Rental cars and lighters / USB slots

Most cars still have the standard cigarette lighter slot. And it is the same European made cars as in the US. Our rental last year did not have a USB port.

I have yet to see a USB port in a car, but that doesn't mean they aren't in the nicer cars - I haven't booked a nice car for probably ten years. I wouldn't expect it in a base rental. You can bring your car charger with a USB in it, that will work there just like at home.

My recent rental of a Toyota Auris (I wonder if that's the French equivalent of the Yaris) had a USB slot. Maybe it will become standard.

Not a rental, but my 2009 and 2012 Honda Fit's have USB ports.

its a good question to ask, they generally will always have a lighter socket at least. but the usb/ cigarette charger is often only the size of your thumb so not really a problem to take one in your luggage, rather than hope there is one and have no way of charging your devices, or have to buy one there.

the question might be how many devices do you need to charge at the same time? we were lucky that our cars had lighter socket to run an external gps and usb socket as well.

maybe look for a charger that can do two usb ports?

some people have the view, 'just buy one when your there' (like maps etc) but this takes time often in a city/town were you don't know were things are. so i prefer to take things with me. i can always throw them away , if space gets tight.

hope this helps

The USB ports are common in many if not most of the 16 cars. I would assume for European rentals will be same as newer models are used. I have a cigarette lighter plug that has two usb ports on the back side. I just bought a new higher end P&S camera and the charging system only came with a USB cable. No separate charger to plug in. So I think usb charging is the coming standard.