Search
Deals
Tips
FAQs
Locations
Agencies
When to book

Essex car rentals

Driver's age: 26-65

Search hundreds of rental car sites at once for car rental deals in Essex

Here is why travelers choose KAYAK

Save up to 46%Compare multiple travel sites with one search.

Free to useThere are no hidden charges or fees

Filter your dealsFilter by car type, brand and more. Instantly customise your results.

Book with flexibilityUse our "free cancellation" filter for maximum flexibility at no extra cost.

Cheap car hire in Essex

Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates
Choose your dates
Volkswagen Polo car
Volkswagen Polo
or similar SMALL
2
2
4-5
M
AED 63/day
View Deal
Renault Captur car
Renault Captur
or similar SMALL
4
2
4-5
M
AED 81/day
View Deal
Skoda Octavia car
Skoda Octavia
or similar MEDIUM
5
3
4-5
M
AED 128/day
View Deal
Volvo XC60 car
Volvo XC60
or similar SUV
5
2
4-5
M
AED 232/day
View Deal
Fiat 500 car
Fiat 500
or similar SMALL
2
2
2-3
M
AED 73/day
View Deal
Mercedes-Benz C-Class car
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
or similar LARGE
5
5
4-5
M
AED 169/day
View Deal
Seat Alhambra car
Seat Alhambra
or similar VAN
5
2
4-5
M
AED 209/day
View Deal
Mercedes-Benz E-Class car
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
or similar LUXURY
5
5
4-5
M
AED 233/day
View Deal
Kia Stonic car
Kia Stonic
or similar SUV
4
2
4-5
M
AED 62/day
View Deal
Nissan Qashqai car
Nissan Qashqai
or similar SUV
5
3
4-5
M
AED 92/day
View Deal
Kia Cee'd SW car
Kia Cee'd SW
or similar SMALL
4
2
4-5
M
AED 153/day
View Deal
Best prices found by KAYAK users in the past 48 hours.

Top tips for hiring a car in Essex

  • We recommend choosing a smaller, compact, vehicle when hiring a car in Essex, like a standard or economy vehicle. This is because the towns in the county are quite small, with narrow roads in places, as well as old road layouts. However, if you are travelling with the family, or are planning to leave Essex to the surrounding countryside, an SUV or 4x4 is a great choice too. Luxury or convertible cars are also popular choices for vehicle hire in Essex for those on a business trip or celebrating a special occasion.
  • Like the rest of the UK, it’s illegal to use your mobile phone or satnav in your hands whilst you’re driving your hire car. If you need to use a device because of an emergency, it’s always best to pull over once it’s safe to do so. If you’re travelling with young children under the age of 12, it’s a legal requirement to use a child seat, it’s easy to add this to your booking when hiring a car – your child may be exempt from this if they are over the height of 135cm, but it’s always best to wait until they are the correct age to be as safe as possible.
  • You can hire a car in Essex and use it beyond the county to the rest of the UK; however, if you are planning to visit Scotland and Wales it’s important to note that journey distances are quite long. We recommend making plenty of stops along the way, perhaps overnight if you are travelling to Scotland. Car hire companies in Essex will not charge you extra for this service; however, it’s important to consider that some companies have a limit on mileage, with charges if you go over this amount. It’s therefore best to select a company with unlimited mileage if you are hiring a car in Essex and planning on leaving England.
  • Book your rental car in Essex at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
  • Intermediate rental cars in Essex are around 6% more expensive than other car types, on average

FAQs about hiring a car in Essex

  • Should I hire a car in Essex?

    Hiring a car in Essex is a great way to visit the county and surrounding area. Use your car to drive easily between the Essex coastline, Layer Marney Tower, Colchester Castle and Audley End House and Gardens – this can all be done in one day when you hire a car. Essex is connected to several main roads so you can quickly and easily get to popular locations outside of the county, like London, Cambridge, Oxford or Kent. Most hire companies allow you to drop off your car at another branch location if you want to start your trip in Essex and finish it in a different town or city.

  • What is driving like in Essex?

    The speed limits in Essex vary throughout the county, the legal speed limit in town centres is usually between 20mph and 30mph, depending on the size of the town. The dual carriageways have a top speed limit of 60mph and the limit on the nearby motorways is 70mph. If you are going from Essex to Kent, you’ll need to pass through the Dartford crossing, which you need to pay for. You no longer pay when at the Dartford crossing itself and instead have to pay online by midnight the day after you cross, or at a PayZone store if you prefer to pay in person.

  • How old do you have to be to hire a car in Essex?

    You have to be a minimum of 21 years old in order to hire a car in Essex and must have held your driving licence for at least a year before renting your vehicle. Even if you meet these requirements, you may still be limited as to which vehicle you can rent, as some larger and more powerful vehicles have higher age restrictions. You may also be subject to a young driver surcharge, it’s best to check with your chosen car hire company in Essex in advance as to their exact policy if you are under the age of 25.

  • How much does it cost to hire a car in Essex?

    On average a car hire in Essex costs AED 97 per day.

  • What is the most popular car hire in Essex?

    Intermediate (Peugeot 3008 or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Essex.

  • What is the cheapest car hire company in Essex?

    In the past 72 hours, the cheapest car hires were found at GREEN MOTION (AED 62/day), DRIVALIA (AED 63/day) and Europcar (AED 92/day).

  • How can I find car hires near me in Essex?

    Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.

Car rental locations in Essex

Car rental directory

  • enterprise

    Enterprise Rent-A-Car car hire locations in Essex

    14 Locations

  • keddy

    keddy by Europcar car hire locations in Essex

    10 Locations

  • free2move

    Free2Move car hire locations in Essex

    9 Locations

  • firefly

    Firefly car hire locations in Essex

    8 Locations

  • greenmotion

    GREEN MOTION car hire locations in Essex

    7 Locations

  • budget

    Budget car hire locations in Essex

    6 Locations

  • europcar

    Europcar car hire locations in Essex

    6 Locations

  • hertz

    Hertz car hire locations in Essex

    6 Locations

  • avis

    Avis car hire locations in Essex

    4 Locations

  • shouqi

    Shouqi car hire locations in Essex

    4 Locations

  • sixtrentacar

    Sixt car hire locations in Essex

    4 Locations

  • sunnycars

    Sunnycars car hire locations in Essex

    4 Locations

Good to know

Most popular car type

Intermediate

When to book a rental car in Essex

Average daily price per month
Car hire prices as pick-up date approaches

Everything you need to know for your car rental in Essex

Complete your trip to Essex

Flights to Essex
Hotels in Essex

Search for cheap rental cars in Essex with KAYAK and rent a car that suits you best. KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites to help you find and book the best rental car deal at car rental locations across Essex.

Not what you’re looking for? Find thousands of other hotels, flights and car hire with KAYAK.