petrol Manual
Medium
Hyundai i30
170
7.3
2.0 GDi Petrol Manual
Medium
Hyundai Elantra
180
7.8
1.6 T-GDi Petrol Manual
Large
Toyota Corolla
148
6.3
Ascent Sport 2.0L 4-Cylinder Dynamic Force Dual VVT-I petrol Manual
Large
Toyota Corolla
148
6.3
Ascent Sport 2.0L 4-Cylinder Dynamic Force Dual VVT-I petrol Manual
Large
Kia Cerato
174
7.6
S 2.0L MPI Petrol Manual
Large
Hyundai Elantra
180
7.8
1.6 T-GDi Petrol Manual
Large
Hynudai Elantra
180
7.8
1.6 T-GDi Petrol Manual
Large
Toyota Communter ( 12 seater)
197
7.5
Commuter turbo diesel automatic
Large
Kia Carnival (8 seater)
252
10.8
S 3.3L Petrol AUTOMATIC
Large
Kia Carnival ( 7 seater)
252
10.8
S 3.3L Petrol AUTOMATIC
SUV
Mercedes GLA
133
5.7
GLA 180 1595cc 4-cylinder Petrol AUTOMATIC
SUV
Toyota RAV4
155
6.8
GX 2.0L Petrol Manual
SUV
Ford Ecosport
159
6.9
Ambiente 1.5L Petrol, Manual
SUV
Mitsubishi Outlander
166
7.2
ES 2.0L MIVEC Petrol engine Manual
SUV
Mercedes GLC
176
7.8
GLC 200 1991cc 4-cylinder, Petrol Manual
SUV
Nissan Qashqai
178
7.7
2.0 litre 15-valve 4-cylinder Manual 6 speed 4x2 petrol
SUV
Mitsubishi ASX
179
7.7
ES 2.0L MIVEC Petrol engine Manual
SUV
Hyundai Tucson
182
7.8
2.0 GDi 2WD Petrol Manual
SUV
Nissan X-Trail
190
8.2
2.0L 16-valve 4-Cyl Petrol Manual
SUV
Toyota Kluger
212
9.1
GX 2WD 3.5 Litre V6 Petrol Manual
SUV
Toyota Kluger
212
9.1
GX 2WD 3.5 Litre V6 Petrol Manual
SUV
Mitsubishi Pajero
240
9.1
GLX 3.L 4M41 DID Turbo Diesel 4wd AUTOMATIC
Fullsize
Toyota Camry Hybrid
96
4.2
Ascent 2.5L VVT-I petrol engine with Toyota Hybrid-System
Fullsize
Mercedes C Class
159
7
C 200 Sedan, 1991 cc, 4 cylinder. Petrol Manual
Fullsize
Mercedes E Class
161
7.1
E 200 Saloon, 1991 cc, 4 cylinder, petrol automatic
Fullsize
Holden Commodore
169
7.4
LT 2L 4cly Turbo Petrol 95RON, 9 spd AUTOMATIC
Fullsize
Holden Commodore Estate
175
7.7
LT Sportwagon 2L 4cyl Turbo Petrol 95 RON, 9 spd AUTOMATIC
Fullsize
Toyota Camry
181
7.8
Ascent 2.5L dual VVT-I 4-cylinder Petrol Manual.
Premium 
Mercedes C Class
159
7
C 200 Sedan, 1991 cc, 4 cylinder. Petrol Manual

How to reduce emissions when renting a car?

Using our comprehensive guide to low emission rental cars is a good place to start. Whilst the car you require is likely driven by factors such as size and type, within the rental car category you can select the lowest emission model.

Why should I rent a low emission rental car?

The 2019 Bushfires that have blazed across Australia and still burn well into 2020 could be a sign of things to come as leading scientists suggest the recent fires could become the norm as global temperatures continue to rise. Whilst bushfires in Australia are not a new phenomena, however the severity and extent of the most recent fires have been linked to global warming and climate change. The Australian government has been widely criticized for its lack of action in recent times to tackle and more importantly prevent such bushfires.

Draught and heatwaves provide the perfect environment for bushfires to spread and the rise in global temperatures has been cited as a major contributing factor. Simply put, our actions and lifestyles are major contributors to greenhouse gases responsible for climate change and tourism is said to be responsibly for 8% of the worlds total green house gas emissions and road transport accounts nearly 75% of all greenhouse gas emissions linked to transport. Combine those statistics and you can see that your choice of rental car could have a significant impact on the environmental footprint you leave when planning your next holiday. Both domestic holiday makers and international visitors will benefit from understanding the impact their choice of rental car could have.
Phil Partridge
Posted: January 15, 2020 by Phil Partridge
About the Author -

Travel writer, car rental guru, Phil has rented cars all over the world and shares his knowledge and experience on the Rhinocarhire.com Blog. Favourite country to visit: France.

Last updated: Tuesday, January 16, 2024
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