Turo Canada disrupted the rental car industry at every Turo location beginning in 2016.
Instead of renting a car from a counter at the airport or picking up a mid-size hatchback with a funny name emblazoned on the side, Turo lets you rent someone’s personal car.
They put their car up for rent on the Turo site and collect money from you (with Turo taking a cut), while you get the benefit of getting to where you’re going.
What started as another American company to emerge from The Great Recession, is now the largest peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace in the world.
But, is it really worth it to rent the personal car of a stranger? What could you possibly have to gain?
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What is Turo car rental?
Turo is basically the Airbnb of car rental companies, except instead of private homeowners renting out their homes as stand-ins for hotels, it’s private car owners renting out their own cars as stand-ins for rental cars from car rental companies like Hertz, Budget, and Alamo.
It’s a peer-to-peer car sharing outfit based in San Francisco, making it possible for people to rent their own cars out via the Turo website or mobile app primarily in the following countries:
- the U.S.,
- the U.K., and
- Canada.
Turo bills itself as the world’s largest car sharing marketplace and that looks to be true because while there are several member cities around the world and outside of the countries they primarily serve, you can rent a wide variety of popular car brands right from their website. The options include:
- Jeep,
- Porsche,
- BMW,
- Subaru,
- Lamborghini,
- Ford,
- Nissan,
- Toyota, and
- Mercedes-Benz.
The interface looks just like any other car rental company, except what you’re renting are private cars from people who’ve offered their own vehicles on the Turo website.
Just like Airbnb helps users avoid the pricey booking fees for hotels, Turo helps you bypass the costly car rental fees charged by industry heavyweights like Enterprise and Hertz.
Why was Turo created?
Turo was founded in Boston in 2010 as the brainchild of Shelby Clark. It started life as RelayRides when, in 2009, Clark was on his way to visit family outside the city for Thanksgiving, but the closest short-term car rental place he could find was over 3.2 kilometres away.
The cold and snowy weather was getting to Clark as he biked to that aforementioned car rental place, so much so that with every car he passed he thought, Why can’t I just rent one of these?
That’s when it hit him.
Of course, he could drive someone else’s car if they were willing to rent it to him. Why hadn’t there been a global, peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace before? He found out the big reason was insurance.
It took a year-and-a-half, but eventually Clark teamed with Bill Kurtis – the local insurance guru who helped insure the small-scale, local, and non-profit car sharing services that existed at the time – and convinced an underwriter to create a policy that would ensure anyone’s personal car for rental in cities around the world.
The rest, as they say, is history.
In 2010, just as the sharing economy was picking up speed and other peer-to-peer model companies like Airbnb, TaskRabbit, and Uber were becoming popular, Turo hit the scene. Ten years later, in August 2020, they reached $1 billion in cumulative, global revenue and have served millions of travellers and industrious drivers.
As of 2022, they have more than 1.2 million Canadians using their service and list over 53,000 cars in over 350 cities across Canada.
“Our mission is simple: to put the world’s one billion cars to better use,” Andre Haddad, Turo’s current CEO, told Sharp Magazine in 2016.
So how exactly do they do that?
What makes Turo different?
Turo has more similarities with Airbnb than other car sharing services because instead of picking up a company car parked in some random lot and unlocking the door with the help of an app, you’re picking up the keys directly from the car’s owner.
In fact, not only can owners and renters communicate with each other directly through Turo’s own app, but Turo refers to renters as “guests” and car owners as “hosts” (just like Airbnb).
Unlike other car rental companies and car sharing services, renting the personal cars of real drivers in the surrounding community means rental prices are set by the drivers themselves — not the company facilitating the rental.
This distinct difference allows drivers renting from Turo to save an estimated 30% per rental over what they would pay at a typical car rental service like Avis or even Budget. Plus, there’s no membership fees to pay like there is with another leading car sharing service, Zipcar.
Meanwhile, thanks to soaring demand and dwindling supply – due in large part to rental car companies selling up to 770,000 cars from their fleets at the beginning of the pandemic when demand hit an all-time low – there just aren’t enough cars at leading rental car companies to meet the demand from a now vaccinated public.
This means people were paying up to 88% more to rent a car from these mainstream players in June 2021, making carsharing marketplaces like Turo a more economical option.
But, if you actually want to rent someone’s car from Turo, what do you have to do?
How does Turo work?
To rent a car from Turo, follow these simple steps:
- Sign up for an account using Google, Facebook, or email prior to Turo confirming your identity and eligibility to drive one of their cars.
- Enter your driving dates and location before browsing Turo’s selection of locally-owned and available cars.
- Book your selected car, which the owner will either confirm or decline within 8 hours (though usually it’s much faster). Some listings feature a “Book Instantly” option.
- Once the car is rented, arrange with the owner a place to pick it up (some drivers offer delivery), show the owner your license, and drive off.
- To return the car, refill the tank at your own expense and meet the owner again to give the car back.
Keep in mind, you must be 23 or older to book any car with Turo in Canada, 25 or older to book a Deluxe Class car, and 30 or older to book a Super Deluxe Class or specialty car.
Some owners are commercial operators and they set their own age restrictions for certain vehicle types and their own fees for young drivers, which are disclosed in their listings.
5 benefits of Turo Canada
There are several benefits to renting a car with Turo. Here are the top 5.
1. Affordable
With traditional car rentals at an all-time high, Turo can save you a few hundred dollars (at least 30%) compared to the usual suspects of car rental.
For example, as of this writing, a 2017 Toyota Yaris can be rented for 3-days in Quebec for $123 on Turo. A full-size Toyota Camry from Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Montreal would set you back $245.43 for three days at $81.81 per day.
Add to that, Turo offers multi-day discounts and you get to rate your host after the experience, just like Airbnb.
2. Vehicle gets delivered to you or to wherever you’re going
While you’re not guaranteed delivery by every host, and you do have to meet your host in some instances, delivery is an option among a lot of them, which is a nice perk. However, be aware delivery does come with a fee that the car’s owner collects 90% of.
Either way, you do get to meet your host at your destination city and the personal conversations between the two of you mean that you can at least arrange a pick-up and drop-off point that’s mutually convenient.
3. Physical damage protection
A guest is always responsible for physical damage on a vehicle they’re renting regardless of who is at fault. To mitigate your financial responsibility as a guest, or if your own vehicle insurance doesn’t cover you, Turo offers 4 options in a Physical Damage Protection Plan:
- Premier Plan – The guest is not responsible for any physical damage (other than any interior or mechanical damage and other fees unrelated to physical damage). The plan isn’t available for trips 2 days or less or for vehicles valued at more than $25,000.
- Standard Plan – The guest’s responsibility is limited to a $500 deposit and if the damage is below that, or the claim isn’t covered,the deposit is refunded.
- Minimum Plan – Under the minimum plan, the guest’s responsibility (other than interior and mechanical damage) is limited to $2,000 and they will be charged a $500 damage deposit. Once again, if the claim isn’t covered or the damage is under $500, the deposit will be refunded.
- Decline the Physical Damage Protection Plan – In this case, the guests financial responsibility isn’t contractually limited and they will either be required to pay for everything out of their own pocket (if they’re not insured) or pay the difference not covered by their own insurance.
4. Flexible cancellation policy
A trip can be canceled at any time through the Turo app or website and is effective immediately. Whether you get a partial or total refund as a guest depends on when you cancel.
A guest can cancel for free up to 24 hours before their tip starts.
Even then, those canceling under 24 hours before their trip still have one hour where they qualify for free cancellation – a pretty great deal.
5. A wide variety of vehicles
One of the standout benefits of Turo is the fact that vehicles are available that just aren’t offered through other car rental companies.
You can get everything from standard cars like a Nissan and Toyota to a high-end sports car like a lamborghini or even a Tesla.
There are age restrictions around renting these premium vehicles and they aren’t always available given that Turo relies on vehicles actually owned by the public, but if you can get them, they are a thrill to drive.
Of course, you wouldn’t want to damage any high-dollar vehicle, since Turo’s Physical Damage Protection Plan doesn’t apply to vehicles worth $200,000 or more.
If you choose to decline Turo’s Physical Damage Protection Plan, it may be because you already get rental car insurance on your credit card.
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4 downsides of Turo Canada
Of course, you knew the other shoe was going to drop at some point, right? Not everything is sunshine and rainbows when it comes to Turo. Here are some of the limited downsides.
1. Variable restrictions
The car owners (hosts) set the limitations on their own cars, so restrictions with Turo can be a little inconsistent.
For example, the distance you can travel without a surcharge always varies and while you must refill the gas tank before you return any Turo vehicle or be penalized a $10 convenience fee plus the cost of the fuel by your hosts, there are some hosts that allow you return their car at any fuel level.
Therefore, you should always read the vehicle descriptions carefully. You never know what you’re going to get from one Turo car to another, but the vehicle description will tell you everything you need to know.
2. Availability limitations
Turo may be the largest global car sharing marketplace out there, but it’s still pretty limited.
In Canada alone, Turo is only available in the following provinces:
- Alberta,
- B.C.,
- Ontario,
- Quebec, and
- Nova Scotia.
Even in those provinces, only the major cities have enough hosts using the service to make it worth your while. Other than that, it’s a desert out there as far as car availability is concerned.
For example, we searched Vernon, B.C. – a small city in that province’s interior Okanagan region – and there were only 10 cars available for a 3-day jaunt. Plus, most were of the more high-end variety, so if you can find a car at all, don’t be surprised if you’re shelling out $1,000 or over.
3. Picking up and returning vehicle can be annoying
It can be inconvenient to have to arrange pick-up and drop-off in person and then meet the host wherever they’d like, but that’s what you’re potentially signing up for with Turo unless the owner you’re renting from offers delivery.
A related and more concerning drawback was documented in this 2021 article by Forbes. A host can cancel a booking at the last minute for any reason, but some will encourage the guest to cancel themselves so that they don’t take a hit on their rating as a host for backing out of the agreement.
Not only are these loopholes in accountability and reliability an issue for any trip you’re booking, but it’s more difficult for you as a guest to receive a refund when you’re the one canceling instead of the host.
4. Higher requirements for car care
We are talking about people’s personal vehicles here, so the standard of care for you as a guest is pretty high. Unless the host doesn’t require it, you do have to refill the gas tank prior to returning the car or the host can invoice you for the cost of the gas plus $10.
In addition, you must return the car in the condition you got it in.
You’re expected to take photos of the interior of the car when you take and return the car to protect yourself against the host reporting a cleaning issue. The host has 72 hours after the car’s return to report a cleaning issue.
If an eligible cleaning issue is found, Turo will charge you $150 plus a 3% processing fee. They also may kick you off Turo at their own discretion.
How does Turo Canada compare to its competition?
Since actual car owners are renting their own cars with Turo, rental rates are often much cheaper than anything rental companies or other car sharing services can offer. Check out how the top competitors in the field stack up against Turo and you’ll see what we mean.
| Company | Price | Car Variety | Unique Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turo | * $25 per day and up, plus insurance, fees, and extras. | * Economy * Standard * Sport * Luxury * Over 800 possible makes and models |
* Rent personal cars from local individuals. * Rate and review the person you rent from. |
| Communauto | * Membership plans ranging from free to $30 per month. * Additional rental cost varies depending on type of plan and duration of trip (See rates). |
* Compact hatchbacks * Mid-sized sedans * Limited supply of larger and specialized vehicles at some branches |
* Round-trips can be booked up to a month in advance. * Flex, one-way options available in some cities |
| Enterprise CarShare | * Starting from $9 per hour and $85 per day. | * Hatchbacks * Sedans * Compact SUVs * Luxury * Passenger vans * Pick-ups * Cargo vans * Electric * Hybrids |
* Daily, overnight and hourly rentals available. * Membership card unlocks the car. |
| Budget | * Starting at $166.14 to $172.25 for one day. | * Economy * Compact * Intermediate * Standard * Full-size * Full-size SUV * Premium * Luxury * Special * Full-size convertible, * And pick-up * Mini-van * Sport * Hybrid * Electric |
* Fastbreak Program to bypass the rental counter |
As you can see, Turo absolutely runs away with the low-price title against Budget – long credited as being the cheapest among mainstream rental car companies. Plus, they still beat their closest, carsharing competition, Communauto, because not only is the $30 from Communauto a membership fee, but that fee only gives discounts on the various ways you can rent a car (round-trip, one-way, daily, weekly and hourly).
Communauto does not eliminate the cost of renting a vehicle — that cost is on top of the base $30 membership. Turo has nothing like that, offering a much more straightforward daily price that’s reflected on the chart.
If you need a closer look, check out this visual representation:
The chart above leaves no doubt. When it comes to price, few car rental or car sharing companies are as affordable as Turo.
You may have to jump through some extra headaches like trying to meet the owner with their car and having to make sure the car is clean enough to eat off at the end of your trip, but these tiny gripes are worth it for all the money you save.
Turo ain’t no bull
Despite limited availability across Canada, a rather anal standard of car care, and the various unknowns of coordinating the pick-up and drop-off of a stranger’s personal car, Turo’s price and potential car selection are unparalleled when it comes to either car rental or car sharing.
Whatever you want to call it, there is definitely something to this peer-to-peer business model when paired with car rental. It does give you more variation when it comes to your car rental experience, whether that’s optional extras, free delivery, or preferences on the part of the host that give you a break on typical Turo requirements, like having to refill the gas tank.
So if you prefer the human touch and don’t want to be treated like a number when renting a car or you’re young enough that the possibility of driving an exotic car on a new adventure is still thrilling, Turo may be for you.
Your turn
What do you think? Have you rented a car through Turo before or would you consider it after reading this review?
Tell us about your plans or your experience with Turo in the comments below.
FAQ
How does Turo work?
Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing service that’s often been called “The Airbnb of car rental” because just like with Airbnb you are called a guest, but instead of booking a short-term rental of someone’s home, you are actually booking a short-term rental of someone’s car. They, called a host, (also like Airbnb) will either deliver their car to you or you will meet them to pick it up. Then, once your trip is done, you’ll refill the tank with gas and meet back up with them to give the car back.
Is Turo safe?
Nothing in life is without risk, but if things do go wrong with Turo and you do get in an accident, there is a Physical Damage Protection Plan that you can opt into that gives you some car insurance protection, which limits your liability. You are also protected thanks to bodily injury insurance, which you are required to opt into unless you already have that coverage with your own car insurance.
Is Turo available in Canada?
Turo Canada is alive and well. After the company was founded in Boston in 2010, it arrived in Canada in 2016. Currently, it’s available in Alberta, Ontario, B.C., Quebec, and Nova Scotia, but be warned, outside major cities, service is limited.
How many Turo locations are there in Canada?
As of 2022, there are over 53,000 cars available to be rented in over 350 cities across Canada and 1.2 million Canadians participating in Turo’s peer-to-peer business model. Not bad for an enterprise that only launched in Canada in 2016.
How does Turo customer service work?
Turo customer service can be reached directly by phone for roadside assistance or if you’re about to enter the car, but it’s extremely dirty, seems unsafe, or smells like smoke. Otherwise, most of the questions are answered through help and support articles or online chat powered by artificial intelligence.
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