Europcar Reviews 

Booked a hirecar through Booking.com to pick up in Stansted - brought driver licence and passport for id but as im from northern ireland they needed the paper part of our licence which wasnt made clear on booking voucher.
I offered to get my son to scan it and email it but this was refused and they refused to hire me a car thus leaving me stranded with no way to get our family to our airbnb.
the staff were very unconcerned and quickly moved on to other customers - having googled solutions my son recommended that we get a licence check code from the DVLA and this was also mentioned on Europcar booking instructions - i got the code but when i presented it to Europcar they wouldnt even look at it.
VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE and would never use again
thankfully when I contacted their accounts department we were able to get a full refund.
TOTALLY UNRELIABLE AND UNCONCERNED THAT WE WERE STRANDED WITH NO FORWARDING TRANSPORT

Dear Europcar Customer Service,
I am writing to formally complain about my recent rental experience.
First, I did not receive the vehicle I booked (Skoda Scala). Instead, I was given a Citroën Berlingo, a much larger vehicle that caused significant difficulties fitting into a narrow garage at my accommodation.
Second, I noticed an unauthorized attempt to charge €138 to my account, which I did not approve and which was never explained to me.
Third, €386 was withheld from my deposit for an alleged repair, but I have not received any invoice, estimate, or documentation justifying this amount.
I request a full explanation and itemized documentation for both charges, and immediate reimbursement of any amounts that cannot be justified. I expect a response within 7 business days.
I already have timestamped documentation of the vehicle's condition and reserve the right to escalate this complaint to consumer protection authorities if not resolved satisfactorily.

Overcharging and bad communication.

Take to long to get to associate! Stood in line 2 hours just to talk to an associate!!

I booked a Compact SUV (Jeep Renegade / CGAR) with Europcar Beauvais for a 2,400 km family trip with 5 people. 
Instead, they forced us into a subcompact Toyota Yaris Cross (urban B-segment, physically unfit for 5 passengers + luggage). When we refused, staff demanded an extra €250 surcharge just to give us the space we originally paid for. 
Our written request during the trip to exchange the car was completely ignored. To top it off, Yaris Cross is not even listed in Europcar’s official T&Cs under the Compact/CGAR category. 
Selling one category and delivering a smaller car while demanding more money is a misleading commercial practice.
Fix Case 26823756 before this is escalated further via CEC/ECC-Net and ECRCS. 

They charged us 100 eur extra for fuel. We got it 1/8 tank and they papered it as they give a full tank. I was lucky that I took a picture of fuel/km in the car on the first day so at the end of the rental I showed it to them and they said the refund will come in 3days. It has been a month and I still didn’t received my refund. Its ridicoulous. Also many hidden fees… extra 20 euro for highway (even if you don’t use it). Another extra 20 for “picking up the car in busy place” which is the airport or in the city centre. So basically wherever you pick it up it is extra 20 eur. :) we expected to pay 70 eur and ended up paying thriple. Watch out for this company. Wouldn’t recommend.

​Do not use Europcar Cardiff Roath unless you want to be scammed and stonewalled. I booked and paid in full over a week in advance for an Intermediate class vehicle (VW Golf / T-Roc or similar).
​When I arrived, they handed over the keys to a Ford Puma—a subcompact vehicle in a completely lower category. There was no apology, no explanation, and no offer of a reduced price or partial refund. They simply tried their luck, hoping I wouldn't notice or care. To make matters worse, they sneaked the vehicle through the paperwork and tricked me into signing the agreement without once mentioning they were downgrading the car I had paid for.
​When I sat in the car and realized how small it was, I went straight back inside to demand the Intermediate vehicle I actually paid for. The staff refused to swap it, claimed they had "nothing else," and stated the manager had gone home. I had to force the desk agent to write down on paper that no manager was on site and no correct cars were available.
​I specifically booked a larger, comfortable Intermediate car to take my elderly mother on a 6-hour round trip to her brother's funeral. Forcing an elderly woman with mobility needs into a cramped, lower-category vehicle on an emotionally draining day is absolute disgusting behavior. Zero empathy, zero customer service, and zero accountability.
​This is a classic "bait and switch" operation—a clear breach of contract under UK Consumer Law. I have formally logged a complaint ticket (Ref: 26934901), and if this is not rectified with a full refund and compensation, I will be escalating this directly to the BVRLA (British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association) and initiating a credit card chargeback.
​Be warned: Europcar Cardiff Roath will take your money for a decent car and hand you a budget box without telling you. Extremely dodgy company run by dishonest staff. Avoid at all costs!

**⭐☆☆☆☆ (1/5)**

I have rented cars from many international companies over the years, but **Europcar has provided the worst customer service I have ever experienced.**

A flat tire turned into a complete nightmare because of Europcar's incompetence.

I was told my car had a spare wheel and to change it myself. The vehicle **did not even have a spare wheel.** After several unanswered and disconnected calls, I was instructed to take a taxi at my own expense to Verona Airport to collect a replacement vehicle.

As a result, I spent **almost an entire day of my family vacation** dealing with Europcar's mistakes. My wife and my 6-year-old daughter were left waiting outside our hotel with all of our luggage for hours while I travelled back and forth.

I paid **€160 in taxi fares**, which Europcar promised would be reimbursed. Despite sending **three emails**, providing my booking details and reference number, I have received **no reply whatsoever**. They have completely ignored my claim and taken no responsibility for the damage they caused.

This is not simply poor customer service—it is a complete lack of respect for customers. Once they have your money, you are left to deal with the consequences on your own.

I strongly advise anyone considering Europcar to think twice. There are many rental companies in Europe that value their customers far more than Europcar does.

I am still waiting for my €160 reimbursement and compensation for the vacation day that Europcar ruined.

Europecar Portugal unable to manage to Basics .. car was 25 minutes late even though I was delayed 30 mins for pick up. I called to explain I wanted to drop off a day later on Monday as the hire centre was closed Sunday they said I had to drive to another place to physically add a day ,which is crazy .. in today’s system generated world. Then when I agreed to take it back to another centre I was charged twice the rental ( a further 250 euros for that ) WHY NOT TELL PEOPLE THIS AT THE START WHEN THEY ASK !! Terrible service all round. Plus the insurance via booking isn’t valid

I made an online booking for a car rental from Marseille Airport to Nice Airport, from 25/06/2026 to 29/06/2026, for a prepaid total amount of €500.68.

When I arrived at the Marseille Airport desk around midnight to pick up the car, the Europcar agent refused to accept the original booking/payment because it had been made online via PayPal, even though I had a credit card in my own name with me.

The agent told me that the first booking would be refunded and that a new booking would be created at the same price, or with a maximum difference of around €10. I was clearly led to believe that the new price would be around €510.

Instead, after the rental, I received a final invoice for €620.82, which is €120.14 more than my original prepaid booking.

The issue is not the refund of the first booking. The issue is that I was not clearly informed of the new price before accepting the new contract. If the agent had told me that I would be charged over €120 more, I would never have accepted the rental under those conditions.

I contacted Europcar customer service several times, but they simply replied that the new contract was subject to different rates. This does not solve the problem: customers must be clearly informed of the final price before payment, especially when the new booking is created because the agency refuses to proceed with an already prepaid reservation.

I feel misled and badly treated as a customer. The service was not transparent, the situation was poorly handled, and Europcar showed no real willingness to find a fair solution.

I do not recommend Europcar. Very disappointing experience.

Unfortunately, my experience with Europcar Iceland has been disappointing.

After my rental, I was charged for two parking fines. I contacted the relevant parking operator directly, and they confirmed in writing that one of the parking fines had been cancelled and that the case had been marked as paid.

I immediately forwarded this documentation to Europcar and asked for:

an itemised breakdown of the charges,
clarification of any administrative fees, and
reimbursement of the amount relating to the cancelled parking fine.

Despite this, I have received no response at all from Europcar.

Mistakes can happen, and I fully accept paying legitimate charges. However, when a parking authority confirms that a fine has been cancelled, I expect the rental company to acknowledge my enquiry, explain the charges, and refund any money that was collected incorrectly.

Good customer service is measured by how a company handles issues after the rental—not just during the booking process. Unfortunately, in my case, Europcar has failed to provide even a basic response.

**Title:** Staff lied about the insurance price

When picking up my rental car at Europcar, the staff member tried to sell me insurance. When I heard it would cost 121% on top of the price, I said no thanks. She kept pushing and eventually convinced me it was "only" 21% on top. I agreed on that basis.

When I later checked the invoice, it showed 121% — exactly the amount I had originally declined. The staff deliberately quoted a false price to get me to say yes.

It's dishonest and unprofessional to be misled about pricing like this. I can't recommend Europcar if you're not able to catch tactics like this at the counter yourself.

Do not use them ever!

We rented a car from Europcar at Split Airport. The total price we booked was €375, including two drivers.

When we arrived to collect the car, we were told we had to pay an additional €410. The reason given was that our payment card was a debit card, which they claimed was not accepted. We had our driving licences, passports, bank card, and a digital credit card. The second driver also had a physical credit card, but that was rejected as well. We were given one long excuse after another, with no reasonable solution.

To make matters worse, we were told that unless we paid an extra €350 for extended insurance, they would place a €2,000 security deposit on the credit card. This felt like unnecessary pressure to purchase additional insurance.

We showed them our booking confirmation, which clearly stated that we had everything required. Their response was simply that the confirmation was wrong. Customers should not be held responsible for incorrect or misleading information in Europcar's own booking confirmation.

This was an extremely frustrating experience and a complete waste of time. Be aware that the price you book may not be the price you end up paying, and that you may be faced with unexpected charges or excessive deposit requirements at the counter.

We will never use Europcar again and cannot recommend them. Stay away.

Europcar at Palermo airport in Italy. Reserved Europcar through Capital One on March 28th, 2026. We have five passengers and six bags for our travels. We booked for a Premium SUV (Audi Q5 or similar). When we arrived in Palermo, we went to the reservation desk with everything prepared - passport, international drivers license issued by AAA in the U.S on July 11, 2026, U.S license, and booking information. At the check in desk, we were told that the international passport issued by AAA was invalid because the date did not clearly state 2026 and “looked” like 2024. The staff at the check in desk told us that because it “looked” like 2024 it was not valid, and therefore we could not receive our reserved car. The staff at the check in informed us that the police would also say that it said 2024 and was a fraudulent international drivers license. The staff informed us that it should have been stamped with the date 2026. Absolutely NO attempt at finding a solution or directing us to alternate options was offered. The policy for Europcar Italy clearly states “ In Italy all licenses issued by an EU country are accepted. In the case of driving licenses issued by a non-EU country, it is necessary to show, together with your licence, a sworn translation of the same or an International driving permit.” This policy was taken directly from the website. Nowhere does it state that the international license needs to have a stamped date. We even showed the staff proof of payment for the International License from July 11, 2026 and this was not accepted either. Absolutely DO NOT book with this company anywhere. Horrible customer service and vague policies.

Paperwork was changed after signing at Gatwick airport resulting in fraudulent removal of funds from my account. Photograph everything you sign and even write no additions required under your signature. No reply from the claims department so seeking legal advice.

A massive wait at the check-in, a secret upgrade added to the bill (400 euros - nearly doubling it!) and then an attempt at an 80 euro extra cleaning charge. I would never recommend now.

Terrible experience with Europcar, landed in Charleroi airport with my CarFlexi booking voucher to be told they wouldn't accept my Revolut credit card. I had to rent another car at a significantly inflated price. The person on the desk was incredibly rude and unhelpful. I will never use Europcar again

I was charged TWICE for 110.96 EUR for my rental (RA 5033126408).

One charge came from Europcar Napoli (ARN: *299818115) and another duplicate charge from Europcar.com Roma (ARN: *379553814). My German bank (ING) has already confirmed that BOTH transactions are fully settled debits, NOT holds.

However, customer agents Carlotta and Matilde from Europcar Italy are completely ignoring my bank statements. First, they admitted it was a "forced charge via Cybersource", and now they are shifting blame to my bank, lying that it's just an "authorization". This is an absolute nightmare and professional theft. I have already filed a formal credit card fraud dispute (Chargeback) through my bank. Avoid Europcar in Italy at all costs!

Terrible experience with Europcar. The car I received was in terrible condition, with damage on every panel. I detailed this in a video when collecting the car, however when returning the car I was charged for a scratch that was there when I collected the car and was clearly visible in my video!

Despite multiple emails and phone calls, it has taken over a month to hear back from Europcar regarding this matter, their response was to send me the return document I already received over a month ago!

I have never experienced such incompetence with a hire car company and I urge others to read the plethora of similar reviews and book elsewhere!

Fortunately I booked with my credit card and have an insurance policy to cover this matter however I am loathed to use them out of principle!

Avoid Europcar like the plague and save yourself time and money with ANY other rental car company!
The representative at London Heathrow, Sab, wrote down the incorrect rental car on our agreement, then directed us to return our car to a branch that had already permanently closed!
He was too busy trying to upsell than getting any of the details correct.
What followed was hours on the phone, an incorrectly entered collection address, a transfer to a branch miles away, and upon returning home — a double charge on a reservation I had already prepaid....