SIXT Portugal Reviews 1,847

Great experience. We have used Sixt on every holiday for a lot of years now. We find the prices fair - and it was the same again this trip to Madeira. Great price, and the staff was so helpful - and all of them so friendly and fun. Big recommendation.

I am writing this to warn others about the predatory support practices of Sixt Portugal. During my recent rental (Agreement: 9521932489), I encountered a standard mechanical steering lock where the key wouldn't turn—a common occurrence in many vehicles.
I called Sixt support expecting a professional tip. Instead of providing the most basic 10-second instruction (to wiggle the steering wheel while turning the key), the operator immediately dispatched a technician. The operator didn't check my contract or warn me that I would be billed for a "user error" visit.
The technician arrived and resolved the issue in exactly 5 seconds by simply moving the steering wheel. For this "service," Sixt is now charging me €185.
I contacted their customer care, but they refused to take responsibility for their agent's lack of guidance, hiding behind the fact that I didn't have "Roadside Protection." This isn't about protection; it’s about a failure of basic customer service and a violation of the duty to mitigate unnecessary costs for the client.
Charging €185 for a situation that could have been resolved over the phone is unacceptable. I expect a full refund of this fee and will be escalating this to the European Consumer Centre (ECC) and my bank for a chargeback if not resolved.

Great service by Bernardo. Friendly and prompt.

Very kind lady who served me, all details have been described clearly and with a lot of patience. I had no long waiting time. The car was clean and good maintained and the lady even paired my smartphone with the car‘s system. So overall it was a very good experience!

Awful, absolutely awful. Staff have no conscience.

I paid for additional insurance when booking, I was then offered further additional insurance which I turned down explaining I had paid for cover already. The agent scrolled through all the T's and C's without explanation and asked me to sign, which I duly did (naive in hindsight).

What I didn't appreciate was that despite my request, he added the additional insurance on anyway, and at 2.5x the cost of the entire rental! This was not charged until a week after returning home so something I couldn't argue in person.

I raised it with SIXT via. email, they said I agreed to it, but I didn't. I have passed this onto the Credit Card company for resolution but I am not hopeful.

The SIXT business model is to pay minimal wages to staff, with high commission based on sales of additional items such as insurance policies. I wish I had known this before hiring, I will never go near these unlawful cowboys ever again. Avoid at all costs, it will come back to bite you otherwise.

Do not bother replying. You have had the opportunity to refund the unexplained extra but decided to uphold it, no morals whatsoever.

It seems like there is a big problem with Sixt in Portugal and I would advise anyone not to use them as you may well end up being scammed as I was. I have been charged for an upgrade I did not agree to at Faro Airport. I have never accepted an upgrade on a car rental and never will but I have been charged for one that was not mentioned at the time I picked up the car. Their customer service is no such thing. It is a company liaison service explaining to customers that there is nothing they can do to take on board points raised by customers. Avoid Sixt in Portugal.

Great experience with Sixt at the Portugal airport. The staff provided excellent service and resolved my issue with the pre-paid petrol very quickly. The matter was handled efficiently and the amount was refunded to me without any hassle, which I really appreciated. Smooth, professional service from start to finish. Highly recommend!

Sixt: Replacement car, microscopic damage – and €858.03 later
What initially appears to be fast and professional service with Sixt ends up as an expensive and frustrating experience.
During the rental, I was provided with a replacement car. The exchange itself was quick and uncomplicated.
At return, I was suddenly charged for an alleged new damage of approx. 0.1 mm on the windshield — a microscopic chip — as well as damage to a tire.
The result was a total charge of €858.03, consisting of:
€583.00 Damage Compensation
€40.65 Damage Handling Fee
€5.84 Loss of Use
€50.00 Roadside Protection
€18.10 E-Toll Service
€160.44 VAT
Particularly problematic: The so-called service charges (Roadside Protection & E-Toll) were debited after the rental, even though I never used these services. According to my comprehensive insurance, these charges are not refundable, which makes this a very convenient way for Sixt to permanently pass costs onto the customer.
Instead of a proper individual review, I received:
standardized replies
references to internal “policies”
no goodwill
no assumption of responsibility
My impression is clear: The fast replacement car process seems less about customer service and more about protecting an internal billing system, where even the smallest, barely provable issues can result in significant charges.
Conclusion:
Anyone renting from Sixt should document every handover in extreme detail — and even then, be prepared for unexpected post-rental charges.
For me, one thing is certain: Never again Sixt

One of the worst car rental companies. When picking up the car, they don't bother to check the vehicle with the customer, they just say that everything is fine. When you return the car, the employee checks the car and says that everything is fine, makes you sign a document stating that everything is in order, and two days later they invent some kind of damage to the car so they can keep the entire deposit. One of the worst, if not the worst, car rental companies in Portugal.
I would never recommend them!
They are not serious!

One of the best when it comes to car rentals , extremely professional and friendly, unfortunately not very common in car rentals!!

Thanks to a drawn out complaint, I'm still having to deal with these bunch of pirates. They will lie to your face, add on elements at the desk and then deny you had no knowledge of it. Crooks.

I have been a loyal Sixt customer for years and rent cars regularly without issues. Normally I pick up the car and go on with my business without any friction.

This time, however, my experience was completely different and deeply upsetting. During the handling of my reservation, a Sixt employee became aggressive, raised her voice, and threatened to call the police. More concerning was the use of racially charged remarks, including comments suggesting that I do not belong on this island and questioning my right to residency.

Regardless of the circumstances, this type of language and behavior is unacceptable. Even in stressful situations, no customer should ever be spoken to in this way. What should have been a simple car pickup escalated unnecessarily and disrupted my entire planning.

I am sharing this review because this is a serious matter and because I expect better from a company like Sixt. I hope Sixt takes this feedback seriously and ensures that customers are treated with professionalism and respect at all times

Bruno Rebel and Marco (in the garage) were very professional and helpful. But don't rent an electric car! It is a nightmare - everyone in Portugal has their own home chargers, so the public ones don't often work. Charging is very difficult, time-consuming,g and a royal pain - do NOT rent an electric car in Portugal,l please!

I rent a Nissan XTrail or the same sortof car, trough Booking.com from Sixt Funchal from 16/1 untill 31/1 with full insurrance covered on there app.
The price of the car in low season was 107 euro for this period. The insurrance for full protection 118 euro extra.
When I arrived at the airport and went to the Sixt rent office, they charged me an extra 220 euro for insurrance covered all, but with an own risk of still 950 euro if I make any small or big demage.
So why I paid insurrance with Booking.com, then also why I don't get the real price. Why don't Booking.com or Sixt Rental Funchal telling me the real thing.
You feel really bad, when you arrive and now you paid allready all you think, but then they let you know, that you paid only 1/3, because full insurrance with all covered and without own risk cost €400 extra!

Sixt and Booking.com this is not fair to your customers and you both 'stealing' money from your clients.
The car wasn't even a Nissan Xtrail but an (okay brandnew) Audi Q2. A bit smaller inside and less high on the wheels. Also there was no other option.
The employe from the desk at Sixt Funchal told me, that she could give me an extra driver for free option, but that was all.
Not nice Sixt, not nice Booking.com
You both should know better.
Will be continued...
Because it is pure scam!
Shame on you!

It was simple and effective. The person who took care of me was very professional and, despite all the normal administrative formalities and common to this type of rental, I did not feel mistreated. So yes, I recommend this Sixt office

Extremely Poor Experience – Complete Lack of Support and Accountability

My experience with SIXT was unacceptable and caused significant disruption, stress, and financial loss during my holiday.

Despite having a confirmed booking to collect the car at 12:30, I was told on arrival that no vehicles were available. I was forced to wait until 15:30, resulting in a wasted day of my holiday.

Shortly after receiving the vehicle, it broke down on a dangerous road while my family was in the car, creating a serious safety risk. When I contacted SIXT roadside assistance, the response was unprofessional, rude, and ineffective, with no urgency or clear guidance provided.

I was also given a WhatsApp contact (Rute) for assistance. Although my messages were clearly read, they were ignored, leaving us without support at a critical moment.

Due to the lack of assistance, I had to pay for my own recovery to reach a safe location. When SIXT eventually intervened, I was required to remove all belongings from the vehicle and was transported to Faro (approx. 90 minutes away) to collect a replacement car. This resulted in another full day of my holiday being lost.

Because of these failures, I missed accommodation check-in and later discovered that the SIXT branch was closed on Sunday, despite SIXT already having my confirmed drop-off date. This information was never communicated at pick-up, forcing me to alter my plans and miss a scheduled train.

Despite all of the above, I was still charged.

This experience demonstrated a complete lack of customer care, communication, and responsibility. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend SIXT and would strongly advise others to consider alternative rental providers.

Sixt Portugal has such a poor reputation that they operate under an alternative brand name, FLIZZR, which they use on third-party platforms such as EasyJet Car Rental.

I booked a vehicle through EasyJet Car Rental one year in advance for a two-week rental at a total cost of £184. At no point during the booking process was it made clear that the rental would be handled by Sixt/FLIZZR.

On arrival, the first vehicle provided had a faulty seatbelt, making it unsafe to use. After recording videos of that vehicle and waiting for a long time, I was given a replacement vehicle. I inspected the body of the second vehicle carefully and found no damage. I then used the car and returned it with a full tank and in the same condition it was provided.

At return, the inspector mentioned a very small scratch on one wheel, stating that it was minor and, if anything, would cost no more than €20. I explained that I had not caused it, but even then, I was told not to worry.

Despite this, two weeks later, Sixt deducted £250 from my account without any notification, explanation, invoice, or opportunity to dispute the charge. I was only provided with documentation after I contacted them—more than three weeks after the money had already been taken.

Charging £250 for a minor wheel scratch—an amount greater than the total cost of the two-week rental—is completely disproportionate. The lack of transparency, absence of prior communication, and delayed justification raise serious concerns about their business practices.

Based on my experience and the many similar complaints online, I strongly advise others to avoid Sixt/FLIZZR.

MY RESPONSE TO THE REPLY FROM SIXT

Dear Team,

I would like to inform you that I have already been contacted by Paloma Rocha from the email address provided damages.support, who has stated that the checks were completed and that the damage charge has been deemed appropriate.

However, I do not accept this conclusion.

What I find deeply concerning is the apparent lack of effective oversight within this industry. Customers are left vulnerable when companies can unilaterally apply disputed damage charges without prior notice, clear evidence, or an opportunity to challenge the charge before funds are withdrawn.

It is also troubling that Sixt operates under an alternative brand name, FLIZZR, on third-party platforms. Given the volume of negative customer experiences documented publicly, this creates the impression that different branding is being used to distance the company from its reputation while continuing the same practices.

Despite raising this issue promptly, documentation and explanations were only provided after the money had already been taken from my account. This lack of transparency and due process is unacceptable and does not reflect fair consumer practice.

I am therefore maintaining my dispute of this charge and request that this matter be escalated for independent review. I am seeking a fair resolution, including a refund, as I do not accept liability for the alleged damage.

I look forward to your response and clarification on the next steps in the complaints and escalation process.

Kind regards,

They will mislead you like a budget car rental company. Broken tire --> 600 euro, after staff in the office confirmed it would be 0 euro. It's a total joke.

They charge creditcard without approval. They keep referring to contract, signatures. They won't listen, give no apologies, no acknowledgement, nothing.

Been a fan of Sixt worldwide. Completely done with them now.

Our experience was very good. We got the car quickly and were on our way without and issues.