DO NOT RENT FROM KYTE (now Turo). They are completely unreliable and unprofessional. If I had written this review a year ago, I would've given Kyte 4 out of 5 stars. But after my recent experience, I wish I could give them zero. I had a car scheduled to be delivered for July 20th to take my daughter to summer camp. Just over 24 hours the car is supposed to be delivered, I received an email stating that Kyte is no longer operating in Brooklyn, and that my reservation was being canceled and refunded. No phone call, no advanced notice, just a last-minute email - AND the refund won't be processed for 5 - 7 business days (I still haven't received it). This left me scrambling, panicking, and searching for a new rental car during a very busy summer weekend. I eventually found one at the airport, which now means added Uber fees on top of the MUCH higher rental cost. We were not in a position financially or time-wise to be dealing with this. To make matters worse, Kyte still attempted to charge me a $500 security deposit even after canceling my reservation. I anticipated this and made sure the card on file didn't have enough funds - and I was right. I was still receiving emails and notifications as if my rental was going ahead, including instructions for my "vehicle drop-off". This experience was completely unacceptable, incredibly frustrating, and put my family in a stressful and unfair situation (emotionally and financially!). It's been 10 business days and still no refund. I'm now trying to track down Turo's customer service - spending more time that I really don't have for this frustrating mess they created. Do not rent from Turo. The risk of this happening to you is not worth it. read more

Kyte was acquired by Turo a few days before my scheduled rental on July 18. Kyte (now Turo) abruptly canceled my confirmed reservation without any prior notice, explanation, or offer of assistance--leaving me completely stranded on the day I needed the car. I had booked well in advance and was relying on the reservation for an important trip. Because of the last-minute cancellation and total lack of communication, I was forced to scramble for alternate transportation and spend over $1000 out of pocket--nearly triple the original cost. The refund for the canceled booking was processed, but my request for reimbursement of the additional expenses has been met with vague, evasive responses and zero accountability. Turo has shown an alarming disregard for basic customer service and responsibility - which is consistent with other Turo customers experiences with cancelled reservations on their original platform. Their support team has failed to acknowledge the financial harm caused, and after multiple attempts to seek resolution, they have become unresponsive. Based on my experience and the wave of similar reviews, I would strongly advise others to avoid relying on Turo for transportation. The risk of being abandoned without support is real--and expensive. read more

This company is now owned by Turo, so now I know there's another business I won't touch with a 10 foot pole. My husband had booked a rental for 1+ week to begin this Friday and out of nowhere he is told today (3 days in advance) that his reservation is canceled. Seriously annoying but on top of it, upon contacting customer service, he is told that his deposit ($1000+) will be transferred as a credit to a Turo account of which he knows nothing about and never consented to and has no use for, since it is a peer to peer car rental service. How dare you. Promise you if we don't get a cash refund in full, I will take this to the office of the NYS Attorney General, the NYS Department of State - Division of Consumer Protection, BBB, and any or all other relevant agencies and organizations. Maybe there is a class action lawsuit in this one too. read more

When I moved to New York City in 2021, I discovered Kyte and it was a godsend for renting cars for weekend road trips and vacations at a reasonable rate and without having to take public transportation or ride service to the airport. However after being acquired by Turo, they are a nightmare. I reserved a car months in advance. On July 16 at 9am, I received a confirmation email that my car would be dropped off July 17 at 9am as planned. I packed for the trip, went to sleep at 1am July 18, and woke up at 8am to meet the car, only to find an email from 2am stating that my reservation was cancelled and Kyte no longer offered service in NYC. Needless to say I had to scramble for a new rental from an awful company at the last minute that cost way more, and lost 2 over hours of my limited vacation time. Turo customer service could not help me. Now all of my emails to Kyte customer service bounce back. DO NOT reserve with them or Turo as there is now zero customer service. read more

DO NOT USE KYTE. In July they sold their assets to Turo and cancelled all future NYC reservations, including mine. We were promised a full refund within 10 business days. It's now been nearly a month. Not only have we received no refund, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to reach anyone at Kyte. Their phone number does not work. And when I contacted Turo, they told me, "You didn't book a reservation with us. Therefore, we will not give you any money." Kyte has effectively stolen $1,000+ from my family. DO NOT USE KYTE. read more

Scammy, Shady, and Zero Accountability - Avoid Kyte at All Costs Kyte abruptly canceled my fully prepaid car reservation, leaving me stranded with no alternative and no explanation. That alone is outrageous--but it gets worse. There's no customer service number to call--just canned email responses that go nowhere. I emailed repeatedly, and Kyte went totally silent. No updates. No apology. No refund. I finally had to dispute the charge through Amex, which, thankfully, had my back. But Kyte still walked away with the money and zero consequences. This isn't just bad service--it's borderline fraud. Kyte is not a real car rental company. It's a tech-bro startup playing fast and loose with people's time and money. If your plans matter--or you expect actual accountability when things go wrong--do not use Kyte. Ever. You've been warned. read more

WoW!! Go figure 1 day after writing this review; I miraculously receive an email for a reimbursement. "Hi Erika, Thanks for your patience. A data error caused us to process an incorrect citation charge but I have already initiated the refund today. It can take up to 10 business days to reflect in your account" It shouldn't take two weeks, 6 different customer service reps, over 60 emails exchanged, an escalation to a manager and a yelp post to get justice for a customer. I don't need unnecessary points on my license especially for something I did not do! Also, for any customer about to rent: be advised that their company policy states, they will automatically charge your card for any citations received and you do not have the ability to dispute the charge. Will NEVER rent from this company again read more

I rented a car through kyte on june 25 it was dropped off to my house a bliss experience! But then came the sad news. That it was bought off by touro, Ok I thought ill be flexible. I get another email there is no more pick ups. I have to drop it off manhattan. But now my car is returned I got no receipt so I called kyte customer service number it doesnt work. I called turo they told me They dont have my car in there system... So I asked for a supervisor and the rep put me on hold and hung up the phone on me... I called again the same thing happened! Dear Nicholas what do i do??? read more

Kyte has the potential to be an amazing car rental service, if they cared about their customers. I had the most terrible experience with a vehicle that should not of been rented out. I asked for a car swap, but was told I would have to return it to the original location. Then when the car was returned I was told nothing was wrong with it, good thing I had video proof!!!!! Kyte offered me $15 for the inconvenience. Which in my opinion was a slap in the face. If you do not have to, don't use them. read more

DO NOT USE KYTE! The cars are dangerous and product they've created does not work. There is truly zero access to customer support - vehicles are not properly maintained, the "contact us" section of the site leads to an error, messaging and emailing delivers zero response and there is no phone number. Putting renters in dangerous situations with zero access to help is criminal. Absolutely negligent and unacceptable. read more

Kyte - 24 hour turnaround time for a roadside emergency due to an improperly maintained/QCed vehicle is unacceptable. - Car Rental Near Me

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This Company Should NOT Be in Business -- kyte is Dangerous, Dishonest, and a Total Scam I don't say this lightly: kyte should not be allowed to operate. Period. My experience with them has been a nonstop series of red flags -- from mechanical negligence to flat-out lies and shady customer service tactics. This is not a legitimate car rental company -- it's a trap for unsuspecting customers. Here's the reality: Unsafe Vehicles - They gave me a car with low coolant, which could've severely damaged the engine or put me in danger on the road. That's basic maintenance -- how does a rental company fail at that? No Accountability - I scheduled a vehicle swap for 12 PM due to the issue. I showed up, and they told me they had no record of the appointment and no cars available. I was stranded, with no apology and no urgency to fix their mistake. Deceptive Customer Service - Months ago, I reported issues with another vehicle. That car later got a flat tire. When I called, I was told I wouldn't be charged for the tire. I have emails confirming that. Guess what? I got charged anyway. When I pushed back, the story magically changed -- again and again. Questionable Standards - I've witnessed them hand out cars that smell like weed, and they pass them off like it's normal. Imagine getting pulled over in one of those? Who's going to take the fall -- you or them? kyte operates with zero transparency, zero care for safety, and zero customer respect. It's all about money for them, even if it means lying, flipping the script, or renting out unsafe vehicles. If you're thinking about renting from kyte, DON'T. I wouldn't wish this headache on anyone. They're unprofessional, unreliable, and frankly dangerous. There are dozens of better options out there -- go with any of them before putting your safety and wallet at risk with kyte . read more

Update: I contacted their customer service again, and they basically restated that there is nothing they can do about the declined verification. ===== Do not waste your time with Kyte. We reserved a rental car through Priceline. Kyte sent a link via text. They required registration via their website or app. I followed every step and provided personal information including email address, phone number, credit card number, etc. The app also required front and back of the driver's license plus a selfie of me, which I submitted promptly. The next day Kyte sent a short email saying the trip is cancelled, and the app said the verification is denied. I contacted their customer service and try to find out what went wrong. The customer said the verification is through the third party. They do not know the reason, but the decision is final. The person literally suggested me to find another rental company. When asked about the personal information I just shared with them. He asked me to delete my Kyte account. There is no way on my end to know how Kyte would use my information afterwards. This really shows they do not care about their customers. read more

Great service, I love Kyte!! My only caveat is that we were driving in an ice storm, and there was no ice scraper in the car. That would have been a great perk. read more

Kyte - We drove back along the saw mill and everything was fabulous! - Car Rental Near Me

Reserved through expedia. However Kyte requires you to download an app, that had many glitches and bugs. The information did not cross over and even though I was charged by expedia and paid Kyte said I had to pay again. The process was very disorganized and even the staff on site down know how to use their own Mobile App. On site staff were rude and dissapeared and after an hour and a half of waiting I got a text message that my reservation was canceled. Don't risk it with one of these Fly-by-night opperations. You will get stranded and end up wasting time and paying twice. Get your car at a real car rental. Also, insurance was $90 a day (major upcharge). Be kind to your future self and avaid this disaster. read more

Good price, and excellent reps (surfers) when i picked up and returned. I have already reserved my next rental, but mysteriously came with a service fee. Is that a surprise extra? Not for pickup or delivery just a random.fee read more

The absolute worse service. Save yourself the trouble. First issue, tried to charge an extra $180 to change drop off time from 2pm to 5pm even though daily rental was $70. Second problem, I uploaded my driver license in the app and took my picture. I meet all their verification criteria. Then they send me email saying they have to cancel my car reservation abruptly after submitting my ID! I tried to call them and office is in California. They don't come to phone. I'm still waiting for call back! Worst company ever. Stick to what you know . read more

Absolutely terrific. Easiest, most pleasant car rental experience ever. And the people who deliver the car are excellent--helpful, on time, everything good. Can't imagine why anyone would rent anywhere else! read more

Kyte was very easy to use and user friendly. Instructions were clear and the people i dealt with were knowledgeable and helpful

Canceled my booking, made weeks in advance, two hours before pickup. Offered me no solution to fix the problem. though they have other garages in the area, simply stated they are 100% out of cars in all locations. Left me scrambling to find a car with little to no time. I paid through the nose on a last minute booking with an different car rental company. Customer service was horrendous and only offered canned responses (i.e. "we apologize for any inconvenience") with no actual explanation. They take forever to return funds and charge insane fees for deposits, tolls, and tickets. You end up paying far more for Kyte then other services. Do not book with them. read more

I have used the company about 3 or 4x times now with no issue. Being in NYC, the options to rent cars vary. Local pick ups are nearly double the cost of an airport location which can be double the time. With Kyte, we love the delivery service. The only issue is that you really need to be prepared to leave and really plan your pick up time b/c NYC doesnt offer good street parking so you will stuck lapping the neighborhood until your surfer arrives. This part is on you and your planning. Otherwise, great company. Pretty reasonable considering your other options but the convenience is most what we love. Cars have all been high quality and clean. Than you! read more

I've used Kyte about four times. Everything usually goes just fine. I've had 2 problems. 1. I made my Kyte reservation and I got an email saying "you're all set to go!" So, I stopped checking my email until about an hour before the reservation was supposed to start. I checked my email for something else and it turned out, I'd used a credit card in my Kyte list that was no longer valid. Wouldn't you think they would've checked that first before telling me "Everything was A-OK"? At that point I had to cancel or I would've been late for why I needed the car, and got a ride from a friend. Then they told me I was going to get a $25 cancellation fee. I don't think it's fair to make me pay a cancellation fee if my reservation never even went through. Lesson: watch your email for any problems with your reservation! 2. The problem this last time was the pickup. The clock started ticking for the return and when I tried to call to tell the surfer I was there, the automated response on the phone said " the Kyte surfer is not available since it it is not the pickup time", which it was. I had a flight to catch and I was freaked out that the surfer would not show up. He did, of course. But the extra stress was not nice. Lesson: don't panic so much? All that said, I love having the convenience of the car delivered and picked up in New York City. In my experience, Kyte is a reputable company, the cars I get are clean and comfortable, and the staff in-person, or on chat, are very helpful. Things usually work out just fine. I will continue to use them! read more

Booked a car a couple of weeks ago. They suddenly canceled my car less than an hour before I was supposed to get it. They wouldn't pay for my Uber or find another car. Terrible customer service and totally washed their hands of any responsibility or fault. Go somewhere else. read more

Just found a rental car company that does not leave me with my pants down and a sore BUTT!! Getting a rental a few days before the weekend in NYC is the worst BUT with KYTE I could not have been happier and more surprised. Check it out ONLY if you are as tired of getting SCREWED as I was. For real customer and person read more

Easy and simple car rental. Car delivered on time, exactly the type of car I ordered, clean, and filled. and reasonably priced. Surfer was very cordial and explained all of the features of the car. Small issue: I changed the pick up address and decided to drop the car off at their garage. Only problem I had was that it was hard to find their location because their sign was very small and couldn't be seen at night. Worked my way through it and actual drop off was quick and simple. Will use again when needed. read more

My registration with Kyte was declined supposedly because I violated their terms of service. They refuse to tell me what condition I am violating for "privacy", their customer service was weirdly dodgy. I have no clue what the issue could be. Now I have to scramble to rent a car with someone else last minute... This seems like a terribly run company, I would hate to interact with them if anything were to go wrong with the car. Stay away at all costs! read more

they cancelled the reservation less than one day before our trip. besides the stress it caused to find another car at the last momen they also didn't return the money as promised. their customer service does not respond at all. don't rent your car with them!!!! read more

Horrible experience: - rental car was dirty when delivered - customer service was poor - car navigation system froze while I was driving - car high beams did not work - company extremely inflexible when trying to extend - surprise pricing on attempting to extend rental read more

I am a working professional with great credit and almost 20 years of good driving history in NYS and they email me that my trip was cancelled due to a failure of the verification process. I contact customer support assuming they can give more detail so I can resolve the issue and re-apply to use their service. Nope. No way to resolve it or try again and no details whatsoever; just failed. I should have read the Yelp reviews before attempting business with this joke of a company. Avoid if you don't want to waste time and give your personal information to another sketchy company. I should have known there was a reason they were cheaper than the alternatives. I would like to note that I NEVER leave negative reviews, even if I've had slightly negative experiences with companies in the past. But this is different and others need to be aware of this "company". read more

This was my second time using Kyte and it was markedly different from the first. For one thing, the car that was delivered to me was missing a hub cap. It looked as if a tire had been changed but, instead of replacing the tire, Kyte left the spare tire on without a hubcap. This is fine if one is driving to the nearest gas station to get the tire replaced but not acceptable in a rental car at any price. Also, I tried five times on the Kyte App and through my original reservation to extend my return time by one hour. No one ever responded. Despite Kyte's claims that extending or shortening one's reservation is "easy," it could not have been more difficult. The Kyte surfers were nice, however, and I don't want to penalize them for the company's problems. read more

Kyte - This is the way the front passenger tire looked when Kyte delivered the car. - Car Rental Near Me

Extremely disappointed. They are very rigid about the 10-min delay fee. However, it is often inevitable to take extra time to find and meet the driver, especially when the location is difficult to pinpoint on a navigation app. The customer service refused to waive the fee even if I showed evidence that being late is due to extra time taken finding the driver read more

Car is great, i like service, i ordered toyota corolla but this car is better, i go to washington read more

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Don't normally write reviews but seeing the less-than-stellar rating I think Kyte deserves a fair shot. Can't speak for everyone but my experiences with Kyte (LA + Denver) were both flawless. The concept is great and convenient. I did not experience any problems with pick up and drop off. The "surfers" were friendly and on time (early). The cars were clean and new (Nissan Sentra, and Toyota 4Runner). Here is my opinion on the negative reviews. It is brave for any start-up to take on big car rental companies. They are new and this business model is literally with a lot of moving parts. You have the actual car, and two workers delivering and picking up the cars. Mistakes can happen if you think about it statistically. I see complaints about hard-to-recover items left in the car, well they are decentralized so it is probably going to be more difficult if something is forgotten. But whose fault is it really? The cars being dirty? The ones I got were very clean and new. I have had worse experiences with the big rentals in that department. Give it time I think they can improve on these issues. Side note: Kyte is especially practical if you are staying by an airport hotel. Take the hotel shuttle and have the car handed to you at the hotel. They will pick up the car and you can shuttle back to the airport. Skip the rental stations altogether. read more

Kyte - Surfer handing over the car in the hotel. - Car Rental Near Me

Great service beginning to start. Easy to use. Easy pickup and easy drop off Use of the app was very easy read more

I've used Kyte a few times now and really like it. It's a pretty seamless user experience - especially when you compare it to Uber's rental car reservation service. I would definitely recommend Kyte over Uber or Zipcar. The cars have always been clean, on time, and affordable. I'm living in NYC and Kyte has made it easy to visit my friends in NJ, Long Island, and upstate. read more

Cool in theory, but comically bad in execution. My current surfer decided not to show up this evening and I need to leave early tomorrow morning for a week out of nyc. The surfer coming here was also late. Really bad. read more

Vehicle delivery and pick up was the sole reason Kyte is standing out in this industry. What a lifesaver! I do wish if they can do a better job cleaning would be nice. Alot of pet hairs in the trunk! Other than that all is well! read more

This service is such a lifesaver for when you're not near an airport and don't have the time to commute to a pickup location. The Kyte surfers are always very nice and punctual and the cars are always great. And the price is sometimes better than renting from any of the other rental companies who don't even deliver the car to you! Highly recommend! read more

I love Kyte!! Fast and efficient in a simplified way. I actually get the car I want with no headaches

Good experience Had some trouble registering a Singapore driving license Apart from that, a pleasant experience Will use them again read more

Our first rental with Kyte & their surfer (the contracted employee who drives the car to you) was excellent, our second rental was quite the opposite, and seems to have exposed some problems with their business model. For several hours I received notices via the app and via text that my rental "time was approaching" and how exciting it was, then 14 minutes before the car was supposed to arrive I got a call that they did not have my class vehicle available. I asked if I could get any car as I had an appointment and was told yes, but I had to accept it. After agreeing to the other car I was told the vehicle would be there in 15 minutes. One hour later my car arrived. When I tried to extend the rental 30 or 60 minutes to make up the hour it arrived late, the app would not let me "no cars available". As there appears to be no way to speak to an agent, I used the app-chat and was informed of the same. Disappointed and next time we need to be somewhere on-time, I will use a company with people and a physical location. read more