Car Rental in Kuala Lumpur: 10 Airport, City and App Options
Last updated: October 2026
Most visitors to the capital never need a car, but car rental in Kuala Lumpur makes sense for day trips to Melaka, Genting Highlands, Kuala Selangor or the east coast, and for families travelling with luggage. The main rental desks sit at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA Terminal 1 and klia2), with a few city branches and a growing number of app-based options.
This guide covers 10 car rental options in Kuala Lumpur, from international brands and Malaysian companies to car-sharing and peer-to-peer apps, all checked in October 2026. Addresses, desk hours and published prices are listed where the operator makes them public. Prices are in Malaysian Ringgit (RM). Daily rates for counter rentals change with season and car class, so we list "rates on quote" rather than guess.
Note that SOCAR, once the largest car-sharing app in the Klang Valley, ended its Malaysian service on 31 August 2026. GoCar and the peer-to-peer platform TREVO continue to operate.
Jump to a place (11)
International Car Rental Brands at KLIA and in the City
Hertz (Sime Darby Rent-A-Car)
Hertz in Malaysia is run under franchise by Sime Darby Rent-A-Car, which has operated since 1982. The downtown branch at Soho Suites KLCC on Jalan Perak is one of the few rental offices inside the city centre, which suits travellers who want to explore KL on foot first and only pick up a car for an out-of-town trip.
There are also two airport desks: KLIA Terminal 1 (Lot 16, Ground Floor, Car Park D) and klia2 (Lot L1-A07, Level 1, gateway@klia2). Both open Mon–Sat 7:30 am – 10 pm and Sun and public holidays 7:30 am – 7 pm. Downtown phone: 03-2181 0658; klia2: 03-8787 8315. Hertz Malaysia notes that a deposit of RM600 applies to renters paying by debit card.
Avis Malaysia
Avis has a desk in the KLIA Terminal 1 arrival hall, listed by Malaysia Airports as open daily from 7 am to 10 pm. The Malaysian operation is run by DRB-HICOM EZ Drive, with its head office in Glenmarie, Shah Alam. Reservations: +603 7803 7555.
Besides standard short-term rentals of up to a month, Avis Malaysia offers long-term leasing, chauffeur services and a fleet that includes Proton models such as the X50 and X70 alongside electric vehicles. Avis also has a counter at Penang International Airport, which is useful if you plan to split your trip between the two cities.
Europcar
Europcar lists a station at klia2, where the car rental counters are grouped at the Transportation Hub on Level 1 of the gateway@klia2 mall, next to the terminal. The brand also lists further stations around Kuala Lumpur and one at Penang International Airport.
Bookings are made through europcar.com.my or the international Europcar sites. Desk hours are not published per station, so confirm your pickup time when you book, particularly for late-night AirAsia arrivals into klia2.
Malaysian Car Rental Companies
Mayflower Car Rental
Mayflower is one of the longest-running Malaysian rental firms, with its head office in Segambut and branches in Penang, Langkawi, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and other cities. Its KLIA Terminal 1 arrival-hall desk is listed by Malaysia Airports as open daily from 7 am to 11 pm.
Mayflower's published terms: drivers must be 21 to 65 with at least two years of driving experience, a pre-authorisation hold is placed on your card as the deposit (banks can take 14 to 30 days to release it), and short-term bookings should be made 48 hours ahead. Main line +603-6253 1888, WhatsApp +6018-382 8860. Roadside assistance runs 24 hours.
Kasina Baru Rent-A-Car
Kasina Baru is a Malaysian rental company with a desk in the KLIA Terminal 1 arrival hall, listed by Malaysia Airports. Its customer service office is at Lot 19, Ground Floor, Car Park D, KLIA (03-8787 1736), where cars are handed over and returned.
Weekend and public holiday hours are shorter than at most other KLIA desks (8:30 am to 5 pm), so book a weekday collection or arrange a meet time in advance if you land on a Sunday evening.
ORIX Car Rentals
ORIX Car Rentals, part of the Japanese ORIX group, keeps a desk in the KLIA Terminal 1 arrival hall. It is best known locally for long-term leasing, but the airport counter handles short-term walk-up and pre-booked rentals.
Weekday hours run late (until 11 pm), while weekends and public holidays close at 6 pm. Ask about mileage limits and the toll payment set-up in the car when you collect it.
Insas Pacific Rent-A-Car
Insas Pacific Rent-A-Car (also known as PRAC) is another Malaysian operator with a KLIA Terminal 1 arrival-hall counter, open daily from 7 am to 10 pm according to Malaysia Airports.
It is worth comparing against the larger brands on price for longer rentals. As with every firm here, check the fuel policy (most hand over and expect the car back with a full tank) and whether a Touch 'n Go card is supplied for tolls.
WAHDAH
WAHDAH is a Malaysian rental platform that delivers cars to set pickup points rather than running a traditional counter. In Kuala Lumpur its listed free-delivery points are Jalan Masjid India, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, KL Sentral and Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS), with a separate mini hub serving KLIA Terminal 1 and klia2.
Its website shows daily rates from RM130, varying by car type. Requirements for foreign renters are not published on the main site, so message support first (+603-2709 0105, WhatsApp or [email protected]) with your licence and IDP details.
App-Based and Peer-to-Peer Car Rental in Kuala Lumpur
GoCar
GoCar is a Malaysian car-sharing service: you book, unlock and return the car through the app, paying by the hour or day. Standard cars start from RM13.90 an hour, and GoCar quotes day rates from RM69. Electric options include the Nissan Leaf (RM15.90 an hour, RM163 a day). Stations cover Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and both KLIA terminals, and the company also operates in Penang and Johor Bahru.
Non-Malaysian members need a valid passport, an International Driving Permit and their home driving licence to register, so sort this out before you travel. After SOCAR closed on 31 August 2026, GoCar became the main on-demand car-sharing app in the Klang Valley.
TREVO
TREVO works like a home-sharing site for cars: private owners list their vehicles and you rent them for a day, weekend or longer. Prices start from RM70 a day with 200 km included (RM1 per extra km), with 10% off weekly and 20% off monthly bookings. Hosts can add delivery and pickup if requested at least three hours before the rental starts.
International visitors can rent but must upload a valid home licence, passport and International Driving Permit; verification can take up to 24 hours. Renters must be at least 19 and hold a full (competent) licence, not a probationary one. TREVO was SOCAR's sister platform and has continued to operate after SOCAR's August 2026 exit.
Driving Tips for Car Rental in Kuala Lumpur
Licences and the International Driving Permit
Tourists can drive in Malaysia on a valid foreign licence for up to 90 days. If your licence is not in English, carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) or a certified English translation; ASEAN licence holders do not need an IDP. In practice, carry an IDP anyway: GoCar and TREVO both require one from foreign renters, and rental desks and police find it easier to read.
Driving on the left
Malaysia drives on the left, with right-hand-drive cars. Expect heavy traffic on the Federal Highway, Jalan Tun Razak and around Bukit Bintang at rush hour (roughly 7 to 9:30 am and 5 to 8 pm), and lots of motorcycles filtering between lanes. Use Waze or Google Maps; both are widely used locally.
Tolls and Touch 'n Go
Peninsular expressways are fully cashless. Pay with a Touch 'n Go card, a Touch 'n Go RFID tag linked to the eWallet, SmartTAG, or a Visa or Mastercard at lanes that support open payment. RFID lanes have barriers that will not lift for a car without an active tag, so ask the rental desk which method the car is set up for before you leave.
Parking in the city
DBKL has removed street parking machines in Kuala Lumpur. Pay for kerbside bays with an app such as EZ KL Smart Park (i-KL), Flexi Parking or JomParking, or through the Touch 'n Go eWallet. Malls and office towers use ticket or Touch 'n Go barriers.
Petrol prices for foreigners
Malaysians pay a subsidised RM1.99 a litre for RON95 under the BUDI95 scheme, verified by MyKad. Foreign visitors pay the unsubsidised market price, which changes weekly: RM4.67 a litre for RON95 and RM5.15 for RON97 for 8 to 14 October 2026. Most rental cars take RON95. Return the car with the tank at the level stated in your agreement to avoid refuelling charges.
Car Rental in Kuala Lumpur: Frequently Asked Questions
Can tourists rent a car in Kuala Lumpur with a foreign licence?
Yes. Visitors can drive on a valid foreign licence for up to 90 days. If the licence is not in English you need an International Driving Permit or certified translation, and app services such as GoCar and TREVO ask all foreign renters for an IDP. Rental desks also expect a passport and a credit card for the deposit.
Is it worth renting a car in Kuala Lumpur?
Inside the city centre, usually not: traffic is heavy, parking costs add up and the LRT, MRT, monorail and Grab cover most sights. A rental pays off for day trips to Melaka, Genting Highlands, Kuala Selangor or Fraser's Hill, or for families with luggage arriving at KLIA.
Where can I pick up a rental car at KLIA?
At KLIA Terminal 1, Hertz, Avis, Mayflower, Kasina Baru, ORIX and Insas Pacific have desks in the arrival hall, with Hertz and Kasina handing cars over from Car Park D. At klia2, rental counters are at the Transportation Hub on Level 1 of gateway@klia2, where Hertz and Europcar operate.
How much is petrol for foreigners in Malaysia?
Foreigners pay the unsubsidised market price. For 8 to 14 October 2026 that was RM4.67 a litre for RON95 and RM5.15 for RON97. The RM1.99 BUDI95 price is only for Malaysian citizens with a MyKad. Prices are revised weekly.
How do I pay tolls in a rental car?
All expressway tolls in Peninsular Malaysia are cashless. Use a Touch 'n Go card, an RFID tag if the car has one, or a contactless Visa or Mastercard at lanes that accept open payment. Ask the rental company which option the car is set up for, and top up the Touch 'n Go card at convenience stores or petrol stations.