Car hire reviews
Car hire in Edinburgh is the gateway to one of the most rewarding road trips in the UK: the Scottish Highlands. Inside central Edinburgh, a car is unnecessary and often inconvenient: the Old Town is pedestrian-heavy, parking is expensive, and public transport covers most visitor needs. But the moment you plan to drive the A82 toward Glencoe, Fort William, the Isle of Skye, or the North Coast 500, a rental becomes essential. Edinburgh Airport pickup is the best option because it puts you on the M8 and M9 quickly, avoids city congestion, and offers the widest supplier choice. City pickup can work for later departures, but fleet availability is thinner. Remember this is left-hand drive territory, so continentals should take extra care on roundabouts and lane discipline. Expect narrow single-track roads in the Highlands, passing places, and weather changes that matter more than horsepower. A compact SUV or mid-size hatchback is ideal. The reviews below help you separate efficient Edinburgh desks from suppliers that make pickup harder than it needs to be. For more on UK rentals, see our UK car hire guide, and compare Enterprise and Avis for strong Scottish coverage.
Quick insights
Archived editorial notes on suppliers and pickup locations in Edinburgh; not verified traveller reviews.
Locations in Edinburgh
These archived editorial notes are not verified traveller reviews. Their source experiences have not been independently confirmed; they are excluded from traveller ratings and counter statistics.
Editorial · Avis · Edinburgh Airport
Picking up for a Highlands road trip, staff gave real advice about single-track roads. The Skoda Octavia diesel was perfect for the miles. Return near the terminal was easy.
Editorial · Europcar · Edinburgh Airport
The queue moved well and the car was fine, but nobody mentioned the fuel station location until we asked. A small map handout would have saved us an anxious loop around the airport.
Editorial · Europcar · Edinburgh Airport
Europcar's EDI operation impressed me with competitive pricing on week-long hires and a clean, low-mileage VW Golf. The queue at 9am on a Tuesday was manageable at under 15 minutes. Fuel policy was full-to-full.
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