Blog Post
Hiring A Family Car In The UK
Clare Fisher • 25 April 2019
Using Europcar UK's, 'Model Choice' Service
Whether you're hiring a car to explore the UK or help you with your day to day routine, you probably have an idea of what car you're expecting to drive around in! We've hired many cars, all over the world and while many things differ in the actual process, there is always one thing that remains consistent.....we never get the car we think we are going to get! As you may know, when you hire a car, you can choose the category of car you would like, each containing a range of different makes, models, sizes and ages, depending on your budget, so you never fully know what to expect on pick-up! Unfortunately this can be disappointing, inconvenient and impractical, if you're given the bottom end of the range you've selected. As a family especially, even the smallest differences in size and features, can have a big impact on the overall experience.
Aside from being Europe's number one car and van hire company, which is a great comfort, we hire with Europcar UK for a number of other reason's:
- COMPETITIVELY PRICED. They are almost always the cheapest, when we've compared with other companies and you are guaranteed the best price by booking direct.
- BEST PRICE GUARANTEE. You're guaranteed Europcar's best rates at their website's, mobile sites and apps. If you do find a cheaper Europcar rate, they will match it by refunding the difference.
- FLEXIBLE RENTAL PERIOD. Whether you need daily, monthly or just a one way hire, you can choose what length you need.- NEW VEHICLES. Europcar vehicles are less than 6 months old on average.
- LOYALTY REWARDS. You can become a Privilege Member to access free hires, discount and priority check-in.
- 24/7 SERVICE IN MOST AIRPORTS. We are frequent flyers and do so at all hours in the day, so this is important to us.
- NO HIDDEN CHARGES. Things are not always as they seem with some companies, but you know where you are with Europcar.
- 24 HOUR ROAD-SIDE ASSISTANCE. This peace of mind is important for us.
- EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. Europcar have a very informative website, have the online chat feature and they are also easy to get hold of via email or phone!
Hiring with Europcar, not only gives you all this, but when you book direct, you can now access their new 'Model Choice Service'! That's right, picking up from selected locations in the UK, unlike other car rental companies, you can choose the exact make and model you would like to drive around in, so no more surprises at pick-up! It is also super easy to do! As you can see below, when you visit www.europcar.co.uk you can choose 'Model Choice' from either one of the below drop down menu's.
Volvo V60
When we found out that Europcar UK, had brand new Volvo V60's in their fleet, we knew straight away that this would be the perfect car for our family. A few things are priority for us, when choosing a family car:
- Size
- Helpful Features
- Safety
- Economical
Our top 10 fave features of the Volvo V60:
- The space! Nothing makes life easier and more comfortable than having plenty of space everywhere! Boot space, leg space, head space, plenty of distance in between the kids!
- The features on this car really do make life easier! We loved the fact that you can open the boot by swiping your foot under the bumper! With kids and a trolley full of food to juggle, this is so helpful!
- Sun roof! Aside from letting heaps of light into the car, the kids loved everything about this!
- Instant heated seats and steering wheel! Britain is an amazing place to road trip, but it can get cold! Very cold! We loved not having to wait for the car heaters to start working.
- Safety lights on the mirrors. The safety features on this car are amazing but we really loved the red lights on the mirrors, that are activated when get too close to something, or something gets close to you.
- Speed dial in the windscreen. This is such a clever feature! We've got enough to concentrate on operating the car, navigating and being aware of what's around us, without watching our speed. In the Volvo V60, there is a very clear indication of your speed, reflected into the windscreen in front of you, so you don't have to keep taking your eyes off the road.
- USB points. We all have devices and we all like them charged, so we really appreciate being able to plug our leads straight into the car!
- Parking sensors and TV screen. Although it's great having sensors, it's still nice to be able to see what's around you when you're maneuvering a vehicle, but you can't see everything, even with mirrors! In the Volvo V60 you have a screen with a 360 degree view around the car.
- Park assist! Never have and never will be able to reverse park. That's okay, the Volvo V60 does it for you.
- We drove for what felt like forever, and the fuel gauge didn't move!
When you've selected 'Model Choice', if you would like a summary of the car, this is displayed for you when you select a vehicle. See below.
When you've selected your chosen dates, times and pick up/drop off locations, you will see the below screen, offering you more vehicle specs, information about what the hire includes and a quote. As you can see, the stylish Volvo V60 is very appealing as a family car, with the size and features.
You can print your quote from here or you can send your quote to a desired email, when you select 'More details.'
No-one want's to hang around when they're picking up or dropping a car off, so we really love Europcar's dedication, to making sure everything is quick and easy!
Click hereto visit the Europcar website and get a quote.
TOP TIP for hiring in the UK:
Make sure you have all the documentation required, updated with your current information. It's worth checking this as soon as you possibly can, giving you time to update or gather what's needed. Hiring with some companies can be surprisingly difficult, with everything they require to insure you and although Europcar have been the best to hire with in terms of this so far, they still require some things.
We do not earn money when you click the links above. We were paid by Europcar UK, to document our experience and to give an honest review. We've put together some helpful information, based on our experience, for anyone interested in their services. If you enjoyed this, or it has been useful to you, please let us know :) Thank you!
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