As well-connected as Singapore’s public transport system is, there are probably times when you realise that nothing beats the convenience of having a car.
Sure you can rely on ride-hailing services or taxis.
But try getting one when it’s raining, or during the holiday season.
Especially during Chinese New Year, when you have to shuttle your parents, your kids (maybe even a screaming baby), as well as a cousin or two to 12 different relatives’ houses scattered all over Singapore.
And you realise that you can’t fit everyone into one Grab car.
The easiest solution to all of this?
Cheap car rental.
This is one of the most cost-effective ways to transport your family or a group of friends around for the holidays.
Here’s a complete guide to cheap car rental options and everything else you need to know.
TL;DR: Which Cheap Car Rental Is Best For Chinese New Year?
The first day of Chinese New Year (CNY) falls on 22 January 2023 and it’ll be a weekend (yay to public holidays!)
If you just want to use it for the first day of Chinese New Year — when the bulk of visiting happens — you’re probably better off with a car-sharing service.
For that, you can avoid signup or membership fees to keep your cost low.
But if you plan on renting it for five to 10 days, these are your cheapest options!
Click here to jump:
- What are the differences between international and local car rental companies?
- CNY 2023 car rental packages
- Daily car rental (price per day)
- Car sharing options
Note: Prices quoted are estimates and will vary after including other additional fees and GST.
Where Is the Cheapest Place to Book a Rental Car?
Given our kiasu nature, it’s only natural that we want to get our cars from the best car rental company possible.
Why?
Because this means that you’re assured of:
- the best possible price (read: cheapest)
- the quality of service
- the quality of the cars available for rent (read: won’t breakdown after driving it out of the lot)
- no hidden or sneaky fees
I can’t say which is best because I haven’t tried them all.
But what I do know is for car rental there are two options: car rental companies (international & local) and car-sharing rental companies.
International Car Rental Companies
If you’ve ever gone on a self-driven tour in Australia, Europe, or the USA, then you’d be familiar with brand names like:
- AVIS
- Hertz
- Sixt
These reputable names mean that you can be assured that their service and the cars they provide are of a certain quality.
But they are probably the most expensive option available too.
However, if you’ve used their services before, you’ll know exactly what to expect.
The prices at Singapore car rental companies are usually cheaper than the international brand names.
And they probably have the widest selection of cars available, combined.
There are way too many local car rental companies to list, but some of the bigger ones include:
- Asia Express
- Cycle & Carriage Leasing
- ETHOZ
- Goldbell
- Motorway Car Rentals
- Smart Car Rental
Car Rental During Chinese New Year 2023
Is It Cheaper to Rent a Car for a Week?
I know what you’re thinking, “Why can’t I rent a car for one day or less than three days?”
Well, you can probably do so on a regular day.
But you’d still have to sign some kind of package that requires you to rent the vehicle for much longer than just a few hours.
Also, since you’re renting your car during a holiday period like Chinese New Year.
You’ll notice that the majority of car rental companies offer minimally a 5-day or 7-day package.
And this is because they all have different dates on which they’ll be away for the Chinese New Year period.
For 2023, these are the dates to keep in mind:
- 21 January 2023 (Saturday): Chinese New Year’s Eve
- 22 January 2023 (Sunday): Chinese New Year
- 23 January 2023 (Monday): Chinese New Year (2nd Day)
And because you’re renting a car during this Chinese New Year period, here’s a look at how much it will cost you:
| No. of days | Company | Car Type | Price | Must Cover Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days | Ethoz | Sedan | From $588 | 20 - 23 Jan 2023 |
| Mid-sized Sedan | From $888 | |||
| MPV | From $888 | |||
| SUV | From $1,088 | |||
| Goldbell | Sedan (Hyundai Avante, Mazda 6, Toyota Camry) | $838 - $988 | 20 - 25 Jan 2023 | |
| SUV (Toyota Harrier) | $1,208 | |||
| MPV (Toyota Alphardm Toyota Lexus NX 200) | $1,588 | |||
| Continental (BMW 2 Series, Mercedes C180, BMW 5 Series, Audi Q5) | $1,288 - $1,428 | |||
| Motorway Car Rentals | MPV (Ssangyong Stavic / ’22,BMW 528i ’13 / BMW X3 ‘13-'14 / Audi Q3 ‘14) | $1,388 - $1,418 | 20 - 25 Jan 2023 | |
| 6 days | Goldbell | Sedan (Hyundai Avante, Mazda 6, Toyota Camry) | $988 - $1,176 | 20 - 26 Jan 2023 |
| SUV (Toyota Harrier) | $1,428 | |||
| MPV (Toyota Alphardm Toyota Lexus NX 200) | $1,888 | |||
| Continental (BMW 2 Series, Mercedes C180, BMW 5 Series, Audi Q5) | $1,508 - $1,618 | |||
| 7 days | Smart Car Rental | Sedan | $1,088 - $1,688 | 20 - 27 Jan 2023 |
| MPV | $988 | |||
| Motorway Car Rentals | MPV (Ssangyong Stavic ’22) | $1,808 | ||
| Goldbell | Sedan (Hyundai Avante, Mazda 6, Toyota Camry) | $1,131 - $1,358 | ||
| SUV (Toyota Harrier) | $1,638 | |||
| MPV (Toyota Alphard, Toyota Lexus NX 200) | $2,188 | |||
| Continental (BMW 2 Series, Mercedes C180, BMW 5 Series, Audi Q5) | $1,678 - $1,788 | |||
| 10 days | Smart Car Rental | Sedans | $1,128 - $1,358 | 20 - 30 Jan 2023 |
| MPV | $1,888 |
So if your car rental period falls within the rental company’s CNY surcharge period, you can expect to pay a little bit more than usual (think: Grab surge prices when demand is high).
Price of Car Rental Per Day
Say you really only want to rent a car for one to two days because car-sharing means you would need to find and wait for an available, you can consider renting on a daily basis.
Do note that besides the price you need to fork out to rent, there might be additional charges too:
- Personal accident insurance
- Insurance excess
- Additional named driver
- GPS
Don’t forget that you would have to top-up petrol as and when required too.
With all that’s said, these are some notable names for daily car rental:
| Company | Car Type | Model | Price per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| SGRentACar | Sedan | Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6A GLX Sports | $70 |
| Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6A | $75 | ||
| Toyota Camry 2.0A | $100 | ||
| MPV | Toyota Wish 1.8A | $120 | |
| Asia Express | Sedan/Hatchback | Toyota Altis Toyota Axio Mazda 3 Skyactiv 1.6L | $70 |
| Toyota Prius Hybrid Honda Vezel Hybrid Toyota CHR Hybrid Honda Shuttle Hybrid | $75 | ||
| MPV | Honda Freed Hybrid Toyota Wish 1.8L | $80 | |
| Premier Rent a Car | Sedan/Hatchback | Mitsubishi Attrage | $70 |
| Hyundai Avante Mazda 3 Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6 litre Kia Cerato K3 1.6 litre | $90 | ||
| Toyota Camry 2.0 litre Nissan Teana 2.0 litre Mazda 6, 2.0 litre | $120 | ||
| Mazda CX-5 Toyota Harrier | $150 | ||
| MPV | onda Odyssey, Toyota Wish, Mazda 5 or similar | $150 | |
| SUV | Honda CRV, Nissan X-Trail, or similar | $150 | |
| Continental | Mercedes E220, BMW 3 series, Lexus ES250 or similar | $250 | |
| My Carriage | Sedan/Hatchback | Mitsubishi Space Star Mitsubishi Attrage | $80 |
| Kia Cerato Toyota Corolla Altis | $900 | ||
| SUV | Kia Stonic | $90 | |
| Kia Niro Hybrid | $100 | ||
| Kia Seltos | $140 | ||
| MPV | Toyota Sienta Hybrid | $110 | |
| Citroen Grand C4 Spacetourer | $150 | ||
| Continental Coupe | Mercedes-Benz CLA180 Coupe | $190 | |
| Continental Sedan | Mercedes-Benz A180 Saloon Mercedes-Benz C160 Mercedes-Benz E200 Tesla Model 3 | $170 - $320 | |
| Continental SUV | Mercedes-Benz GLC200 | $270 |
BlueSG, Car Club, Car Lite, Shariot, Tribecar & WhizzCar
Now, let’s look at car-sharing companies.
If you intend to rent a car for a short period of time, then maybe car sharing is a better alternative to traditional car rental companies.
Instead of being tied down by a week or month-long contract, car-sharing allows you to rent a car for shorter, more flexible periods.
Here are your options:
Read more:
- Best Car Loans in Singapore (2022): New, Used & Electric Cars Etc.
- Sell Car Singapore Guide: Can You Actually Sell Your Car for a Profit Now?
- Electric Car Guide: How Much Does It Cost To Own One in Singapore?
Are You Going to Rent a Car?
Well, not everyone has a driver’s license and it doesn’t hurt to take public transport as it’s very efficient.
But, taking a cab, Gojek, or Grab during the CNY means there might be surcharges too, and the benefits of renting a car would mean convenience throughout!
Share your thoughts and experiences with us on Seedly!
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