Europcar

Keflavik is a small airport and as such the car rental desks can (and will) get overwhelmed with travelers at peak arrival times. Europcar is no exception, but... David, the person who handled our rental car more than made up for the wait with his cheerful nature and fun conversation. The morning went from a bit unpleasant while waiting for our turn at the counter to a great start into our time on Iceland very swiftly. I'm really glad that we got to see him again when we returned the car. Great experience overall and I hope someone can relay to David how much fun he brought into our first day in Iceland. The car pick up and drop off went well and the Suzuki Swift that we had worked out perfectly for our trip.

Normally have a good experience with Europcar but probably wouldn't use this particular one in Keflavik again. The car we got given was quite dirty inside, and the parcel shelf was broken which was really annoying every time we came to open/close the boot. Returning the vehicle took a while as well, even at close to 9pm there was a long queue and only 2 people on the desk. Positive things to note are that the deposit was returned quickly (next day) and they are based directly inside the airport so quite convenient.

I had a very concerning experience with Höldur / Europcar Iceland. I rented a Volkswagen Caravelle at Keflavík Airport. At collection, there was no joint inspection of the vehicle; I was simply given the keys and told to collect the car from the outside parking area. At return, a small mark on the rear left body panel was identified as new damage. I immediately disputed responsibility and did not sign any damage acknowledgement or accept any charge. Nevertheless, an amended rental agreement was later generated showing a damage charge of approximately ISK 143,500 (close to EUR 1,000), marked as “Accepted: Yes”. I formally disputed the claim in writing. To their credit, Höldur’s Damage Control department reviewed the case and eventually wrote to me: “I cannot justify the charge…” They also stated that, considering the high mileage of the vehicle and the fact that only one previous damage had been recorded, “there must have been an error in our vehicle condition inspection before your rental.” The damage charge was then completely cancelled, the rental agreement was corrected, and I was not charged. I appreciate the professional way the Damage Control department ultimately resolved the case. However, I find it very concerning that such a substantial claim could be raised in the first place based on an incomplete pre-rental condition record, and even appear as “Accepted” despite my explicit dispute. Because I believe the process itself raises broader consumer-protection questions, I have also submitted the documented case to the Icelandic Consumer Agency for their consideration. My advice to future customers: take detailed photos and a full video of the vehicle at collection, including every panel, bumper, wheel, windscreen and corner of the car. The final resolution was fair, but the process leading up to it was not an experience I would want to repeat.