First of all, if you are from America then you need to be aware that in Europe most of the rental cars use manual transmission, so if you haven’t used this type of car before you should make sure you that you practice a bit before you go to avoid embarrassment. You can ask for automatic but the chances of them having one available are quite slim, so be prepared.

The majority of rental cars will be fuel efficient – or at least they should be – but it is worth checking this with the rental company before you book in a car just to be on the sage side. Travelling in Spain by car is probably a bit more expensive than other methods but does provide a lot more freedom so it is something you have to decide upon.

If you are going to be taking a large family on holiday with you with lots of grown ups then be aware that some rental car service will provide quite small cars! You should check out the American versions of the capacity of the car you will be using before booking if you think this might be a problem for you again to be on the safe side. You should also take into account that in general the boot of the car is quite small, so don’t count on putting lots of large suitcases in it unless you have measured out the size beforehand.

It is probably not a good idea to pay extra for things like cruise control as in general you aren’t going to use them much on holiday. Especially if you are on a tight budget, picking low cost car rentals in Spain is definitely the best way to go.

It is always a good idea to research your car rental company before you book with them to avoid any nasty surprises that might be waiting for you once you arrive! A little bit of effort goes a long way to helping you get the best car hire for you and your holiday.

Are you able to drive in Spain?

One of the things that people forget is that just because you have a British licence doesn’t always mean you are free to drive in any other country. In Europe in most places you can’t drive if you have less than one years experience after passing your test, but in some places this differs. You could always check up on the laws of the road before you decide to rent a car because you don’t want to break the law when you are on holiday in Spain!

Can you drive on the right side of the road?

And by right I mean opposite from left, not “correct”! Most people find it a bit strange on the other side of the road to begin with but after a while it becomes easy. However if you have a real problem with it then you may have to factor this into your decision for holiday car hire. You don’t want to spend your whole holiday a nervous wreck!

Can I hire a car when I get to the airport?

There are often plenty of car hire companies at the airport, but if at all possible you should try and book the car rental before you get to Spain as they usually cost more once you get there. This is because they know that you don’t really have an option once you arrive – but when booking at home you have all the time you need to get the most affordable Spanish car hire.

Choosing a car isn’t always easy, but you should bear a few things in mind when you do. For example, how much are you going to drive. Can you fit all your driving into one day of the week to cut down on costs, or do you need a car for your whole stay? How many people are going to be using your car? This will obviously affect how big a car you need to get. Are you going to be driving long distances? If so then you may want to rent a more comfortable car than if you are only going to be driving short distances. Could you get by on public transport to save a bit of money? If so then it may be a good idea to save on money for your travelling if you are on a tight budget.

As you can see, there are plenty of things you need to consider when renting a car in Spain. It isn’t always easy, but if you spend a bit of time researching you will be much more likely to get good results than if you just choose the first car company. You wouldn’t do this with your hotel, so don’t do it with your form of transport.