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.
Finding a car to suit the trip
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.
Travelling With Children and Bags
If children are part of your journey, begin by listing their ages and how many travel seats you expect to bring, since this shapes the sort of car worth asking about. Note the number of adults alongside them and count the bags: how many small cases, holdalls and pushchairs are coming along. Where a pushchair folds, measure it folded rather than open, and jot down any travel cot or booster seat in the same list. Record the pickup and drop-off addresses, particularly if the children start or finish at a different location from the adults. Sharing this rundown with the team when you enquire helps them suggest a vehicle group from the options available and confirm a price for your dates.
Questions Worth Asking Before a Quote
Before you request a quote, it can help to write down everything that might affect the booking. You might ask which vehicle groups are available on your dates, whether delivery and collection are possible at both ends of the trip and what the arrangements are if your plans run late. If a second driver may join partway through, note their details too. Consider asking how the handover works, where the car would be collected from and what happens if you need to extend the hire by a day. Keeping these questions in one message, alongside your dates and addresses, gives the team a complete picture and can speed up the confirmation you receive before booking.
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What to confirm on the phone
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.