Mobile Menu

Passenger Car Rental and Hiring in Australia - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Ivan Yam Ivan Yam Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: May 2025 ANZSIC L6611

Revenue

$3.8bn

2025-26

$3.9bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

11,580

Businesses

3,603

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Passenger Car Rental and Hiring in Australia industry analysis

The Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry has bounced back in recent years after COVID-19 disruptions challenged its operations. The pandemic significantly restricted international and domestic movement, leading to far less traffic through capital city airports and reduced general spending on car rentals because of lockdowns. Despite this, recent rising levels of short-term car renting, the growing popularity of innovative car-sharing services and steady government demand for fleet leasing have acted to counteract the slump. Overall, revenue is expected to have increased at an annualised 0.9% over the five years through 2024-25 to $3.8 billion, which includes an anticipated 0.5% drop in 2024-25.

Trends and Insights

  • Motor vehicle price hikes have boosted demand for car rental and hiring. As motor vehicles have become less affordable, operating leases have gained popularity.
  • Revenue from household car rentals has dropped as ride-sharing services gain popularity. Ride-sharing platforms provide convenient on-demand transportation without the obligations and expenses of traditional car rentals.
  • Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales host most establishments, as they provide strong urban demand and tourist activity. High average incomes and dense populations in Melbourne and Sydney boost car sharing’s popularity, while Queensland's tourist attractions increase rental car demand.
  • The Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry displays low market share concentration. The industry’s diverse service offerings and fragmented landscape prevent any single company from gaining significant market share.
Show more

Unlimited access to industry research for a full year?

With an annual membership, enjoy the clarity and confidence you need to make forward-looking business decisions. Subscriptions include data and analysis for thousands of industries globally.

Get in Touch

Access hundreds of data points and trends

  • Market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
  • PDF report or online database with Word, Excel and PowerPoint export options
  • 100% money back guarantee

Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $3.8bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

The pandemic devastated the rental market, but the industry has since bounced back

  • The pandemic produced difficult market circumstances for rental companies, with the Federal Government imposing international border restrictions that significantly reduced foreign travel. This resulted in a steep drop in demand, causing industry revenue to plunge in 2020-21. However, as borders reopened in 2021-22, a surge in domestic and returning international travel saw demand rebound, allowing rental companies to recover lost revenue and rebuild fleet capacity to meet rising consumer demand.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Passenger Car Rental and Hiring in Australia
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Growing rates of international travel are set to lift revenue

  • Continued growth in international arrivals to Australia is set to boost rental firms' revenue over the coming years. As global travel strengthens, rental car companies stand to benefit from an influx of overseas visitors needing transportation.

Biggest companies in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
Hertz
498.4
FleetPartners
442.2
Europcar
191.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Passenger Car Rental and Hiring in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Short-term car rental, Long-term car rental and Operating vehicle leasing. Short-term car rental is the largest segment of the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Economic uncertainties have weighed on operating vehicle leasing

  • Operating vehicle leasing is the largest segment in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry. Fully maintained leases offer corporate customers complete vehicle and fleet management services, including vehicle financing, maintenance and administration. Only the operating vehicle leasing segment is included in the industry.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry firms lease, hire or rent out passenger cars without drivers. Passenger cars include sedans, hatchbacks, station wagons, SUVs and minibuses. Novated leasing is not included in the industry.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia include Short-term car rental, Long-term car rental, Operating vehicle leasing and Car-sharing services.

Companies

Companies covered in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia include Hertz, FleetPartners and Europcar.

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia include hybrid, sports utility vehicle (suv) and novated lease.

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 6611 - Passenger Car Rental and Hiring in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Motor vehicle price hikes have boosted demand for car rental and hiring. As motor vehicles have become less affordable, operating leases have gained popularity.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Revenue from household car rentals has dropped as ride-sharing services gain popularity. Ride-sharing platforms provide convenient on-demand transportation without the obliga...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales host most establishments, as they provide strong urban demand and tourist activity. High average incomes and dense populations in Mel...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry displays low market share concentration. The industry’s diverse service offerings and fragmented landscape prevent any single com...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Rental companies have been introducing electric vehicles into their fleets. Major companies have partnered with international manufacturers to add electric vehicles to their ...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of Hertz's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of FleetPartners's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Europcar's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Hertz, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for FleetPartners, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Europcar, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Car-sharing services are disrupting traditional rental firms by offering lower prices and more flexible pick-up and drop-off options. This will increase price competition and...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

New technology and dynamic pricing have boosted industry profitability by reducing operational costs. Dynamic pricing models adapt according to current supply and demand data...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia in 2025?

The market size of the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia is $3.8bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia in 2025?

There are 3,603 businesses in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 10.9 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia?

The Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia?

The Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 0.9 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia are Hertz, FleetPartners and Europcar

What does the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia include?

Short-term car rental and Long-term car rental are part of the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia is Hertz.

How competitive is the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Passenger Car Rental and Hiring industry in Australia.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

View all industries in Australia

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

feedback