Ultimate Guide to Renting a Car in Tenerife

Home | Travel | Europe | Spain | Canary Islands | Tenerife | Ultimate Guide to Renting a Car in Tenerife

Renting a car in Tenerife is the best way to get around because you’ll have total freedom, and you can reach the most remote places on the island.

Whenever we go to the Canary Islands, we get a rental car in Tenerife so we can explore at our leisure and visit places that are off the beaten path. Another great option to have a wild experience is renting a camper van in Tenerife. Of course, if you don’t want to drive, you can get around by taking the local buses or some of the best tours in Tenerife.

For us, we prefer the independence of having our own vehicle, and we don’t mind driving ourselves around to different towns and attractions. If that sounds like you, then keep reading to learn how we find cheap rental cars in Tenerife. We also have a guide on how to get the best rental car deals, so I also recommend reading that for more tips and tricks.

However, if you’re in a hurry, I’ll tell you now that we use DiscoverCars whenever we need to reserve a vehicle. In our experience, this platform offers the best prices for Tenerife rental cars.

Below, I’ll explain how DiscoverCars works and why we prefer it, and I’ll share other companies that offer rental cars in Tenerife so you can see for yourself how great the deals are.

Rental car in Tenerife price comparison

To help you compare the cheapest rental cars in Tenerife, here is a chart with the main rental companies on the island and their prices. You can also see the cost of insurance, cancellation, and more. Remember, the price to rent a car in Tenerife will vary depending on when you travel, how long you’ll need the car, and what type of vehicle you choose. Some companies even charge more for weekend use.

To get the prices for this chart, I used the example of a basic rental car from Tenerife South Airport for one week in April:

As I said, DiscoverCars has the cheapest car rentals in Tenerife. To be clear, DiscoverCars isn’t a rental service, but it compares all the available car rental companies to find the best deals and special offers. By searching the companies’ official websites, DiscoverCars can offer the best price for your car rental in Tenerife.

When booking your rental with DiscoverCars, I recommend purchasing the comprehensive insurance, but holding off on any extras. For those things, wait until you pick up your car in Tenerife. DiscoverCars offers rental cars with comprehensive insurance at a very good price because it makes money with the extras, so hire that at the time of pick-up. This way you will save a lot compared to booking your car directly with a car rental company.

Best Tenerife car rental companies

To help you choose where to rent a car in Tenerife, here is a run-down of each rental company on the island.

1. DiscoverCars, the best place to rent cars in Tenerife

DiscoverCars is a search engine that compares all the available rental cars in Tenerife from all the main companies on the island. We’ve used this service for our trips to Tenerife as well as for other travels abroad since we always get the best prices with it.

Besides saving us lots of time, what I like most about DiscoverCars is that you usually don’t have to pay anything until you pick up your car. You can also cancel your reservation at any time without any cost.

In addition, DiscoverCars is totally transparent and lets you know which rental company you’re getting the car from, be it Sixt, Avis, etc. Plus, even smaller Tenerife rental car services are on the site, so you can compare prices and policies across all competitors. If you’re ever in doubt about the prices, you can always double-check on the company’s official website, but I already know that DiscoverCars scores you the best deal.

The reason why DiscoverCars can keep their prices so cheap is that it charges a lot for extras. If you compare the costs, you’ll see that this is more expensive with DiscoverCars than it is with other services like Cabrera Medina.

The good news is that you can reserve your car with DiscoverCars, including comprehensive insurance (which has very good conditions at a very reasonable price), and purchase the other extras when you pick up the vehicle. This way, you will get the best of both worlds: the DiscoverCars offers and the lowest prices on extras from the final insurance company.

2. Auto Europe, a good option to rent a car in Tenerife

If you’re going to rent a car in Los Cristianos, Tenerife, or another town that doesn’t have DiscoverCars, then take a look at Auto Europe. This is my second choice for finding rentals on the island, and it works in a similar way to DiscoverCars. In other words, it’s a search engine that looks through the different companies to find the best offers, and it can even get you deals that you wouldn’t find on the rental companies’ official sites.

We’ve used Auto Europe a few times, and sometimes it even has a greater variety of vehicles compared to DiscoverCars. That said, the main advantage of this service is that it has comprehensive insurance at a cheaper price, about €10/day.

On the other hand, Auto Europe does charge for cancellation, so make sure your travel plans are set in stone before you make a reservation.

3. Goldcar, a company where you can find rental cars in Tenerife

Goldcar is another site where you can rent a car in Tenerife. Unlike DiscoverCars and Auto Europe, Goldcar is not a search engine. Rather, it’s a company with its own fleet of rental vehicles.

While we’ve never booked directly through Goldcar, we’ve rented one of the company’s vehicles through DiscoverCars. Judging from our experience, this is another competent company with decent rental cars in Tenerife. However, we did notice that the DiscoverCars price was much lower than the one posted on the Goldcar website.

Another reason why I prefer going through the DiscoverCars platform is that if I had made the reservation on the Goldcar website, I wouldn’t have been able to make changes or cancel the reservation for free. So, I only recommend this service if your travel plans are definite.

4. Europcar, another good place to rent a car in Tenerife

Europcar is another company that has rental cars in Tenerife, and it offers a nice selection of models. This is an international company that we’ve used a lot since it has a partnership with the company I used to work for. Whenever I had to make a business trip (about once a month for 4 years), I rented a car with Europcar.

To be fair, my rentals were always paid for by the company, so I didn’t pay too much attention to the price. These days, if I had to pay for it myself, I wouldn’t rent a car in Tenerife with Europcar. This isn’t because the vehicles are bad or the company is no good, but it’s just a more expensive option.

I will say that the company has a good cancellation policy since you can cancel your reservation for free, and it also offers unlimited mileage. However, you can find cheaper rental cars in Tenerife with the same quality and convenience.

5. Sixt, another Tenerife car rental company

Another well-known company that offers rental cars in Tenerife is Sixt. Its fleet of vehicles includes a wide range of models, including luxury cars.

Although we’ve never rented a car directly through Sixt, we’ve gotten one of their vehicles through DiscoverCars, and it was a great experience. I didn’t have any complaints, but it’s worth noting that I saved money because I went through DiscoverCars and not directly through Sixt’s official website.

While you can use Sixt to rent a luxury car in Tenerife, there is a mileage limit of 2,450 kilometers if you book through the official website. If you go through DiscoverCars, you can bypass this mileage restriction.

6. Avis, another company with rental cars in Tenerife

Avis is another reputable company with a great selection of rental cars in Tenerife. The best thing about Avis is that it has a flexible cancellation policy, so if you have to cancel or make a change to your reservation, you won’t be penalized. On the other hand, it’s not the cheapest, so I only recommend using Avis if it’s through DiscoverCars.

We only used Avis once, and this was before we even knew about DiscoverCars. We didn’t have any problems while using the car, but after we returned it, the company wanted to charge us for a scratch that we didn’t cause. Since we had returned the car quickly to make our flight, we had to bite the bullet and pay for the damage.

Once we got home, we looked at photos of our rental vehicle from the day we picked it up, and it was clear that the car already had that scratch by then. We contacted Avis and sent them all the evidence, and finally, they gave us a refund for the added charge. However, it still left a bad taste in our mouths.

The moral of this story is that you should always take photos of the vehicle when you pick it up. That way, you won’t get stuck paying for damage that you didn’t cause. If you can afford it, I also recommend taking out comprehensive insurance with your rental car in Tenerife.

7. Cabrera Medina, a Canarian company with rental cars in Tenerife

Cabrera Medina is a Canarian company that’s popular throughout Tenerife and the other islands, so you’ll find pick-up and drop-off points in various locations. The company also has rental cars at Tenerife’s airports, so it’s super convenient.

The best thing about this company is that the rental price includes comprehensive insurance, a secondary driver, unlimited mileage, and free cancellation, making it one of the cheapest car rentals in Tenerife.

The only thing you must keep in mind is that Cabrera Medina’s fleet of vehicles isn’t as large as the other companies, especially the international ones. So, if you’re visiting during peak travel season, you might not be able to find a car here, or it’ll be expensive.

Where to rent a car in Tenerife

If you’re not sure where to rent a car in Tenerife, don’t worry. There are two options that you can choose depending on what best suits your trip through Tenerife.

First, you can rent a car at the Tenerife airport, as both the north and south airports have rental services and you can find cheap flights to Tenerife in both airports. The second option is to arrive in Tenerife, go to the town where your accommodation is, and rent a vehicle there.

I only recommend the second option if you’re going to spend a few days in that town or city before you explore the rest of the island. Otherwise, it will be much cheaper to rent your car at the Tenerife airport.

Rent a car at Tenerife North Airport

For those who plan on renting a car at Tenerife North Airport, you can get the vehicle as soon as you land. That said, I highly recommend reserving your rental in advance since it’ll save time and ensure that you get the best vehicle for your trip itinerary.

Rent a car at Tenerife North Airport

While there are lots of rental companies available, we always use DiscoverCars since we’ve had several great experiences with them, and the prices are great. On the DiscoverCars website, select Tenerife North Airport, and you’ll see the available offers from all the rental companies in the region.

Rent a car at Tenerife South Airport

If you land at Tenerife South Airport, you can go through the same process as you would at the North Airport. Again, it’s best to reserve your Tenerife rental car before your trip so that when you arrive on the island, you can pick up your vehicle right away.

Rent a car at Tenerife South Airport

Keep in mind that this airport is larger than the one in the north, so you might end up waiting in line. Of course, this process will go much smoother if you already have a rental booked, which is why we always reserve our rental cars ahead of time on DiscoverCars.

10 Tips to find cheap rental cars in Tenerife

Now that you know the best rental services on the island, here are some tips to get the lowest price on a car rental in Tenerife. It’s also worth reading our guide on how to find cheap rental cars.

1. Don’t wait until the last minute to rent a car in Tenerife

You can rent a car in Tenerife, a motorbike, a van, or any other vehicle, but if you wait until the last minute, there will be a very limited selection. Once you know your travel dates, start looking at DiscoverCars or other similar websites to find what you’re looking for at a great price.

2. Wait to purchase any extras until you pick up your rental car in Tenerife

Although websites usually try to add all kinds of extras, I recommend holding off until you pick up your rental car in Tenerife. At this time, in order to convince you, they usually give better conditions.

3. Get a rental car in Tenerife without a deductible

On a related note, I recommend getting a rental car in Tenerife without a deductible. This way, if anything happens, you won’t be held financially liable.

3. Get a rental car in Tenerife without a deductible

4. Add a second driver

It’s true that adding a secondary driver can make your car rental in Tenerife more expensive. However, I recommend adding another person to your reservation if you and your travel companion both plan on driving during the trip. If something happens, both of you will be covered under the policy.

5. Bring your credit card when picking up your rental car in Tenerife

While it’s not impossible, it’s very difficult to get a car rental in Tenerife without a credit card. Rental companies require a deposit when you pick up the vehicle, and you’ll get it back as long as you return the vehicle without any damage. Deposits are only accepted by credit card, so be sure to bring one with you. Our list of the best travel credit cards has several great options if you need to get one.

6. Check the mileage policy

It’s always better to rent a car in Tenerife with unlimited mileage, so choose this option whenever you can.

7. Check the fuel policy

Another thing to consider is the rental company’s fuel policy. In this case, the best option is Full-Full, which is when the vehicle has a full tank when you pick it up, and you return it with a full tank. You can research the cheapest gas stations in the area to save some money on fuel.

7. Check the fuel policy

I would avoid the Full-Empty policy, in which the rental company fills the tank when you return the car, and charges you for the fuel costs. This way, they can use the most expensive gas stations to charge you the highest amount possible.

8. Take photos of the rental car when you pick it up

Avoid surprises and take photos of your Tenerife rental car when you pick it up. Be sure to get clear images of any scratches, dents, stains, and other defects so the company can’t blame them on you later!

9. Don’t miss the return deadline!

It’s always better to return your car early since going past the deadline can result in extra fees. When you’re reserving your vehicle online, set the delivery time so that you have enough time to get to the drop-off location. Of course, don’t go overboard or you’ll end up paying for extra time that you don’t even need.

10. If you’re dropping off your rental before a flight, arrive 4 hours before

My last tip is for you if you plan on dropping off your vehicle right before you catch your flight. In this case, I recommend you get to the drop-off location about 4 hours before your flight is scheduled to leave. This way, you’ll have enough time to return the car, go through airport security, and board.

If you get your rental car from the Tenerife airport, it’ll be easier since you’ll already be at the airport when you return your vehicle.

FAQs – Renting a car in Tenerife

If you have any questions about car rentals in Tenerife, here are the answers to some commonly asked questions:

That’s it from me! I hope this guide helps you find a cheap car rental in Tenerife so you can have the best time exploring this beautiful Canary Island. Don’t hesitate to leave me a comment below if you have any questions about renting a car in Tenerife.

Have an amazing trip!