With car rental prices rising by as much as 126 percent, which ones? reveals the companies to use and avoid

As travelers will have to pay more than double pre-pandemic prices for car rentals in some destinations this summer, which ones? reveals the companies to use and which to avoid, with AutoReisen and Cicar at the top of the table and Goldcar languishing at the bottom.

Which? analyzed data from Which? Recommended provider Zest Car Rental, a leading broker, and found that a week of car rental in August costs an average of 77 percent more this year compared to 2019. While prices are slightly lower than last year, continued high demand and depleted stocks mean the prices have settled at levels above pre-Covid, the consumer champion says.

It looked at figures from more than 8,000 rental properties in nine popular holiday destinations, including Italy, Greece and Spain. Prices have doubled or more than doubled in three of the nine destinations, with prices rising 100 per cent in Cyprus, 106 per cent in the UK and increases of as much as 126 per cent in Italy, where weekly rentals in August have risen from average £209 to £473.

The most expensive country for car rental is the US, which one? reveals, where a week’s rental is likely to set tourists back by an ‘amazing’ £546 on average, a 92 per cent increase since 2019.

Separately, the consumer champion conducted a survey of nearly 2,700 Which? members, asking them to rate car rental companies and brokers based on a range of criteria, including clarity about extra charges, age, mileage and condition of the car, customer service and value for money.

Which? conducted a survey of nearly 2,700 Which? members, asking them to rate car rental companies and brokers based on a range of criteria, including clarity about extra charges, age, mileage and condition of the car, customer service and value for money

With nearly half of respondents (47 percent) reporting concerns about being exploited by their rental company, it’s essential that consumers can book with confidence this summer. Which? say.

Travelers to the Canary Islands are ‘particularly well served’ as the islands are the only two car rental companies that offer the Which? Recommended Provider status this year – top AutoReisen and Cicar. Both achieved “exceptional” customer scores of 91 percent and received five stars in categories such as the clarity of additional charges, how easy it is to waive those additional charges, the clarity of the final rental price, customer service, and how well description matched the reality.

Well-known names Alamo (72 percent), Enterprise (72 percent) and Hertz (71 percent) came in second and third, respectively.

Cicar received five stars in categories including the clarity of additional costs, how easy it is to waive those additional costs, the clarity of the final rental price, customer service and how well the description matched reality

Sister companies Alamo and Enterprise both received “largely favorable reviews” from respondents.

Enterprise received five stars from travelers for both the record customers received of pre-existing damage to their vehicles, as well as the age, condition and mileage of their vehicles, and achieved at least three stars in the remaining categories. Similarly, Alamo also received a pairing of three and four star ratings, but beat its sister company on price, Which? reveals, with customers paying almost £100 less per week on average.

Goldcar has been one of the worst performers in the survey for years. Which? notes, and is again at the bottom of the table this year with a ‘gloomy’ customer score of 54 percent.

Despite having one of the lowest prices of any company in the study, with an average weekly price of £245, the company only scored two stars for value for money.

It also received two stars for ease of opting out of optional extras and for customer service, with several respondents commenting on pressure selling techniques used to encourage customers to purchase extra insurance at the rental counter, a problem Which? notes that it has been researched before.

For those who prefer to use a third party to find the best deals possible, which one? also examined travelers’ experiences of using brokers

Alamo received “largely favorable reviews” from respondents. Goldcar has been one of the worst performers in the survey for years

This issue came up repeatedly in comments from Goldcar customers, Which? says, with one saying there was an “insurance hard sell,” which was “unbearable.” Another said they felt the company was “obsessed with selling extra coverage,” while a fellow respondent complained that he “had to endure the hard sell, which at times became almost threatening.” They even noted seeing fellow customers “in tears at the counter when they were asked to pay hundreds of dollars for insurance.”

Goldcar was not alone in this, however. In total, one in seven people who took out additional insurance at a car rental counter told Which? they felt under great pressure to do so.

For those who prefer to use a third party to find the best deals possible, which one? also examined travelers’ experiences of using brokers.

The consumer group says: ‘Unlike comparison sites, which simply scrape prices to find the cheapest options, good brokers negotiate their own deals and often use smaller or local suppliers that travelers may not find elsewhere. They also provide tourists with an extra layer of protection, as they can help with any issues with the supplier.”

Zest Car Rental was the only broker to win the coveted Which? Recommended Provider badge. It received an “impressive” score of 87 percent, receiving full marks in four of the seven categories, including clarity of additional costs and customer service. One customer commented that it was a “very easy process” with “accurate information,” while another “happy traveler” recommended their customer service representatives as “very helpful.”

While you Which? Recommended Provider Status, Auto Europe also received a high rating, with a customer score of 82 percent. At the bottom of the survey was DoYouSpain.com, with a score of just 55 percent.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, says: “Travelers can expect much higher car rental prices this summer than before the pandemic, with strong demand and a continued shortage of vehicles driving up costs. While there are deals, people should avoid the companies with the cheapest headline prices as they are all too often stung by hidden costs later on.

Only use a reputable broker or rental company so you can be sure you’re getting the best possible service for your money. Paying in advance, if possible, is generally cheaper and helps secure your booking. We also recommend purchasing third-party insurance before travelling, as in the past we have found rental companies selling inferior policies over the counter at exorbitant prices.”

Goldcar says, “Pressure selling is not acceptable. In terms of insurance coverage, we offer our premium coverage to provide a seamless process should any damage occur during a client’s rental. A customer is, of course, entitled to choose to purchase their cover separately, but if this is the case, they will be charged for any damage incurred during the rental and will need to recover the cost from their chosen provider. This will be explained to all customers at the time of rental.’