Choose between CICAR, AutoReisen and Pluscar by the condition that matters to your Tenerife trip, then compare quotes with identical booking details. CICAR’s terms describe a refundable fuel deposit, while AutoReisen’s terms say it requires neither a cash deposit nor a credit-card preauthorisation. Those statements answer different questions.
Fuel deposits, insurance excess and payment-card rules belong in separate rows. A low headline price cannot tell you whether the driver qualifies, what is excluded from cover, or how collection works. Use the comparison below to shortlist a company, then check the conditions attached to your actual booking before paying.
Choose by the condition that matters to you
Start with the requirement that could stop your trip: the driver’s age and licence, the card you can present, or the collection point and time. Then compare cover, fuel and total price. For example, AutoReisen accepts bank debit cards but excludes prepaid cards; Pluscar says rental payments can be made by credit or debit card. Check the cardholder and booking details, not just the card logo.
CICAR, AutoReisen and Pluscar publish separate conditions, so a feature listed by one cannot be assumed for the others. CICAR’s fuel deposit is returned when the vehicle comes back with the original fuel amount. AutoReisen says its included cover has no excess and requires no cash deposit or card preauthorisation. Pluscar lists an additional driver and unlimited mileage among its inclusions. These are useful distinctions, not a ranking of service quality.
Three bookings must use the same assumptions
Set the same airport or collection area, dates, pick-up and return times, vehicle category and number of drivers in all three searches. Record the driver’s age and licence history too. A small car at one airport for three days cannot be compared fairly with a larger car collected elsewhere for four. Save each quote’s total and its conditions before deciding.
Match the booking details before comparing the total price.
Compare the rental conditions side by side
This table uses the companies’ published terms, checked on 28 October 2026. It compares distinct contractual questions; your reservation and signed agreement determine the terms that apply. Open the linked terms for the full exclusions and conditions.
| Condition | CICAR | AutoReisen | Pluscar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Included cover and excess | Comprehensive cover without excess; read the full terms for exclusions | CDW, theft protection and third-party cover with zero excess; exclusions still apply | Comprehensive insurance listed; check the agreement for excess and exclusions |
| Cash or card security deposit | Check the specific booking terms | No cash deposit or credit-card preauthorisation in its published terms | Check the specific booking terms; the payment-card list does not establish a deposit amount |
| Fuel | Fuel deposit returned if the car is returned at the original level | Return at the original level; a shortfall is charged | Return at the original level |
| Payment card | Check the booking terms for the accepted card and holder | Major credit cards and bank debit cards accepted; prepaid cards excluded | Credit or debit card for rental payment |
| Additional driver | Included without charge; add the driver at the office | Listed as free in the reservation price; confirm when and how to add a driver | Second driver included without charge |
| Mileage | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
AutoReisen’s zero excess applies to the CDW, theft and third-party cover it lists. Its standard insurance excludes damage to tyres and wheels and lost or broken keys, among other situations. Pluscar’s rental terms say two years of licence holding, while its Tenerife page says one year. If this affects you, obtain confirmation for your booking before paying. Do not infer a zero deposit or a zero excess from Pluscar’s payment-card or insurance wording alone.
Fuel deposit is not insurance excess
An excess is an amount the renter may owe under a covered claim. A fuel deposit is money held against the fuel supplied with the car. CICAR says it refunds its fuel deposit when the car is returned with the same amount of fuel. Compare that separately from its no-excess cover. AutoReisen’s no-deposit statement concerns cash deposits and card preauthorisation; its fuel-return rule is another condition.
Airport collection and late flights
For airport pick-up, check the airport name, office or meeting point, flight-number field and collection instructions on the actual reservation. A company name alone does not establish whether your car will be handed over at a desk inside the terminal or elsewhere. If two people will drive, CICAR and Pluscar list an additional driver among their inclusions, but both drivers still need to meet the applicable requirements and be entered on the contract.
For a late arrival, compare the collection window and what happens after a delay or no-show. Do not assume an out-of-hours listing means an unconditional 24-hour handover. Pluscar’s published terms describe a reservation window after the stated collection time; a flight delay still needs the company’s instructions for your booking. Keep the confirmation and a contact method accessible while travelling.
Confirm the collection procedure for the office you book.
The cheapest quote may cost you more time
The collection point, opening arrangements and return location can change the usefulness of a low quote. Compare the time and transport needed to reach each handover point, especially after a late flight. That is a planning trade-off, not a claim that any of these companies has a particular queue length or a better counter.
How to compare prices fairly
Request the same dates, times, category and drivers from each company. Use this blank checklist alongside the three live quotes. Record the final payable amount, optional extras and cancellation terms, then keep refundable fuel money in a separate column. CICAR and Pluscar list an additional driver; Pluscar lists unlimited mileage. Check that the feature appears in the booking you select.
| Item to record | CICAR quote | AutoReisen quote | Pluscar quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport, collection point and times | |||
| Vehicle category and drivers | |||
| Total rental price and extras | |||
| Cover, excess and exclusions | |||
| Fuel level, deposit and refund rule | |||
| Card, licence and age requirements | |||
| Cancellation and late-arrival terms |
A headline daily rate is not a winner when the booking details differ. Add only mandatory non-refundable charges to the price comparison. Record a refundable fuel deposit as cash needed at collection and the conditions for getting it back, rather than treating it automatically as a rental fee. If one quote includes a required extra and another does not, bring both to the same level before comparing totals.
A comparison you can repeat
First, confirm that you qualify to rent and can present an accepted card. Second, obtain three quotes using the same inputs and copy the final totals into the checklist. Third, read the cover exclusions, fuel rule and collection instructions attached to each. Finally, save the chosen confirmation and review the contract at collection before signing.
Which option fits each traveller?
If you have a bank debit card rather than a credit card, AutoReisen explicitly lists bank debit cards and Pluscar lists debit-card rental payment; verify your exact card and the named driver against the booking terms. If sharing the driving matters, CICAR and Pluscar list an extra driver without charge. If avoiding a cash deposit is decisive, AutoReisen’s published no-cash-deposit statement is a specific starting point. Each is a conditional choice, not a personal endorsement.
If your licence history is close to a supplier’s threshold, ask the company to confirm eligibility for your dates and vehicle category before paying. The same applies when a payment method, deposit or late pick-up condition is decisive. Compare the written reply with the reservation details; do not use a general benefits list to settle a question about a particular booking.
Before you choose a winner
Check the full price, the driver’s requirements, accepted payment card and actual return point. Then separate included cover from its exclusions and a fuel deposit from an insurance excess. A cheaper car that cannot be collected at the right time, or a booking the driver does not qualify for, is not the better choice for that itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
Which company is cheapest in Tenerife?
There is no reliable universal winner without quotes for the same dates, vehicle category, collection point and drivers. Compare the final totals and inclusions on your booking. For example, CICAR lists an additional driver and Pluscar lists unlimited mileage, but neither fact proves which quote will cost less for your trip.
Are no-excess offers identical?
No. Zero excess describes a particular part of cover; exclusions are a separate question. AutoReisen’s terms list zero excess for CDW, theft and third-party cover while excluding, among other things, tyre and wheel damage and lost keys from standard cover. Read the complete exclusions before choosing an optional supplement.
Should you book the same company at TFS and TFN?
Use the booking that works at the airport you will actually use. The same brand name does not prove that the collection point, opening arrangements or return procedure are identical at Tenerife South and Tenerife North. Compare the two stations’ instructions and your flight times before deciding; a general payment or fuel rule does not replace station-specific directions.
Before you book or set out
Choose the quote that meets your driver’s and card requirements, fits the collection plan and has a total you can compare fairly. Keep CICAR’s refundable fuel deposit separate from cover; check AutoReisen’s debit-card and prepaid-card rules against your card. If you are still deciding whether a car fits the trip at all, read the Tenerife car or bus guide.
