I-VII 08:00 – 20:00
Surprice Car Rental at Madeira (FNC) is an off-airport budget brand — a free shuttle picks you up at the AEROBUS bus stop outside arrivals and takes you to their depot at R. do Cano 40, Santa Cruz (~1.5 km from the terminal). Headline prices are genuinely cheap (low-season economy from ~€8-13/day), but the global Trustpilot score sits at 3.0/5 across ~6,852 reviews with a heavy bimodal pattern. The 2025-2026 complaint clusters — pre-paid third-party insurance “not honoured” at the desk, disputed damage charges, deposit refund delays — make it a higher-risk pick than Madeira's top-rated locals (Madpoint, RentADrive, Just Drive Madeira). This guide explains exactly when Surprice makes sense and when it does not.
| Detail | 2026 verified |
|---|---|
| Office address | R. do Cano 40, Sítio do Janeiro, 9100-101 Santa Cruz |
| Distance from FNC terminal | ~1.5 km — free shuttle from AEROBUS stop outside arrivals |
| Pickup meeting point | First promenade outside Arrivals (Surprice-branded shuttle) |
| Long-wait hotline | +351 300 509 199 |
| Global Trustpilot | 3.0/5 (~6,852 reviews) — 21% 5-star, 74% 1-star (bimodal) |
| DiscoverCars partner score | 7.0/10 |
| BookingAuto rating | 8.4/10 (2,910 reviews) |
DiscoverCars Madeira market data — cheapest month is January (~$22.54/day blended average); most expensive is April (~$50.85/day).
| Season | Economy | Compact | SUV/Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low (Nov-Feb, excl. Christmas) | €8-13/day (~$9-14) | €12-18/day (~$13-20) | €25-40/day (~$28-44) |
| Shoulder (Mar-May, Oct) | €15-22/day (~$17-24) | €18-28/day (~$20-31) | €35-55/day (~$39-61) |
| Peak (Jun-Sep, Christmas/Easter) | €20-35/day (~$22-39) | €28-45/day (~$31-50) | €55-130/day (~$61-144) |
Peak surcharges (+40-70% over shoulder) confirmed via EasyTerra and broker fleet data. The cheap headline prices typically EXCLUDE local taxes and Super CDW.
Google Maps 4.9/5. No credit card required (debit OK), no deposit on most bookings, communication praised across review platforms. Hybrid, automatic and 7-seater fleet. Caveat: opens 08:30; very early arrivals wait, very early returns charged €35.
Trustpilot 4.7/5, ~82 reviews. Clear communication, cars in good condition, no surprises at return. Accepts debit cards and flexible times.
Trustpilot 4.5/5, Google 4.8/5. Boutique local with video instructions before pickup, full insurance included, debit + no credit card needed.
Trustpilot 3.8/5 “Great”, Google 4.8/5. Local tips included, transparent pricing.
The only major in-terminal desk — no shuttle. Newer fleet. But: documented 2026 complaints about two-credit-card policy and aggressive damage charges (including €1,400 clutch dispute that the customer contested).
Genuinely cheap headline rates. Off-airport shuttle. Heavy bimodal Trustpilot pattern — fine when nothing happens, very painful when it does. Worth booking through a payment-protected aggregator AND buying third-party Full Coverage to neutralize the upsell risk.
Surprice does not publish a fixed excess figure for its Madeira fleet — it appears only at the rental agreement stage and varies by class. The conflict at the desk is almost always about the same thing:
Both are valid choices, but Surprice staff often imply the third-party option is invalid or insufficient — that is the upsell point. If you arrive with third-party cover, simply decline the counter version politely and proceed with rental. Document EVERYTHING at pickup (walk-around video) and at return.
Mountain road damage is the #1 dispute category at every Madeira rental — Surprice is no exception.
Zero tolls. The VR1 expressway and all 100+ tunnels are completely free — no Via Verde transponder needed.
Fuel (mid-May 2026, regulated weekly by Madeira regional government):
| Fuel | Madeira €/L | USD/L |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline 95 | €1.86 | ~$2.05 |
| Road diesel | €1.92 | ~$2.11 |
Prices set by DRETT, identical at every station on the island — no need to shop around. Cheaper than mainland Portugal by ~€0.10/L.
Good fit:
Bad fit:
Surprice's headline rate is real, but the all-in cost after the forced counter insurance and the large deposit hold often lands above what a top-rated local would charge for an all-inclusive car. Here is a realistic 7-day economy comparison at Funchal in shoulder season.
What a 7-Day Madeira Rental Actually Costs
Economy car, shoulder season, booked ~4 weeks ahead
| Cost item | Top-rated local (e.g. Rentx / 7M) | Typical Surprice booking |
|---|---|---|
| Base rental (7 days) | €126 (€18/day, all-inclusive) | €70 (€10/day headline) |
| Insurance | €0 (zero-excess included) | €105 (desk Super CDW after pre-paid policy refused) |
| Deposit hold | €0 (no-deposit option) | €1,200–1,845 (blocked on credit card) |
| Tolls | €0 (no tolls on Madeira) | €0 |
| Fuel (full week) | €45 | €55 (refuel fee if not returned full) |
| Cash total | €171 (~$185) | €230 (~$250) + large deposit hold |
The “cheap” booking can cost more once forced insurance and the deposit are added – and it ties up over €1,000 of your credit limit.
No. Surprice is off-airport at R. do Cano 40, Sitio do Janeiro, Santa Cruz – about 1.5 km from FNC terminal. Free shuttle picks you up at the AEROBUS bus stop outside arrivals.
Global score is 3.0/5 across about 6,852 reviews, with a heavy bimodal pattern – 21 percent 5-star and 74 percent 1-star. Reads as high variance: fine when uneventful, painful when not.
Officially Surprice requires a credit card in the main driver's name. Some affiliates say debit may be accepted when you buy Surprice's own Full Coverage at the counter. Debit-only renters are better off with Madpoint, RentADrive or Just Drive Madeira.
Yes – the third-party cover is valid. But Surprice staff often imply it is not enough and try to upsell their own product. Decline politely; the third-party cover refunds your excess after the fact.
No. The entire road network including VR1, tunnels, and mountain passes is free. You do not need a Via Verde transponder.
Automatic strongly recommended. Madeira has 20 percent gradients and many tunnels with roundabouts at the exit. Clutch damage on manuals costs 500-1400 euros and is excluded from basic CDW. Confident manual drivers can manage with a 1.2L turbocharged engine.
Disclosure: Auto Jardim participates in the DiscoverCars affiliate program. Rental recommendations are based on Trustpilot scores, Google Maps reviews, traveler forum feedback and direct verification. We only recommend operators we would use ourselves.
Fact-checked: 28 May 2026. Sources: Trustpilot, DiscoverCars, EconomyBookings, EasyTerra, BookingAuto, BBB, FNC airport partner data. Rates change seasonally – verify before booking.
