The decline was widespread among major markets, but the results varied sharply by country, suggesting that European rental pricing remains highly dependent on local conditions.
For a standardized rental — a mini, economy or compact car booked for four to 14 days — the median daily booked rate fell 12.7% in the United Kingdom, 8.1% in Germany, 7.8% in France and 7% in Spain.
Portugal and Switzerland both recorded a 7.6% decline.
Ireland posted a steeper 16.1% drop, while Cyprus fell 13.2%.
But not every market followed the downward trend. Poland recorded a 15.6% increase and Hungary surged 26.7%.
“The 5.0% result is useful context, but it is only a starting point,” said Hannes Põldvee, Product and Sales Manager at Car Rental Gateway.
He said fleet availability, competition, vehicle mix and seasonal booking patterns could help explain the differences, while stressing that the analysis shows where rates moved rather than why.
The study measured confirmed booking rates, not demand, revenue, fleet size or final customer spending. Lower rates therefore do not necessarily mean weaker demand for car rental.
Same rental, wide price differences
The reference rental had a median daily booked rate of €28.91 across 41 markets. The median total for an exactly seven-day booking was €195.
Malta had the lowest median daily rate at €12.84, while the Faroe Islands had the highest at €111.49.
A separate analysis found a median daily rate of €28.74 for mini or economy cars, compared with €71.35 for vans or vehicles with seven or more seats. The two figures use different booking bases and should not be compared directly.
Automatic vehicles also commanded widely different premiums. In Greece, the median automatic rate was 48% higher than the manual equivalent, compared with 35% in Ireland and 34% in the UK.
The premium was just 3% in Poland and 4% in Spain. Iceland was an outlier, with automatic cars costing 10% less than manual vehicles.
The findings underline the importance of fleet mix and local availability as rental companies manage pricing across increasingly fragmented European markets.
The analysis covered confirmed bookings with pickup dates from June 1 through August 31, 2026. Prices covered the vehicle only, excluding extras, insurance, fuel policies and fees.
Tags: Car rental Europe