Some Sunderland car providers already include Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Theft Protection Waiver into the hire price but not all of them. We recommend always be aware of your coverage when hiring a car in Sunderland.
Keep in mind that car rental insurances often have a deductible clause, which is the amount you’ll have to pay if something happens during the time of your rental. If you want to avoid unwanted surprises, you should consider adding a no-deductible option to your Sunderland car rental.
Car hire in Sunderland is one of the most versatile and advantageous modes of transport with which to explore the city, and the most affordable means of roaming the enormous stretch of coastline along the North Sea. Hartlepool lies about 22 miles south on the A19 and Scarborough is a further 64 miles via the A171 on the outskirts of North York Moors National Park.
If you pick up a car hire in Sunderland at Newcastle Airport (NCL), you’re only 22 miles from the city centre, making this location the most convenient if you or a member of your party is arriving by plane. The airport’s Car Hire Centre is also conveniently situated just outside the Domestic Arrivals exit, so you should have little problem finding it.
The A1231 and A1018 create a ring road around the inner city and are both congestion hazards for inbound and outbound traffic during morning and evening rush hours. Within the city centre area, there are two major junctions north and south of the University of Sunderland City Campus. These should be of particular concern due to high levels of vehicular, cycle and pedestrian activity, which will present traffic complications from Monday to Friday.
Ordinary morning rush hour traffic (between 07:00 and 09:00) is most problematic on the ring road and the A1290/A1018 hub in the Monkwearmouth district across the River Wear. Avoid the area around the university during afternoon lunch hours from 13:00 to 15:00 and expect another period of congestion along all primary roads during the evening rush hours from 18:00 to 21:00. A690 traffic from the city centre through the Thornhill and Humbledon Hill sections may also pose problems, so keep a sat nav handy in case you need an alternative route.
25% of our users found a car hire in Sunderland for £41 or less
Book your car hire in Sunderland at least 5 weeks before your trip in order to get a below-average price
Mini car hires in Sunderland are around 42% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about car rentals in Sunderland
Some car hire companies in Sunderland which have updated their car rental health and safety policies due to COVID-19 to make sure vehicles are clean and disinfected include Enterprise, Europcar and Alamo
On average a hire car in Sunderland costs £52 per day.
In the past 72 hours, the cheapest car hires were found at Enterprise (£45/day) and Europcar (£52/day). In the last 72 hours the cheapest hire car price was found at Enterprise North Bridge Street SR5 1AP (1 miles from the city centre).
The average price of fuel in Sunderland is £7.04 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of fuel costs between £84 and £113, depending on the car size.
Mini (Fiat 500 or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Sunderland.
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
A Mini car hire in Sunderland costs £27 per day, on average.
A Compact car hire in Sunderland costs £45 per day, on average.
A Economy car hire in Sunderland costs £55 per day, on average.
In Sunderland, cars are most frequently hired at Enterprise North Bridge Street (1 miles from city centre).
On average a car hire in Sunderland costs £353 per week (£50 per day).
On average a car hire in Sunderland costs £1,515 per month (£50 per day).
Most car hire providers in Sunderland offer insurance but the level of protection can differ substantially. If you're unsure whether to get extra protection for your car hire in Sunderland, check out KAYAK's car hire insurance guide.
Choosing a small economy car or late model compact is easy to manage, fuel efficient and affordable. Still, neither may be a practical choice if you’re travelling with a party of five or more. Avoid that cramped feeling with a standard saloon or people carrier, which offer more space for more comfortable road adventures.
The legal speed limit within the Sunderland city limits is 30mph, but there are areas where reduced speed limits apply. You should therefore pay attention to road signs when driving around residential neighbourhoods and school districts. Along the A690, A1018 and A1231, you can drive at speeds from 40mph-50mph along specific stretches, especially when you are well clear of the city and other heavily populated districts.
Sunderland City Council allows for on-street parking along several of its streets, some of which include parking for disabled persons. These are of the pay and display variety and tariffs range from about £1.30 to £2 per hour until 15:00 from Monday to Friday, after which time parking is free throughout the city. The Council also maintains nearly a dozen car parks, mainly around the city centre and seafront, for recreational purposes. Tariffs at these car parks vary from £0.80 to £1.50 per hour or a flat rate of around £3.50 or £5 to park your Sunderland car hire for the day. Seafront parking rates are around £0.60 per hour and £3 to park all day. As with on-street parking, these are also on a pay and display basis.