How to Choose the Right Rental Car for Your Romania Trip

Choosing the right rental car for Romania makes the difference between a stressful trip and an unforgettable road adventure. Here is EziRent’s guide to matching the car to your journey.

Step 1: Know Where You’re Driving

City only (Sibiu, Cluj, Bucharest): Compact or economy car. Easy to park, low fuel consumption. Our recommendation: Renault Clio, VW Polo, or Seat Ibiza.

City + day trips (motorway): Standard sedan or hatchback. Comfortable for longer drives, good fuel economy. Our recommendation: Skoda Octavia, VW Golf, or Ford Focus.

Mountains and rural areas: SUV or crossover. Ground clearance for unpaved roads, stability on winding mountain passes. Our recommendation: Dacia Duster 4×4, VW Tiguan, or Ford Kuga.

Mixed terrain (best of everything): Compact SUV. Versatile for both city streets and mountain roads. Our recommendation: VW T-Roc, Skoda Kamiq, or Ford Puma.

Step 2: Manual vs Automatic Transmission

Manual: Standard in Romania. Cheaper to rent. Better fuel economy. Recommended if you’re comfortable driving stick – most Romanian roads reward manual gearboxes with better control on mountain descents.

Automatic: Less common, slightly more expensive, but worth it if you’re not used to manual. Ideal for city driving (Cluj and Sibiu traffic can test your clutch patience). All our automatic cars are clearly marked in the search page.

Step 3: Fuel Type – Petrol vs Diesel

Petrol (Benzina): Better for short trips and city driving. Quieter engine. Most economy and standard cars in our fleet run on petrol.

Diesel (Motorina): Better for long distances. More torque for mountain driving. Lower fuel cost per 100km. Our SUVs and premium cars are mostly diesel.

Fuel prices (May 2026 approximate): Petrol ~7.2 lei/L, Diesel ~7.0 lei/L. A 500km road trip in a Skoda Octavia diesel costs roughly 180 lei (36 EUR) in fuel.

Step 4: How Many People and How Much Luggage?

Step 5: Special Needs

Child seats: Request at booking. 5 EUR/day. Specify child’s age/weight.

Bicycle/ski rack: Not standard, but we can arrange it with advance notice.

Roof box: Some SUVs can accommodate. Ask when booking.

EziRent’s Most Popular Cars (and Why)

Dacia Duster 4×4 – Romania’s national car, perfect for exploring Maramures, Apuseni, and mountain passes. 28 EUR/day. Everybody loves it.

Skoda Octavia – The Swiss Army knife of cars. 568L trunk. Comfortable for 4 adults. 23 EUR/day. Our most-booked vehicle.

VW Tiguan – For those who want premium comfort on Transylvanian roads. 32 EUR/day. Popular with international travelers.

Renault Trafic – When you need 9 seats for a group Transylvania tour. 45 EUR/day. Book early in summer.

Ready to Choose?

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*EziRent – The right car for every Romanian road. Since 2015.*