Loved the car – big, comfortable, and easily fit four suitcases. Really smooth to drive too. Only downside was having to wait in a super long line to pick it up.
The recommended add-ons were a bit misleading. On the plus side, there were plenty of cars to choose from and both pick-up and return were really convenient.
Thrifty rental review: real-world test of a Nissan Sentra for daily commuting
Overall rating: (4/5)
Car rented: Nissan Sentra or similar
Location: Major US airport branches
Price & booking: great bang for your buck
Thrifty’s biggest selling point is definitely the price. After comparing with Hertz and Avis, Thrifty’s quote was clearly more competitive, especially if, like me, you only need a simple car to get around. The base rate was very reasonable, and booking through a third‑party site shaved the price down even further.
Car condition: a solid, practical runabout
I ended up with a Nissan Sentra.
- Exterior & interior: The car was generally clean. There were a few minor scratches on the outside (pretty normal for rentals), but the interior was in decent shape and well maintained.
- Driving experience: As a compact sedan, the Sentra is well‑suited for city driving and everyday commuting. Fuel economy was pleasantly good, and the seats were reasonably comfortable. For longer trips they can feel a bit on the thin side, but as a temporary, get‑you‑from‑A‑to‑B car, it does the job just fine.
The line was actually pretty long—I waited almost 10 minutes before realizing I could just scan the QR code to pick up the car. It cost me about $25 more, but it saved my whole family from waiting around hungry for another hour, so it was totally worth it. I finished everything online, got the parking spot number right away, and then just walked over and drove off.
The rental company was pretty good. I arrived quite late but there were still several counters open and the paperwork was done really fast. The only thing is you have to go to the parking lot and pick a car yourself.
Overall it was pretty good, and the staff were really nice. I’m guessing it’s a company policy, but they did try hard to talk us into prepaying for a full tank of gas. In the end we decided not to prepay and just return the car with a full tank instead.
In addition to credit and debit cards, you can now pay for online car rentals with cryptocurrency! Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) are accepted. Curious about how long a Bitcoin transaction takes or how to pay with Bitcoin? Read our FAQs for more details.
Planning to rent a car on your next journey? Subscribe to get an exclusive 5% off coupon for new users!
Please enter a valid email address
Know our privacy policy - you can easily unsubscribe any time!
Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Anonymous
View more >Car Rental Brands Ranked In United States
Pay for Car Rentals with Crypto