Reviews often mention billing disputes and surprise charges after the rental. Many customers say staff did not respond and deposits were kept. Several locations struggled with basics, including closed counters, missing cars, and no roadside help. A smaller share of reviews describe smooth, efficient airport rentals and helpful agents.
Examples from available reviews (Nov 2021 – Feb 2026).
Jakarta Airport rental provided well-maintained vehicle and friendly efficient staff.
“excellent experience from start to finish”
Company repeatedly charged disputed damage fees months after rental.
“they just tried to charge my card $925.11 THEY ARE SCAMERS.”
Europcar holding a €500 deposit unfairly and not answering calls.
“they’ve been holding my deposit of 500 unfairly”
Staff absence and key mix-up left reviewer with wrong vehicle in extreme cold.
“they put the keys in the wrong envelope so I ended up with a smaller vehicle.”
Reviews describe frequent breakdowns at pickup and return. Customers report closed desks, missing reservations, long waits, and no help after breakdowns. At some locations, staff pushed extra fees during handover.
Many reports mention unexpected mandatory fees and expensive add-ons at pickup. Several customers received large damage bills or repeated unauthorized charges months after the rental. Some cases ended only after customers provided documented proof.
Experiences vary sharply by location. Some reviews highlight specific branches and agents for smooth, helpful service. Most accounts, though, describe stressful interactions at key moments like pickup and return.
Multiple reviews mention poorly maintained vehicles at collection. Complaints include bald tyres, very high-mileage cars, and decade-old replacements. A smaller set of reviews praised well-maintained vehicles at certain airport branches.
Reviews repeatedly mention deposits being kept, refunds taking too long, and calls not returned. Customers describe damage claims filed months after returns and trouble finding a working way to dispute them. Several reports say staff added insurance or optional products without clear consent.
Most reviews focus on negative outcomes around billing, service, and lack of response. Positive experiences appear, but mainly at specific locations and with named staff. The gap between high-rated and low-rated accounts points to uneven execution across branches.
For each review, the core experience based on original source reviews.
Sources: Trustpilot (60) · consumeraffairs.com (10) · Collected.reviews (1) · Quotes shortened · As of: February 2026
Vehicle not as advertised and customer service unhelpful about unexpected charges.
“service was unprofessional, disorganized, and frustrating.”
Vehicle not as advertised and customer service unhelpful about unexpected charges.
“service was unprofessional, disorganized, and frustrating.”
Europcar holding a €500 deposit unfairly and not answering calls.
“they’ve been holding my deposit of 500 unfairly”
Europcar holding a €500 deposit unfairly and not answering calls.
“they’ve been holding my deposit of 500 unfairly”
Office closed; missed pickup led to forfeited hire and failed complaint channels.
“we were told we would forfeit the entire 9 day hire cost”
Office closed; missed pickup led to forfeited hire and failed complaint channels.
“we were told we would forfeit the entire 9 day hire cost”
Replacement vehicle was old, unsafe, and far below booked standard.
“completely unacceptable vehicle: at least 10–15 years old”
Replacement vehicle was old, unsafe, and far below booked standard.
“completely unacceptable vehicle: at least 10–15 years old”
Unexpected mandatory 19% station charge and costly upgrades inflated rental cost.
“mandatory charge of 19% which they bill you on anything you get”
Unexpected mandatory 19% station charge and costly upgrades inflated rental cost.
“mandatory charge of 19% which they bill you on anything you get”
Charged £550 for a nearly invisible minor scratch.
“Despite extra thin scratch, was charged £550 for repair.”
Charged £550 for a nearly invisible minor scratch.
“Despite extra thin scratch, was charged £550 for repair.”
Final charge exceeded guaranteed price by significant amount.
“final charge we paid is 53 001.98 ZAR”
Final charge exceeded guaranteed price by significant amount.
“final charge we paid is 53 001.98 ZAR”
Repeated unjustified billing forced cancellation of credit card and disputes.
“They never stopped billing for no reason.”
Repeated unjustified billing forced cancellation of credit card and disputes.
“They never stopped billing for no reason.”
Reported car fault; later charged £850 despite being told not at fault.
“I received an invoice for £850 to pay for the damages to the car.”
Reported car fault; later charged £850 despite being told not at fault.
“I received an invoice for £850 to pay for the damages to the car.”
Jakarta Airport rental provided well-maintained vehicle and friendly efficient staff.
“excellent experience from start to finish”
Jakarta Airport rental provided well-maintained vehicle and friendly efficient staff.
“excellent experience from start to finish”
Claimed damages 2.5 months later after photo deletion; unable to contest.
“claimed 330 euros for damages to the car”
Company charged damages months after rental without timely notice.
“Europcar in Italy, Bologna, claimed 330 euros for damages to the car.”
Wrong keys led to smaller car in freezing temperatures; poor customer response.
“they put the keys in the wrong envelope”
Staff absence and key mix-up left reviewer with wrong vehicle in extreme cold.
“they put the keys in the wrong envelope so I ended up with a smaller vehicle.”
Charged extra rental day then refunded after proving return time with photo metadata.
“we were later charged for an additional rental day”
Charged for an extra rental day despite returning car early; refund required proof.
“we were later charged for an additional rental day”
Charged for rim scratch without initial photos proving condition at pickup.
“there was a small scratch in the rim that I'm sure I did not make.”
Charged for rim damage without proof and experienced poor pickup service.
“Had to pay for it anyways because I didn't have any pictures of the rims from when I picked up the car.”
Original price ballooned with many undisclosed mandatory fees and extras.
“A sea of unexpected fees and scammy behaviour.”
Final charge rose substantially due to undisclosed fees and mandatory add-ons.
“premium location', mandatory transponder rental, additional mandatory insurance, handling fees,...”
Poor overall service and many opportunities to overcharge customers.
“You are a number not a customer”
Reviewer experienced poor service and felt treated like a revenue opportunity.
“You are a number not a customer and an opportunity to fleece you at every point.”
Cancelled trip yet still awaiting full refund despite repeated contact attempts.
“I’m still waiting on a full refund”
Customer cancelled prepaid booking but still awaits a promised refund.
“I’m still waiting on a full refund which I’m entitled to according to the terms.”
Double charged and no proper response for months.
“They charged us double for our car rental”
Company charged double and failed to respond to complaints for months.
“They charged us double for our car rental”
Long wait, dirty car, later charged for alleged damage with funds withdrawn.
“And taken money out of bank account with out sending proof of damaged.”
Charged post-invoice for alleged damage without proof, funds withdrawn.
“taken money out of bank account with out sending proof of damaged.”
Long after rental, charged large amounts for alleged windshield damage repeatedly.
“they charged my card $911.27 for a chiooed windshield.”
Company repeatedly charged disputed damage fees months after rental.
“they just tried to charge my card $925.11 THEY ARE SCAMERS.”
This page combines submitted experiences with public reviews from platforms such as Google, Trustpilot, etc. Recurring points are summarized without changing the content of reviews.
Europcar is an international car rental company with airport and city branches in many countries. It offers short-term rentals, long-term leasing, and corporate fleet solutions for travelers and businesses. Customers can book online, through partner travel platforms, or at on-site counters. Europcar’s fleet usually includes compact cars, SUVs, and vans, with optional add-ons like insurance, GPS units, and roadside assistance.