Matching a hire car to your passengers and luggage
Tell the team how many people will travel and how many cases, buggies or bulky bags you expect. Seating and boot space are separate questions. Say whether you need an automatic or are happy with a manual, and mention any child seat request early so it can be checked before you are quoted. Include details for every driver who may take the wheel.
Picking a suitable car
Start with the journey and pick the car to match it. Smaller cars are suited to city driving and short stays, automatics make local driving easier, estates and SUVs give more room for luggage, and people carriers are a better choice for families or small groups. The range available includes the Fiat 500, VW Golf, Ford Focus Estate, Ford Focus Automatic and Hyundai i10 Automatic, subject to dates, driver details and availability. The precise make, model, transmission, seating, payload and licence position are confirmed when you are quoted, so treat the vehicles listed as a guide to the kind of hire on offer rather than a guaranteed reservation of a particular model.
Working out your return journey dates
The first decision worth settling is whether your outbound and return legs fall on the same day. If the car comes back a day or two later, the whole hire window changes, so note both dates plus any flexibility either side. If someone else collects the vehicle on your behalf, record their details alongside yours in case the team needs them. Think about where the car should be waiting at the start and where it will be handed back, and mention whether those two points differ. A question worth asking when you request a quote is how the price is affected by an extra day or a late return, so you can compare a same-day trip with an overnight one before committing.
Notes for a longer stay with a hire car
If the car is needed for several days rather than a single outing, it helps to sketch a rough itinerary listing each planned journey, who will travel and roughly how much luggage accompanies them. Estates, SUVs and people carriers each suit different combinations of passengers and bags, so a written list of both lets the team suggest a group with something to work from. Consider whether any item, such as a pushchair, bicycle rack or large suitcase, has unusual dimensions worth recording. You might also ask whether collection or delivery arrangements can differ at each end of a longer booking. Questions about parking or access at your accommodation belong with the accommodation itself, so raise those directly with your host.
Explore other car hire areas
Last checks before booking
Before you confirm the hire, check the key details: vehicle availability, driver requirements, mileage, insurance, delivery or collection arrangements and any extras you have asked for, along with driver age, licence history, the deposit, the insurance excess and any travel abroad. A clear request gives the date, the length of hire, the rough route, the delivery or pickup address, the expected passengers or load, and any particular requirements that might affect which vehicle is suitable.