SUV Rental in Georgia: When You Actually Need One

SUV rental in Georgia makes sense when your route leaves the main roads: mountain villages in Svaneti, side valleys near Kazbegi, canyons and gravel passes. For cities, the coast and the wine valleys, an ordinary car is enough.

Where an ordinary car is enough

The main highways are asphalt: Tbilisi to Batumi, Kutaisi to Zugdidi, the coastal road south to Sarpi. A comfortable sedan handles them as well as a tall car.

The same goes for the popular day trips: Makhuntseti, Gonio, the Kakheti wine roads, Mtskheta. The roads to them are paved, so extra clearance does not help there.

Where an SUV rental in Georgia pays off

Ground clearance starts to matter where the asphalt ends, and in the mountains that can happen without warning:

• Svaneti villages beyond Mestia, where side roads turn to gravel.
• Juta and Truso, the side valleys off the Kazbegi road.
• Tusheti, a mountain road open only in summer and early autumn.
• Canyons, monasteries and waterfalls reached by a road that shows on the map as a thin grey line.
• Any mountain route in winter, when snow covers the road.

If you are unsure about a road, name the villages you plan to reach in your request. Before heading to Tusheti or the far villages of Svaneti, ask in the last village whether the road is passable after rain. Ruts get deeper after rain, and that is exactly where a low car scrapes its underbody.

What is allowed and what the insurance does not cover

Mountain roads are allowed on all our cars except premium models and low sedans. Gravel roads are not prohibited, but take them with care.

The one thing to know before planning the route: the insurance never covers tyres or the underbody, on any road, so their repair is paid by the renter. An SUV lowers the chance of that damage, and a slow pace on rough stretches does the rest. Before a stream crossing or large stones, get out and look at the road, and walk a doubtful stretch first.

Winter in the mountains

Winter tyres are fitted from November and are included in the price. In winter the pass towards Kazbegi is sometimes closed after snowfall, so check the road status on the morning you set off and allow extra time.

For snowy climbs, all-wheel drive is best, and higher cars are in the SUV section. In the lowlands and on the coast, snow is rare, and there the choice of car matters less.

The downsides of an SUV

An SUV uses more fuel, especially on long climbs, and in the narrow streets of old Tbilisi or central Batumi it is harder to park. Fuel use also rises in city traffic, so for getting around Tbilisi and Batumi a sedan is cheaper to run.

On open stretches by the sea, a tall body feels side winds more. For a family with a lot of luggage, the boot size alone can decide the matter, so check the boot size before you book rather than in the car park. If in doubt, say in your request how many of you there are and how many suitcases.

Popular routes and what they need

• Tbilisi — Batumi over the Rikoti pass — a highway, an ordinary car will do.
• Tbilisi — Kazbegi in summer — asphalt all the way, a comfortable car with some clearance.
• Tbilisi — Telavi over the Gombori pass — a winding mountain road; a sedan copes, but not a low one.
• Borjomi — Bakuriani — a mountain resort road; in winter, take all-wheel drive.
• Zugdidi — Mestia — asphalt up to Mestia; beyond it, an SUV.

Choose by the worst road on your route, not the longest. An unpaved stretch often looks shorter on the map than it is: gravel is driven slowly, so allow extra time for it.

In short

Send your request with your route and travel dates.