Automatic transmissions in Holguín usually come from the Rex counter
Rex runs as the “premium” branch of Cuba’s state car-rental system at Frank País International Airport (HOG), sharing the same overall fleet pool as Cubacar and Havanautos. The desk shows up in airport guides as being in or just outside the arrivals area, near the main parking lot. At a smaller field like Holguín, forum posts say you may see only a handful of Rex cars on the lot on any given afternoon, especially outside the winter high season.
Airport reports list Rex alongside the other agencies in the ground transport zone by arrivals, so you walk there right after clearing customs and baggage. Opening hours are typically tied to flight schedules, with agents present around main Canadian and European arrivals rather than strict 24/7 staffing. Regular Cuba drivers say the brand positioning means you might draw a slightly newer sedan or a larger SUV than the base categories, but that is never guaranteed at a regional airport like HOG.
Forum regulars are blunt: at Holguín, Rex is often just the place agents try first when someone insists on an automatic transmission. One TripAdvisor thread notes that staff “usually” source automatics from Rex stock before checking Cubacar or Havanautos. That can matter on long hauls like the roughly 60–70 km drive to Guardalavaca or the 35–40 km run into central Holguín, where constant clutch work in traffic gets old fast.
Complaints show up in at least two Cuba rental threads about Rex at airports: people still get cars with scratched paint, worn interiors, and high mileage, despite the premium label. Shortages at Holguín mean swaps happen: you book a mid-size and end up with a compact, or occasionally the reverse. Several travelers say on-arrival prices feel higher than the quote, once local insurance plus a chunky deposit are added at the counter.
Regulars treat Rex, Cubacar, and Havanautos as mostly interchangeable and just push for any mechanically sound car that matches their fuel and transmission needs. Many advise printing two paper copies of your Rex voucher or confirmation email and keeping it in hand at the counter. That printout gives you something concrete to point to if staff try shifting you into a lower category or changing the agreed rental period on arrival.
Practical tip: land with a Plan B agency in mind and walk the few meters between desks in arrivals; at HOG, the first outfit with a decent car and clear written total usually wins.