Amazon Gets Into Used Cars. Again. And This Time It’s Different.
Amazon and Hertz just struck a deal that lets customers shop, finance, and buy used cars from Hertz’s rental fleet directly on Amazon Autos. The launch spans Dallas, Houston, LA, and Seattle to start, with more cities and 45 Hertz Car Sales locations on deck.
The announcement sent Hertz’s stock jumping and, for good reason, represents something bigger than a new product category. It’s another sign that Amazon’s ambitions in automotive are accelerating, and the way people discover, evaluate, and buy vehicles is shifting.
Amazon has dabbled in auto before. In 2024, it partnered with Hyundai to sell new cars online. But used inventory, especially from a known fleet like Hertz, brings a different kind of utility to the platform.
These aren’t scattered listings. They’re inspected, warrantied vehicles backed by a buyback guarantee and roadside assistance. That builds the kind of shopper confidence Amazon is known for. More importantly, it turns Amazon into a real consideration set for car buyers, not just parts and accessories.
And that should catch everyone’s attention.
For the first time, a significant number of consumers may find their next car while shopping for retail goods.
Hertz’s decision to be the first fleet partner gives Amazon assurance over inventory. These are well-maintained cars with history and scale, wrapped in the same frictionless buying experience people already know.
The simplicity of search, selection, financing, pickup, has long been the barrier in online car buying. Amazon and Hertz are working to erase it.
The trust layer is what changes the game.
If Amazon can turn vehicle purchases into just another checkout flow, no category is off-limits.
The takeaway for brands is clear: commerce isn’t about where you sell. It’s about how easily people can say yes, and who they trust to get them there.
This move repositions Amazon Autos as a vehicle marketplace with embedded financing, logistics, and consumer protection.
For Hertz, it’s an elegant solution to moving fleet vehicles with less overhead and wider reach.
For everyone else? It’s a reminder that category disruption rarely starts with a product. It starts with the platform that makes that product easier to buy.
What this partnership shows is that even big-ticket, high-consideration items are being pulled into the same performance-driven ecosystem.
If you're thinking about how your brand adapts to commerce innovation, on Amazon or beyond, we’re already there with you.
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