Holidaymakers have been warned that £12-a-day car hire deals could be too good to be true.
Tourists jetting off for a winter break might be tempted by bargain vehicle rentals.
Prices from as little as £12 per day, or £87 a week in Faro, have been found by a new survey.
However, travellers could get caught out by additional charges that can mean the final price is more than four times the original quote.
The research by iCarhireinsurance.com looked at the cost of hiring a medium car in six popular winter locations.
It covered Faro, Larnaca, Tenerife, Barcelona, Nice and Milan, and retrieved quotes for a week in November from six major rental companies – Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt.
The average cost to rent a car for the week came to £109 in Faro, which proved to be the cheapest location. Europcar offered the best deal of £87 for seven days.
Meanwhile, in Larnaca, holidaymakers can rent a car for an average of £163, with Enterprise charging £131 for a week in the popular spot.
Holidaymakers have been warned that £12-a-day car hire deals could be too good to be true (stock)
Tenerife came to £161 on average, while the most expensive destination was Milan where tourists could be charged around £299 for a week.
Analysis of all the locations showed the general average worked out to be £193.
Rental extras ramp up the prices however, with excess protection coming to around £232 on top of the original quote, a sat nav costing £86, and an extra driver costing £74.
What’s more, a child seat costs around £72 and, in total, the final bill could be up to a whopping £657.
The research revealed that a booking with Enterprise between November 15 and 22, 2025 in Faro was originally quoted at £92.
But this then came to £415 after extras, including Excess Waiver Protection (£140), an extra driver (£55), sat nav (£67) and a child’s car seat (£61), were accounted for.
The Daily Mail approached Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt for comment.
Ben Wooltorton from iCarhireinsurance.com shared his tips for helping to avoid the extra fees.
Travellers could get caught out by additional charges that can mean the final price is more than four times the original quote (stock)
He said: ‘As the nights draw in, many people are heading abroad to soak up some winter rays in southern Europe.
‘November can be a great time to find excellent value on car hire.
‘But travellers should still compare deals carefully and be aware of costly extras at the rental desk.
‘Simple steps like bringing your own child seat or sat nav and buying car hire excess reimbursement insurance in advance from a specialist provider can make your winter-sun getaway both smoother and more affordable.’
