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
Prepaid amount was not applied and Europcar refused to refund.
“the prepaid amount was nowhere to be seen.”
Received large post-rental bill for alleged minor damages despite no damage.
“We received a bill for over 800 Euros a couple of months later”
Employee coerced purchase of optional insurance and refund was denied.
“required us to take an optional insurance we did not need before he would rent the vehicle.”
Company repeatedly charged small fraudulent fees months after rental.
“This company have been fraudulently charging me in 3 different instances”
Staff attempted to drastically increase price when upgrading vehicle at pickup.
“They were trying to charge me $280 per day! Absolute thieves.”
Office gave away reserved car and demanded excessive charges and documentation.
“They gave my car away while my flight was delayed.”
Clerk added premium insurance without consent resulting in large extra charge.
“She snuck it in and quickly told us to sign.”
Company gave repeated excuses and failed to locate a phone left in the rental.
“I know for sure that I left my phone at the car.”
Ambushed into buying allegedly mandatory liability insurance despite prior rentals without it.
“told I had to buy their liability insurance because it was “the law.””
Return location closed without notification and company failed to inform customer.
“My rental return location CLOSED the day after I picked the car up.”
Booking cancelled at pickup and unauthorized charges caused extra costs.
“I was refused the prepaid car I had booked.”
Charged £780 for alleged windscreen damage claimed at return.
“was absolutely disgusted to be charged £780!!”
Rented car had bald tyres and was unsafe to drive.
“The car supplied had bald tyres”
Hired at Stockholm airport; excellent experience and would reuse.
“excellent experience, would use again”
No shuttle service; reservation cancelled yet charged as no-show.
“was later charged as a “no-show.””
Offered premium insurance disguised as deposit and pressured to sign.
“I was presented to sign the document in Spanish”
Advertised luggage capacity was misleading, forcing costly upgrade during pickup.
“car was clearly advertised as fitting 3 luggage bags”
Long waits and aggressive upselling pressured customers into extra charges.
“chronic upselling was diabolical”
Car not available at agreed pickup time, causing long delays with children.
“Our car was not there, and there was no alternative given.”
Charged for existing damages and unable to contact valid customer service email.
“They immediately denied my claim.”
Agency charged almost $600 mandatory insurance despite reservation through RentalCars.
“charged me almost 600 $ as 'mandatory insurance”
Tommy provided excellent customer service; smooth and hassle-free rental.
“Tommy, who provided excellent customer service.”
Extra fuel charge and unrequested insurance added; complaints ignored.
“they added an extra insurance that I did not request”
Unauthorised €570 credit card charge disputed and ignored by customer service.
“Unauthorised Euro 570 charge made to my credit card”
Customer service rigid and unsympathetic about a booking mistake.
“Very disappointed with Europcar's customer service.”
Provided car with dangerously worn tyres and misleading insurance billing.
“high milage model which turned out to have 4 illegal tyres”
Returned car to alternate location after closure then charged €1800 claiming theft.
“the car was later stolen and that I was liable for more than €1800”
Employee forced €109.94 insurance; refund link provided but not processed.
“imposed €109.94 insurance on me to travel to the Netherlands”
Car blowout left them stranded for hours with no Europcar assistance.
“NO ONE showed!”
Received delayed deposit refund then billed and threatened with court for tyre.
“they gave me a bill for a flat tyre for 290”
My first time using Europcar services and I can say they have a great team of customer service. They understand the needs of the customer and go a long way in guiding on the best option. They helped me request a car online for use during my vacation successfully. Their efficiency made my holiday be the most memorable experience I have ever had with rented cars. They have an excellent way of planning, and always notify the customer of changes or problems with your request. This allows time to request another vehicle thus no cancellation of trips. Looking forward to using their services during my next visit.
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.