Car hire costs for summer holidays have risen sharply since the pandemic, with some destinations seeing prices increase by over 77%, according to consumer group Which?. The group analysed 8,000 week-long rentals from broker Zest for August, covering destinations including Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, the US, and the UK.
Which? found that prices in the UK, Cyprus, and Italy had at least doubled since 2019, though overall costs were slightly lower than last year. The most expensive destination was the US, where the average weekly rental cost £546, a 92% increase from 2019. High demand and depleted stocks were blamed for the rises.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, warned holidaymakers to avoid firms with the cheapest headline prices, as hidden charges often inflate the final bill. He advised using reputable brokers or hire firms and booking online in advance. Customers should also scrutinise costs for extras like child car seats and consider external insurance.
Toby Poston of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association acknowledged the price hikes but noted that the sector faces the same inflationary pressures as the wider economy, including supply chain challenges and investment in greener vehicles. He highlighted that year-on-year prices have actually fallen slightly, demonstrating the sector's commitment to keeping costs low.
