Best car hire companies in Spain and the Canary Islands

There are only two car hire providers that have met the required standards to be awarded Which? Recommended Provider (WRP) status - and both of them operate in the Canary Islands.

When we surveyed thousands of car hire customers, AutoReisen and Cicar both received a whopping 91% customer score, standing head and shoulders above the competition in an industry known for rip offs and poor customer service. If you’re travelling to Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria or Fuerteventura, we recommend you book with these brands operating at the airports and around the islands.

Sadly AutoReisen doesn't operate outside the Canaries and while Cicar operates in Spain, it does so in partnership with other firms (which means we can’t recommend it there).

 While no other car hire company quite makes the grade to be a WRP, several firms, including Enterprise and Hertz, will offer a consistently better car hire experience in Spain, according to customers. 

Read on for more about the best options overall, and at the specific island or airport that you are travelling to.

See our full reviews of the Best and worst car hire companies

Best car hire in Spain, Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza

These are the companies with the highest customer scores in our 2023 survey, that operate in Spain:

Enterprise 72%

Alamo and Enterprise operate as one company in Spain, so if you book with Alamo, you’ll often find yourself at an Enterprise branded office at the airport. It is the best-rated car hire provider in Spain, with offices at all of the major airports and train stations. You can count on Enterprise to be reliable and trouble-free. Just bear in mind it’s rarely the cheapest option. 

Book with Enterprise or read our full review

Hertz 71%

As one of the world’s biggest car hire providers, you’ll often find Hertz in the airport terminals in Spain, so picking up the car is less hassle. Our survey found that Hertz Gold Plus Rewards members are the brands biggest fans. It’s free to join and they are able to skip the queue when collecting the car. However, Hertz only got a three-star value for money rating. 

Book with Hertz or read our full review

Centauro 70%

Low-cost Spanish brand Centauro mainly operates at off-airport locations - so you’ll have to take a shuttle bus to pick up the car. It’s usually cheaper than Hertz and Enterprise and its fleet of cars is in good nick, but customers report hit and miss experiences with customer service, including long queues and a hard sell at the rental desk.

Book with Centauro or read our full review

Thrifty 70%

The low-cost arm of Hertz, Thrifty has offices throughout Spain, offers reasonable service and lower prices than big names like Europcar or Avis. Just keep an eye on the record of scratches and dings on the car and ask staff to note down any damage before you drive off - some readers reported issues. 

Book with Thrifty or read our full review

Zest Car Rental (broker) 87% - Which? Recommended Provider

Zest finds the best local and national car rental companies in Spain and keeps a close eye on customer feedback to ensure standards don’t slip. As well as providing five-star customer service, Zest also throws in many extras for free on most bookings - including a second driver and excess reimbursement insurance. Zest is the only broker that Which? has ever recommended.

Book with Zest Car Rental or read our full review

Best car hire Malaga Airport

There are a handful of big names at the car hire desks inside Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport, including Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Goldcar and Sixt. Of these Hertz, with its customer score of 71% is the best of these options. 

However, our survey shows you’ll have a slightly better experience with Enterprise, which is just a short shuttle bus ride away. It may not be cheaper, but it has an excellent reputation for customer service, and just outperforms Hertz with a customer score of 72%. To reach the Enterprise office, take the shuttle bus from behind the terminal train station. 

Whatever you do, don’t be drawn in by Goldcar’s bargain basement prices. The company has been one of the worst performers in our survey for a decade. 

Best car hire Alicante Airport

There are car hire desks on the ground floor in the arrivals hall, including the big players like Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt. If you don’t want to take a shuttle bus when you arrive, then Hertz (71% customer score) and low-cost Centauro (70% customer score) are reasonable options.

However, Enterprise (72% customer score) is better rated, and is just a short shuttle ride away. The shuttle service runs every 15 minutes from outside the terminal building, and the journey time is 5 minutes.

Avoid Goldcar, well-known for its poor service and dreadful value for money, despite low headline prices.

Best car hire: Palma Airport

Enterprise, has an office in the arrivals hall of Palma de Mallorca airport. Though pricey, Enterprise and its sister company Alamo are two of the best global car hire providers according to our survey, with a customer score of 72%.

For cheaper car hire on Mallorca, you could try Zest Car Rental, the only car hire broker that is a Which? Recommended Provider. It uses a range of local companies, but crucially vets them for customer service.

Best car hire companies in Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura

Those hiring a car in the Canary Islands are spoilt for choice. The two car hire providers that have been awarded Which? Recommended Providers both operate in the Canary Islands:

AutoReisen 91% (Which Recommended Provider)

Not only does AutoReisen offer superb customer service, but it also guarantees you won’t be penalised for minor dents and prangs because its all-inclusive prices give you full insurance, with no excess. You can even add a second driver and child seats at no extra cost.

Book with AutoReisen or read our full review

Cicar 91% (Which Recommended Provider)

Prices are a tiny bit higher with Cicar, but just like AutoReisen it has offices in the major airports in the Canary Islands, offers five-star customer service, and charges an all-inclusive price that covers insurance. You can even request car pick-up and drop-off at your hotel.

Book with Cicar or read our full review

Don’t buy excess reimbursement insurance from your car hire company

Whichever car hire company you book with, don’t buy your excess reimbursement insurance from them. Our research has repeatedly found that insurance from car hire companies is full of holes and can cost up to £205 more per week than specialist insurance bought online. 

Instead, use our car hire insurance ratings to find the best provider.

How we research car hire companies

In January 2023 we asked 2,657 members of Which? Connect and the general public to complete an online survey about their experience of using a car hire company in the past two years.

Only those car hire companies that were top of the table and met our consumer-focused criteria are eligible for Which? Recommended Provider status.