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.
Travelling With Children and Bags
If children are part of the travelling party, their requirements deserve a line of their own in your planning notes. Record how many youngsters are coming, their ages, and whether they need child seats, since these take up space alongside the adults' luggage. List the bags each person will bring, noting any pushchairs, travel cots or booster seats, and jot down the approximate folded dimensions of the bulkiest ones. Decide who will meet the hire team and where the car will be collected from or delivered to. When you contact the team, share the dates, driver details and the child-related items so they can factor these into the vehicle group they confirm. Any questions about the car's features can be asked directly, and it is worth confirming what the price includes before you book.
Packing for a Short Break
A short break usually calls for a lighter load than a fortnight away, though it is still easy to overestimate what fits. Before requesting a quote, write a quick list of what each traveller intends to bring: one bag each, or a mix of cases, rucksacks and holdalls? Note the approximate dimensions of the largest case and any extras such as walking boots, cool boxes or sports gear. Think about the itinerary too, since a trip with several stops may involve keeping bags accessible throughout rather than emptying the boot at each one. Record the start and end dates, the driver details and where the car is needed. Share the whole picture with the team and ask which vehicle groups they would suggest, along with any questions you still have about collection or delivery.
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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.















