UK holidaymakers driving in Spain, Portugal or France issued warning to 'steer clear'

Holidaymakers are being warned to steer clear of car hire firm Goldcar, which has been ranked bottom in a customer satisfaction survey. The company, which operates in countries including Spain, Portugal, France and the US, scored a dismal 52% overall in the annual report by consumer watchdog Which?

It received a mere two stars out of five for value for money, accuracy of car description, record of car damage, and customer service.

A worrying 20% of respondents who used Goldcar reported issues with the car's condition, while 23% said they were hit with extra charges either at pick-up or drop-off.

Which? revealed that its past investigations have uncovered instances of "pressure selling tactics" used by the firm to push customers into buying additional insurance at the desk.

Read more: I flew with Ryanair and noticed a major change to my flight

Dollar was the second-worst car hire company, scoring 56%, followed by Record Go (57%), Budget (61%) and Sixt (64%). Two Canary Islands-based brands topped the list AutoReisen (92%) and Cicar (91%) with Zest Car Rental (90%) named as the best broker.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel magazine, commented: "Booking car hire should be straightforward, but all too often it feels like the wild west, with travellers lamenting fraught experiences, poor customer service and spurious fees."

"Goldcar in particular is best avoided, with customers repeatedly reporting serious issues from pressure selling to poor customer service."

Booking car hire should be straightforward, but all too often it feels like the wild west, with travellers lamenting fraught experiences, poor customer service and spurious fees.

"To ensure you have the best possible experience this summer, make sure you book with a reputable firm."

A spokesperson for Goldcar, which is owned by Europcar Mobility Group, said: "Goldcar is of course disappointed about the results of the Which? report."

"The company takes customer care very seriously with a code of ethics for counter sales and a guide of good sales practices, both of which are reviewed annually based on customer feedback."

"We offer very attractive prices, making travel affordable while giving our customers the freedom to choose additional options including premium insurance cover for a seamless process should damage occur during their rental."

The spokesperson added: "We are committed to investigating any incidents where a customer believes they have received a service that does not match expectations for a low-cost brand and continue to invest in staff training and best practices."

The research was based on a survey of 2,324 adults who were either in the Which? Connect panel or members of the public in February and March.