Car rental revenues have been increasing steadily and are expected to continue growing through 2020 as consolidation in the market drives up prices and as travel participation/expenditures rise. As evidenced by the more than 1 million adults who were members of a car-sharing program in 2014, new technologies and service model adjustments should help companies maintain sales growth, as should improved loyalty offerings and more streamlined rental processes. There’s a noteworthy desire among many consumers to rent from companies that use innovative technologies, promote convenience, offer transparent pricing models, and meet their unique, individual needs. Green vehicles and luxury offerings are also increasingly capturing the interest of renters, who want to simultaneously boost their perception of themselves while feeling like they are saving some money.

For the purposes of this report, car rentals are defined as rentals and car sharing of light-duty passenger vehicles, including, but not limited to, midsize/large vehicles, SUVs, light-duty pickups, and hybrid/alternative power vehicles. The report does not cover vehicle leases. The market size is limited to US car rental operations.