No car available at Newcastle despite booking; forced to pay much more elsewhere.
“Arrived at Newcastle airport having booked car to find no car available.”
Customers often say the reserved car isn’t there at pickup. Many reviews mention surprise or unexplained charges added during or after the rental. Several accounts point to maintenance issues, especially with electric vehicles. Some locations earn clear praise for specific employees who provide helpful service.
Examples from available reviews (Aug 2022 – Mar 2026).
No car available at Newcastle despite booking; forced to pay much more elsewhere.
“Arrived at Newcastle airport having booked car to find no car available.”
Super Cover was added without discussion despite having purchased separate premium insurance.
“Hertz at Belfast International airport added Super Cover to my hire without even speaking to me about it.”
Frequent faulty cars and unhelpful staff caused lost work and significant stress.
“Faulty cars which they expect you to take a dead EV car to mechanic”
Georgia provided exceptional, caring and helpful customer service during hire.
“She went over and above to help me”
Most reviews focus on pickup problems: reserved cars missing, last‑minute cancellations, and long counter lines. Customers report these issues at multiple airport and local branches. A few reviews mention quick, efficient service at certain locations, but they are uncommon.
Many complaints centre on surprise fees, large card holds, and disputed damage or mileage charges at return. Several reviewers describe pushy upselling of insurance and fuel options that significantly raised the final cost. Mentions of fair pricing or refunds appear only rarely.
Customers describe repeated friction during the rental, including phone lines that don’t work, long waits, and app failures that stop pickup or create double bookings. Some say they were locked out of the car or the app mid‑rental, causing immediate disruption. Only a handful mention a smooth digital experience.
Many reviews point to car issues such as low EV charge at handover, battery failures, mouldy interiors, and vehicles that had to be swapped. These accounts mention safety worries as well as time lost. A small number note well‑kept cars at specific locations.
Many customers say optional charges or insurance were added without a clear explanation, and follow‑up messages often got no reply. Several reviews mention refunds or waived fees that later reappeared or were never resolved. In some cases, the support and recovery phone numbers did not work reliably.
Reviews split clearly between many low ratings tied to availability, billing, and vehicle issues, and a smaller group of high ratings that single out individual staff. The main negative theme is missed bookings, surprise charges, and car condition. Positive experiences often hinge on specific employees or particular branches.
For each review, the core experience based on original source reviews.
Sources: Trustpilot (40) · yelp.com (20) · Reviews (20) · Reviews (1) · Quotes shortened · As of: March 2026
I recently used Hertz for my car rental needs and I must say that it was a great experience. The booking process was simple and quick, which made the whole experience stress-free. Upon arriving to pick up the car, the staff were extremely friendly and welcoming, which instantly put me at ease.
The car itself was in immaculate condition and ran smoothly throughout my journey. It had all the features I needed to make my trip comfortable and enjoyable. Additionally, returning the car was just as easy as picking it up - no hassle or issues whatsoever!
Overall, Hertz provided exceptional service that exceeded my expectations. With their best rates guarantee promise on top of everything else, there's no doubt that I'll be using them again for future travels.
This page combines submitted experiences with public reviews from platforms such as Google, Trustpilot, etc. Recurring points are summarised without changing the content of reviews.
Hertz is a global car rental company that offers short‑term and long‑term hires for leisure and business travellers. It runs airport counters and neighbourhood branches, with a fleet that includes economy cars, luxury models, and electric vehicles. Hertz also offers a mobile app for booking, check‑in, and account management, plus a loyalty programme called Gold Plus Rewards for frequent renters. Corporate accounts and one‑way rentals are included in its commercial services.