Holiday Autos has done some homework for you if you’re hiring a car abroad this summer. And for starters, Cyprus is the cheapest country and France is the most expensive.
The Mediterranean island came top of ‘The Car Hire Price Index’, commissioned by the car hire broker, to unearth the real costs of driving in 20 of the UK’s most popular foreign holiday destinations (see full index below). The report looked at the combined charges of renting a compact four-door family car for a week alongside the price of petrol, road tolls and parking as well as speeding fines and in-car extras such as sat-navs and child-seats.
Holiday hotspots France and Italy set holidaymakers back as much as a £788, almost £582 more than Cyprus. Outside the Eurozone, South Africa and the UAE offered motorists some of best value for money getaways. A major factor influencing the overall results was petrol prices ranging from £16.43 to fill a compact car in the UAE to five times that amount in Turkey, £86.92. Speeding fines varied on average from between £320 in France to £10 in Cyprus, while drivers can enjoy toll-free driving in Cyprus and Malta but may be forced to shell out anywhere between £10 and £31 in France, Switzerland and Denmark.
The report was commissioned by Holiday Autos to coincide with the start of summer holidays, providing families with a better understanding of how they spend their holiday money. MD Kevin Currie said: “Brits are already in the process of putting their hard-earned cash towards seeking out some sunshine – booking flights, hotels and thinking about hiring a car. As budgets get tighter, the cost of car hire is one thing but the true cost of getting behind the wheel is another entirely, which is why we hope our ‘Car Hire Price Index’ will help consumers get the most out of their holiday.”
Interestingly despite fuel increases, mainland Spain was still Brits’ No1 destination for booking with Holiday Autos. Kevin added: “Although unsurprising that the more traditional European Holiday destinations continue to receive the most bookings overall, many consumers have not quite cottoned on to the fact they are paying over the odds for petrol and the privilege of driving on many of the major toll roads. The solution in making your money go further seems to be as simple as looking somewhere outside traditional European holiday hotspots, taking advantage of offers available on the market – like our all-inclusive packages in the USA which actually includes additional extras.
“Although the actual business of hiring a car may be comparable, by looking further afield at places like Cyprus, Malta, South Africa and the UAE – the reality of driving there is a far cheaper affair overall.”
To see the full report from tomorrow, June 11, and to book visit www.holidayautos.co.uk
