I-VII 08:00 – 22:00
EPI Rent a Car is a small Algarve operator with a kiosk at Faro Airport and a delivery office in Olhão. A week with EPI runs ~€129 (~$140) for a Fiat 500 including basic insurance, slightly under the chain-operator average. Trustpilot reviews are mixed (3.7-4.0): customers love the price and personal service, but several flag the €700 deposit hold on debit cards and out-of-hours pickup delays. On DiscoverCars its verified-rental score is notably higher (around 9/10), with many recent renters praising quick airport pickups and clean cars.
💰 Compare EPI vs the locals
Lock in the cheapest Faro Airport rental on DiscoverCars — EPI, Auto Jardim, Drive on Holidays from €129/week.
Find a cheaper Faro car →Kiosk in the Faro Airport arrivals hall (next to the local-operator row); main office in Olhão. Fleet: Fiat 500, Renault Clio, VW Polo, Citroën C3 plus a few SUVs. Counter staff speak EN/PT/DE.
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate Fiat 500 | €79 | Standard rate |
| Premium Cover (no excess) | €50 | Optional, recommended |
| Toll device | €0.50/day | Auto-debit at end of rental |
| Additional driver | €5/day | Maximum €25 |
| Total ex extras | €129 (~$140) | 7-day rental, full cover |
Estimated rental cost by trip length
from €11/day
Illustrative — daily rate × days at the lowest 2026 starting price; real prices vary by season & demand.
Faro Rental Budget Calculator
Estimate only – the daily rate is prefilled with the lowest low-season Faro economy price; change it for your dates.
| Operator | Trustpilot | 7-day Fiat 500 + no-excess | Debit OK? |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPI Rent a Car | 3.9 | €129 (~$140) | Yes, but €700 hold |
| Drive on Holidays | 4.7 | €135 (~$147) | Yes, 0 € hold w/ Premium |
| Auto Jardim | 4.5 | €129 (~$140) | Yes, 0 € hold w/ Premium |
| Goldcar | 3.8 | €167 | Smart Cover required |
| OK Mobility | 3.5 | €149 | With Premium pack only |
| Centauro | 4.1 | €155 | Yes, with Smart Cover |
| Sixt | 3.9 | €199 | Credit card only |
The EPI kiosk is in the arrivals hall opposite belt 2, next to AutoJardim and Drive on Holidays. Out of hours (22:00-08:00), call the number on your voucher and an attendant meets you within 30 minutes — with a €25 surcharge. Drop-off: refill the tank at the Repsol on Avenida do Aeroporto, then leave keys at the kiosk or in the secure key box.
Premium Cover (€50/week): reduces excess from €1,200 to €0 for CDW and theft. Recommended for any stay over 3 days.
Roof / underbody / wheel cover (€15/week): EPI does NOT cover roof or underbody damage in the standard Premium Cover — this top-up is needed on Algarve dirt-track villas or coastal cliff parking.
Third-party DiscoverCars Full Coverage: ~€30/week and refunds all excess including roof and tyres — usually cheaper than EPI's in-house top-ups.
🚘 Book Faro rental with Full Coverage
We use DiscoverCars Full Coverage instead of EPI's in-house top-up — it covers roof and tyres for less.
Book Faro car rental →Roughly the same. EPI Fiat 500 with insurance is €129/week, Auto Jardim is €129 too, Drive on Holidays is €135. The chain locals have better Trustpilot scores (4.5-4.7) and waive the deposit completely.
Yes, but a €700 hold applies even with Premium Cover. Bigger locals (Auto Jardim, Drive on Holidays) waive the hold entirely.
In the arrivals hall opposite belt 2, alongside Auto Jardim, Drive on Holidays and Goldcar. Open 08:00-22:00 daily.
Yes — use the secure key box at the kiosk. Photograph the car, fuel gauge and odometer before walking away.
No — the standard Premium Cover excludes roof, underbody and tyre damage. Add the €15/week wheel/roof top-up or buy DiscoverCars Full Coverage instead (~€30/week, broader).
EPI is €38/week cheaper for the same car class and has a better Trustpilot score (3.9 vs 3.8). EPI also avoids the mandatory pre-paid fuel trick that Goldcar enforces.
Sources and update: tariffs, Trustpilot scores and counter procedures verified on 26 May 2026.
Primary sources: epirentacar.com, Trustpilot, Faro Airport directory, autojardim.com, driveonholidays.com, DiscoverCars partner data.
