BLUU car rental in South Africa

Bidvest Car Rental was bought from the Bidvest Group by the Thesele Consortium, a joint venture of the Thesele Group, Hallmark Motor Group and Mortimer Motors. The sale concluded in July 2021 and the BLUU rebrand was announced in September 2021. BLUU's own About page says it is powered by that alliance.

Five years on, the old name persists in search because people remember the badge on the kiosk. The bidvestcarrental.co.za address now redirects to BLUU. If a travel booking or a corporate rate card still says Bidvest, it refers to the business that now trades as BLUU.

• Official site is bluucarrental.com; bluucarrental.co.za and bidvestcarrental.co.za both redirect to it (checked 29 Sep 2026). bluu.co.za did not respond. (bluucarrental.com)
• BLUU says it operates across South Africa, Namibia and Lesotho; branches are listed in every SA province including Namibian branches at Hosea Kutako airport, Windhoek Town, Walvis Bay, Luderitz, Ondangwa and Katima Mulilo. (bluucarrental.com)
• Products include BLUU Luxe (Audi Black Edition SUVs), Terrain X (equipped 4x4), Suzuki Jimny, Van Rental (bakkies and vans), Long Term rental, Door2Door transfers and Chauffeur drive. (bluucarrental.com)
• Overseas car hire is offered via Sunny Cars, with unlimited mileage and inclusive protection. (bluucarrental.com)
• Ancillary rates: minor damage waiver R47/day, tyre and glass waiver R79/day, hail waiver R79/day, child seat R593 per rental, GPS R153/day. (bluucarrental.com)
• Bluu Assist provides 24-hour roadside and medical assistance access; the renter pays for services rendered. (bluucarrental.com)
• Cancellation: for South Africa bookings notify in writing or by phone; the BLUU rental terms page carries the cancellation notice text. (bluucarrental.com)

Checked on 29 September 2026 against BLUU Car Rental (formerly Bidvest Car Rental)'s official website. Numbers change, so confirm on the linked page before you call. A rental company will not ask you to pay a deposit into a new bank account by phone or WhatsApp; if anyone does, hang up and call the official number.

Sources: bluucarrental.com, bluucarrental.com.

What BLUU Car Rental (formerly Bidvest Car Rental)'s own terms and FAQ pages said on 29 September 2026. Rules differ by vehicle group and branch, so check the terms for your booking.

No car hire operator in South Africa trades as Blue Car Rental. The bluecarrental.com address belongs to an Icelandic company and does not rent cars here. The bluerentalcars.co.za site is a comparison site, not an operator.

The South African name that matches is BLUU Car Rental, spelled with two U's. Its official website is bluucarrental.com. Some people also type it as Lluu, which is a slip for the same name. That link between "Blue" and BLUU is our reading of the spelling, not something either company has confirmed. If you booked with a company called Blue Car Rental and cannot find it on the BLUU site, check your booking email for the operator's name and contact details before you pay anything.

BLUU covers economy and family cars, SUVs and bakkies and vans, and you book a vehicle group rather than a specific model. It also sells a few specialist products: BLUU Luxe (Audi Black Edition SUVs), Terrain X (a fully equipped 4x4 for off-road and remote destinations) and the Suzuki Jimny.

Beyond daily hire, BLUU offers long-term rental, Door2Door transfers, chauffeur drive and BLUU Go, a month-to-month car subscription with 3,000 km included. For overseas trips it sells car hire through Sunny Cars, with unlimited mileage and inclusive protection.

Credit card only. BLUU refuses debit cards and electronic-use-only cards, and the credit card must be in the driver's name. If your only card is a debit card, look at a different operator.

Weekend rentals need more headroom. BLUU asks for an additional authorisation on weekend rentals, so your card limit has to cover both holds. The rand deposit figure is not published in the pages we could read, so ask when you book.

Young drivers pay a surcharge, not a ban. There is no fixed minimum age. Renters under 23, or with a licence held for under 3 years, pay R173 a day. If you are 22 with a 5 year old licence, you still pay it.

Kilometres are limited for locals. Unlimited-mileage rates apply only to international visitors with a foreign passport, foreign licence and a return airline ticket. Everyone else should check the kilometre limit on the quote.

Extras add up. Airport rentals at ACSA airports carry a 13% airport surcharge, and cars are rented full with a refuelling fee if you return them short. Two BLUU pages give different figures for the additional driver and traffic fine fees, so ask which one applies.

Two practical points if your paperwork still says Bidvest. Confirm the account reference with BLUU rather than assuming an old corporate code still works.

Third-party booking sites are slower to update than the operator. If an aggregator still lists Bidvest Car Rental, check which company the voucher names before you arrive at a desk with a badge that does not match your document. Reservations are on 086 101 7722, and BLUU also answers on WhatsApp on that number.

BLUU competes with Woodford, First Car Rental and the international brands as a national operator with airport branches, including Cape Town International, OR Tambo and King Shaka, and a fleet that reaches into luxury and 4x4. It also operates in Namibia and Lesotho.

If you need a debit card, look elsewhere. If you are an international visitor after unlimited mileage, BLUU's rate structure is aimed at you. Include BLUU in your three quotes rather than defaulting to the names you already know.