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 luggage
If children are part of the journey, the first thing to settle is how many seats you need and what each child requires, since that influences the vehicle group more than you might expect. Note the number of children, their ages, and whether you are bringing your own child seats or need to ask about them. Count the bags, pushchairs and any travel cots, recording roughly how much boot space each takes. Write down the dates, the driver details and where the car is needed, then ask the team whether a people carrier or an estate suits the combined load. It is also worth asking what delivery and collection options exist for your dates, and whether anything about the child seats needs confirming before you book.
Keeping a day plan flexible
A day that might change direction benefits from a plan written in pencil rather than ink. Rather than fixing a strict hour-by-hour schedule, note the one or two times that genuinely matter, such as a collection time or a return deadline, and leave the middle of the day open. Record the addresses you might visit and any parking arrangements you already know about, so you can share them if relevant. Decide your latest acceptable return time and note it alongside the hire dates. When asking for a quote, mention that the itinerary may shift and ask whether that affects the vehicle group or the delivery and collection arrangements. A question about extending the day, should it become necessary, is also reasonable to raise at this stage.
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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.