Why nearly every rental here is automatic
Our rental pool is now mostly automatic. When you search your dates, the large majority of cars you see will have an automatic gearbox, and prices update live as you book. That covers small city hatchbacks for two people right up to larger SUVs for a family with luggage, so you can pick the size you need without dropping back to a manual to get it. If you have not driven a manual for years, or you learned in an automatic, this is the easy way to keep it that way in Montenegro.
There is one thing worth knowing before you book. The very cheapest listings in Montenegro can still be manual, because a handful of budget cars are kept in the pool at a lower rate. If you want an automatic, choose the gearbox when you book rather than taking the cheapest car blind. That single step is the difference between a smooth pickup and a surprise at the desk. It matters more here than in flatter countries, because the driving that follows is exactly the kind an automatic makes easier.
Automatics available for Tivat Airport pickup
Why an automatic suits Montenegro's roads
The roads here reward a car that shifts itself. The classic drive from Kotor up to Lovćen is a serpentine of 25 tight hairpin switchbacks with sheer drops and no barrier for much of it. Each turn is a near stop, a wheel-full of lock, and a pull away on a gradient, over and over. In a manual that is a clutch action on every bend for half an hour. In an automatic you keep both hands on the wheel and your attention on the road and the drop instead of the pedals. On the descent, drop into a low gear and let engine braking hold your speed rather than riding the brakes the whole way down, and watch for tour buses coming the other way on the blind corners, because they will be over the centre line.
Down on the coast it is a different kind of hard work. Through July and August the road around the Bay of Kotor is stop-start for hours at a time, and the shoreline is a constant run of hill starts as you pull away on slopes and squeeze past parked cars and pedestrians. A manual means a left leg that never rests and a clutch you are slipping in traffic that barely moves. An automatic takes all of that away. It matters most at the end of a long day when you are tired, the light is going, and the queue for Kotor old town is not moving. Less fatigue there is not a luxury, it is fewer mistakes on an unfamiliar road.
How to be sure you actually get an automatic
Do not sort by price and grab the top result. That is where the manual cars hide. Instead, set the gearbox to automatic when you search, then pick from what comes back. Every car shown after that filter is an automatic, and the price you see is the price for that specific car on your dates.
On each listing, check the gearbox line and the car class before you confirm. If you want a specific model rather than a category, look for the guaranteed-model option, which locks in that exact car instead of a similar one from the same group. If anything is unclear, message us before you book and we will confirm what is in the pool for your dates.
Search your pickup and drop-off dates to see every automatic available, with live prices.
Free cancellation on most cars
Booking and collecting at Tivat Airport
Most arrivals collect at Tivat Airport (TIV) on a meet-and-greet. You land, walk out of the terminal, and someone is waiting with the car and the paperwork, so you drive straight out without a shuttle to an off-site lot or a queue at a counter. Have your driving licence and the booking to hand and you are on the road in minutes. Book ahead so the automatic you want is held for your arrival slot rather than left to whatever happens to be free on the day, which in high season may be nothing in your size.
Search your exact pickup and drop-off dates and times, filter to an automatic gearbox, and choose the size that fits your trip and your luggage. Prices are shown live when you search and update as you change the dates, so you can see straight away what a longer hire or a different car costs. Once you confirm, the car is reserved for your arrival and you have your gearbox locked in, with no risk of being handed a manual because it was the last one left.
Book your automatic with confidence
An automatic is the right call for the way people actually drive Montenegro: the mountain hairpins, the summer coast crawl, the endless hill starts around the bay. The cars are there in the pool, so the only real job is to choose the automatic gearbox when you book instead of taking the cheapest option on trust. Search your dates, pick your automatic, and collect it at Tivat Airport ready to go.
Automatic car rental FAQs
Straight answers on renting an automatic in Montenegro from Tivat Airport.
Are most rental cars in Montenegro automatic?
Yes. The large majority of the cars in our pool are automatic now, across small, mid-size and SUV classes. When you search your dates, most of what you see will be automatic. The exception is a few of the very cheapest budget listings, which can still be manual, so it is worth filtering the gearbox rather than assuming.
Is an automatic better for the Kotor serpentine?
It is easier and safer for most drivers. The road up to Lovćen has 25 tight hairpins with sheer drops, and an automatic lets you keep both hands on the wheel instead of managing a clutch on every bend. On the way down, use a low gear so engine braking holds your speed and your brakes do not overheat. Watch for tour buses on the blind corners.
Can I still get a manual if I prefer one?
Yes. Manual cars are still in the pool, usually among the cheaper listings. Set the gearbox to manual when you search and you will see what is available for your dates. Because automatics dominate the fleet, manuals can sell out faster in peak season, so book early if that is what you want.
Do I need to reserve the automatic in advance?
Yes, book ahead. Reserving locks in an automatic for your arrival slot rather than leaving you to whatever is free on the day. In July and August the good cars go quickly, so the earlier you book the more choice you have. You choose the gearbox as part of the booking, so nothing is left to chance at the desk.
Is an automatic more expensive than a manual?
Automatics can sit a little above the very cheapest manual listings, but the gap is small and the price is shown live when you search your dates. Because the fleet is now mostly automatic, you are choosing from a wide range rather than paying a premium for something rare. Search your dates to see the actual price for each car.
Where do I collect the automatic at Tivat Airport?
Most pickups at Tivat Airport (TIV) are meet-and-greet. Someone waits for you with the car and the paperwork, and you drive straight out with no shuttle to a separate lot. Your booking confirmation tells you exactly where to meet and what to bring. Switch your dipped headlights on before you leave, as they are required by law at all times.
Search your dates to see every automatic available, with prices shown live.
Free cancellation on most cars