Réunion Island, a French overseas department, blends European infrastructure with tropical beauty. It features a stunning landscape of volcanic peaks, majestic cirques, and coastal lowlands. To experience its dramatic scenery, renting a reliable car is essential, as public transport won't suffice.
Starting in Saint-Denis, the vibrant capital, visitors face the challenge of selecting a vehicle that can handle both the congested city and the demanding roads leading to the Piton de la Fournaise volcano and the cirques. This guide will help you choose the right car by examining key factors like size, engine performance, and fuel type, ensuring a smooth transition from urban to rugged terrain for a memorable Réunion adventure.
The initial phase of your Réunion adventure will likely involve driving in or around Saint-Denis, particularly if you pick up your car from Roland Garros Airport (RUN). Here, the requirements for a car shift dramatically from what is needed in the mountains, making a strong case for choosing a smaller, more compact vehicle.
While the coastal roads and the main arteries into Saint-Denis are generally well-maintained, they are often saturated, especially during the morning and evening rush hours. Navigating this traffic requires a high degree of manoeuvrability. A large 4x4 or a bulky people carrier can quickly feel cumbersome in bumper-to-bumper conditions or when attempting to merge onto a busy dual carriageway. A smaller city car offers the nimble handling necessary to reduce stress in these tight situations. These vehicles allow the driver to judge distances more easily and react quickly to the frequently changing flow of traffic.
Saint-Denis, like many historic European-influenced cities, was not built to accommodate the large modern car. Parking bays are often compact, and street parking can be a significant challenge to locate, let alone fit into. Trying to parallel park a wide SUV into a small gap between two French hatchbacks is an ordeal best avoided. The smaller the car, the greater your chances of finding a suitable parking space in the city centre, close to the vibrant markets, museums, and colonial architecture. This advantage of ease-of-parking extends beyond Saint-Denis to coastal towns like Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, where holiday traffic further restricts available room. Opting for a shorter, narrower vehicle is a sensible defensive strategy against parking-related frustration and minor scrapes.
From a purely budgetary perspective, the choice of a small car is wise for the coastal and city-based leg of the trip. Economy vehicles are not only typically the least expensive to rent upfront, but they also offer superior fuel efficiency. With the amount of driving you are likely to undertake across the whole island, from the north to the south and up into the mountains, fuel costs can accumulate rapidly.
A smaller engine is far more frugal, saving you a considerable amount over the course of a two-week holiday. While this lower power output needs to be considered when heading uphill, for the first few days of settling in and exploring the capital and its surrounds, the savings and practical benefits of a compact car are undeniable. This fuel-conscious choice allows you to allocate more of your budget to experiences rather than refilling the tank.
Once you leave the coastal ring road and the city confines of Saint-Denis, your rental car will face its true test. The interior of Réunion Island is defined by its dramatic relief, and the mountain roads are infamous for their demanding gradients and relentless switchbacks. This environment is where engine power and vehicle stability become paramount considerations.
The roads leading to the most spectacular sights, such as the famous Route de Cilaos or the ascent towards the Plaine des Sables near the volcano, are characterised by extremely steep inclines. These are not gentle slopes but sustained, significant climbs that challenge the vehicle’s mechanical limits. When carrying two or more passengers and a boot full of hiking gear and luggage, a small, underpowered engine will struggle visibly. This struggle manifests as noise, heat, and, most importantly, the necessity for the driver to constantly drop into first or second gear, often losing momentum. This is not only frustrating and uncomfortable but can also lead to premature wear on the clutch or brakes.
For the safety and enjoyment of your journey, having an engine with sufficient torque is far more important than raw top-end speed. Torque is the rotational force needed to push the car uphill. A mid-range sedan, or a slightly larger hatchback equipped with a powerful diesel engine or a modern turbo-petrol unit, will provide the low-end grunt required to smoothly and safely ascend these massive slopes. These engines allow the driver to maintain momentum and confidence, reducing the number of stressful gear changes on steep curves.
Furthermore, adequate power is essential for safe overtaking on long, straight climbs, allowing you to quickly pass slow-moving vehicles without lingering dangerously in the oncoming lane. When booking, travellers should inquire about the engine size and type, favouring anything above a basic one-litre, naturally aspirated unit if serious mountain driving is on the agenda.
The SUV category represents the ultimate compromise for comfort and capability, though at a cost. Their primary advantages include a higher driving position, which provides superior visibility around the tight, blind hairpin turns common in the cirques, and often better suspension, which smooths out the rougher patches of road occasionally encountered. The increased boot capacity is also a significant benefit for families or long-term travellers carrying bulky equipment like diving gear or serious hiking provisions.
However, the downsides are crucial to acknowledge. SUVs are more expensive to rent and, as previously noted, significantly less practical for the urban sprawl of Saint-Denis. They also consume more fuel. For many travellers, a powerful hatchback represents the perfect sweet spot: enough engine power and comfortable seating for the mountains, while still being manageable and efficient enough for the city and coastal drives. The choice ultimately rests on the priority: maximum comfort and visibility for the mountains, or maximum agility and economy for the whole trip.
Beyond the physical size and engine power, there are several key operational details that can dramatically affect the smooth running of your rental experience on Réunion Island. Paying attention to these nuances can save both time and money.
For many British and European drivers, the manual transmission is standard. On Réunion, the majority of the rental fleet consists of manual cars, which are cheaper and more readily available. However, driving a manual car on the island's steep, sustained mountain roads, particularly with stop-starts at junctions or viewpoints, can be highly taxing if the driver is not completely confident with the clutch and hill-starts.
If you are even slightly hesitant about frequent, intense manual driving on very steep gradients, the additional cost of reserving an automatic transmission is a wise investment in reduced driver fatigue and overall trip enjoyment. Automatic vehicles sell out quickly, so this decision requires prompt booking.
Réunion is a tropical island, and while the altitude provides a refreshing coolness in the high cirques, the coastal areas, including Saint-Denis, Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, and Saint-Pierre, experience high temperatures and significant humidity. Attempting to navigate traffic or spend long periods driving near the coast without air conditioning is deeply uncomfortable and potentially distracting. Air conditioning is not a luxury option here; it should be considered an absolute essential feature for maintaining driver comfort and focus throughout the day. Always verify that the rental vehicle is equipped with working climate control before you drive away from the rental desk.
Réunion is a highly popular destination, both for international tourists and mainland French residents. The rental car fleet is finite, and demand far outstrips supply during peak travel periods, which generally align with French school holidays, the European summer (July and August), and the local summer season (November to January).
To secure your preferred vehicle type and to benefit from the best possible rates, you must book your vehicle well in advance. Leaving the rental booking until the last minute will severely limit your choices, often forcing you to accept an expensive, underpowered, or unsuitable vehicle. Planning this logistical step early ensures you have maximum control over your vehicle choice.
The decision of which car to rent for your Réunion adventure ultimately comes down to a simple balance: itinerary versus budget. If your primary goal is a budget-conscious trip centred on Saint-Denis and leisurely coastal exploration, and you have few passengers, a compact city car is the sensible and cost-effective choice. If, however, you intend to fully immerse yourself in the island’s famous interiors and travel with many passengers and gear, you will be far better served by a powerful SUV. This will deliver the necessary torque and stability for the sustained climbs and tight turns, enhancing both your safety and enjoyment.
Secure your Réunion adventure! Book your ideal rental car today to gain the freedom to explore Saint-Denis and beyond, transforming your trip from a standard holiday into a truly unforgettable driving experience. At Final Rentals, you can rent a car online or via our mobile app, which can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store.
