Xtreme car rental in South Africa

Xtreme Car Rental is independently owned. It was founded in Durban in 2002, belongs to SAVRALA, the industry body, and says it is a Level 1 B-BBEE business. The site does not name the owner.

Xtreme describes itself as South Africa's first and original car rental company to offer debit card rentals, and says it has done so since 2002. That is its own claim. Other operators, including Enterprise through Woodford, now take debit cards on selected groups, so the choice is wider than it once was.

A separate rent-to-own business called Xtreme Motor Lease appears in search results. We could not confirm that it is linked to Xtreme Car Rental, so treat it as a different business until you check.

• Branches: Durban (Athlone, Durban North), Durban Central (Bus Station, Morningside), Johannesburg (Meadowdale), Cape Town (Airport Industria), Pretoria Central (Hatfield); the site's menu also lists Pinetown, Boksburg, Edenvale, Germiston, Kempton Park, Sandton, Somerset West, Stellenbosch and Woodstock pick-up points, and the About page says Port Elizabeth. (xtremecarrental.co.za)
• No airport counters: cars are delivered to and collected from OR Tambo, King Shaka and Cape Town airports; delivery charges apply. (xtremecarrental.co.za)
• Monthly rental price list (incl VAT, 3000 km included, undated on the page): Kia Picanto R7 350, Suzuki Swift R8 550, VW Polo Vivo R9 750, VW Polo Sedan R10 950, Toyota Corolla 1.8 R14 250, Toyota Hilux R14 750 a month. (xtremecarrental.co.za)
• Fleet groups run A to J: Toyota Vitz, Kia Picanto, Hyundai Grand i10, Suzuki Swift (manual and auto), VW Polo Vivo, Polo Sedan, Suzuki Dzire, Kia Pegas, Corolla Cross, Isuzu/Toyota 4x2 bakkie, Suzuki Ertiga (7-seater), Hilux double cab automatic. Cars are kept on the fleet 24 months. (xtremecarrental.co.za)
• Xtreme describes itself as South Africa's first car rental company to offer debit card car rentals, since 2002. (xtremecarrental.co.za)

Checked on 29 September 2026 against Xtreme 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: xtremecarrental.co.za, xtremecarrental.co.za.

What Xtreme 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.

Xtreme lists these branches on its contact page:

The site menu also lists pick-up points at Pinetown, Boksburg, Edenvale, Germiston, Kempton Park, Sandton, Somerset West, Stellenbosch and Woodstock. The About page mentions Port Elizabeth, but the contact page gives no address or phone for it, so check before you plan around it.

There are no airport counters. Xtreme delivers the car to OR Tambo International, King Shaka International and Cape Town International, and collects it there. At OR Tambo the cars are based at the Meadowdale branch, close to the airport. Delivery charges apply, and Xtreme arranges the hand-over when you book.

This is what Xtreme is known for. Most operators want a credit card to release a car. Xtreme accepts:

• Cash, in South African rand only.
• All debit cards, including international ones. They do not have to be embossed. The cash hire page asks for Visa or Mastercard.
• Cheque cards, including international ones.
• EFT and bank transfer.

A credit check may be done on cash and EFT rentals.

You also need to send documents to secure the booking: your ID document, your driver's licence (front and back), proof of residence, and next-of-kin contact details. International customers add a passport. The proof of residence is used to redirect traffic fines. Documents go to [email protected].

Xtreme's FAQ also says it is the only company in South Africa that accepts all debit cards. That is its own marketing claim, so ask which card and which car before you pay.

The minimum age is 25. Xtreme says its insurer sets that limit, so there is no young driver option, even for extra money. If you are under 25, look elsewhere.

A licence held for under three years is not a bar, provided you are 25 or older. Xtreme raises the deposit to match.

Deposits start from R3500 and differ by vehicle. The refund is paid within seven working days of the return, because e-toll billing takes time to arrive. Cars carry an e-tag and e-toll is charged to you.

You can add a second driver, but a fee applies. The amount is not published, so ask for it before you rely on the price.

No cross-border travel. Xtreme has no assistance for you outside the country and the car has no insurance cover there, so the answer is no for every neighbouring country.

No one-way rentals. Branches are far apart, and Xtreme says it could not help you quickly in an emergency. Return the car to where you collected it.

No airport counters. Delivery and collection only, with a delivery charge.

Fuel. The car leaves full and should come back full. If not, Xtreme refuels at actual fuel cost plus a fuel surcharge, and the FAQ quotes a R125 top-up surcharge.

Time. You get a one-hour grace period on return. The FAQ quotes a R250 charge for cancelling later than 24 hours before collection. You can extend up to 3 times by EFT without bringing the car in. Monthly rentals must come in every 30 days for an inspection.

The fleet runs from Group A to Group J, from Toyota Vitz and Kia Picanto through Suzuki Swift, VW Polo Vivo, Suzuki Dzire and Corolla Cross to a Suzuki Ertiga 7-seater, 4x2 bakkies and a Hilux double cab automatic. Cars are kept on the fleet for 24 months.

Xtreme also publishes monthly rental prices, including VAT and 3000 km a month:

The list is undated and the site footer shows 2024, so confirm the current price before you plan around it.

Xtreme suits drivers who are 25 or older, pay by cash, debit card or EFT, and rent within South Africa from one branch or an airport delivery. It suits longer rentals in particular. It does not suit younger drivers, cross-border trips or one-way trips.

For other budget options read Rent-a-Cheapie, Pace and our cheapest car hire guide.