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Autocunha is one of the top-rated local car rental companies in the Azores – an award-winning São Miguel operator with near-new, clean cars and flexible pickup at the airport, its HQ or your hotel. Rates on the island start around €18–30/day ($20–$33), there are no tolls anywhere in the Azores, and a car is essential to reach the crater lakes, hot springs and tea plantations. This guide covers Autocunha specifically, the real prices, how it compares, and the island driving you need to know.
Autocunha is an award-winning Azores local company, with near-new cars and pickup at the airport, HQ or your hotel.
São Miguel has a competitive local market and reasonable year-round prices, with less seasonal swing than the mainland. Expect roughly the following at Ponta Delgada (PDL) in 2026:
Average Daily Rates at Ponta Delgada by Season
Booked 3–5 weeks in advance, prices in EUR
| Season | Manual Economy | Manual Compact | Automatic Compact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low (Nov–Mar) | €18–26 | €22–32 | €34–50 |
| Shoulder (Apr–Jun, Oct) | €26–38 | €30–45 | €45–65 |
| Peak (Jul–Sep) | €38–55 | €45–65 | €60–90 |
Autocunha sits at the quality end of the local market – fair prices for near-new cars and strong service.
Autocunha is a leading online car rental company in the Azores (and Porto), known for personalised service and an award-winning reputation – it won the Excellent Car Rental Service Award for Ponta Delgada Airport in recent years.
You can collect at Ponta Delgada Airport (PDL), at the company's headquarters (Rua dos Prestes de Cima, São Roque), or have the car brought to your hotel in Ponta Delgada – useful flexibility that the budget brokers don't always offer.
Autocunha typically holds a deposit of around €1,000 on a credit card at pickup, released when you return the car in good order. Make sure you have a credit card in the main driver's name with enough available limit.
The subject of this guide and a benchmark for service on São Miguel. Near-new, clean cars, an Excellent Service Award for PDL, and pickup at the airport, HQ or your hotel. A €1,000 card deposit applies. The choice for reliability and convenience.
The value benchmark (~8/10) if price is your priority. Clean cars and a free shuttle, but pickup is off-airport (sometimes branded “ANC”) – know the drill before you arrive.
Long-established Azorean operators with desks across the islands and reliable service – good recognisable local names with airport desks.
If you prefer an international name with a terminal desk, both operate at PDL. Pricier than the local operators; watch the counter upsell.
On a small island, the very cheapest brokers can push road-assistance or damage cover and apply strict fuel/cleaning rules. Read the contract, decline extras you don't want, and film a walk-around video.
Rentals include basic CDW with an excess held on your credit card – Autocunha blocks around €1,000. Tyres, glass and underbody are usually excluded, which matters on the Azores' narrow, sometimes gravelly roads. The counter Super CDW (€10–20/day) is pricier than a standalone excess policy (€4–7/day) bought before you travel, which also covers the excluded items. Bring your own cover and decline the on-island upsell.
Insurance Cost Comparison: 7-Day Azores Rental
2026 pricing
| Option | Daily Cost | 7-Day Total | Covers Tyres/Glass? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic CDW (included) | €0 | €0 | No |
| Counter Super CDW | €10–20 | €70–140 | Sometimes |
| Third-party excess cover | €4–7 | €28–49 | Yes |
The Azores have zero toll roads. Every road on São Miguel and the other islands is free – no transponder, no electronic tolls, nothing to set up. Budget €0 for tolls; fuel is your only running cost, and the island is small enough that a week uses little.
The island fleet is finite; automatics sell out first in summer.
See the market, then check Autocunha and AbbyCar directly.
Cheaper and more available; the island roads are manageable in a manual.
Buy third-party excess cover beforehand.
Airport, HQ or hotel delivery to suit your arrival.
Refuel before drop-off.
The iconic twin crater lakes – one blue, one green – with viewpoints like Vista do Rei.
A pristine crater lake high in the island's centre, often above the clouds.
Steaming fumaroles, hot springs and the famous cozido cooked underground, plus the Terra Nostra thermal garden.
Europe's oldest tea plantation, with free tours and tastings on the north coast.
Clifftop viewpoints, waterfalls and quiet roads in the island's least-visited corner.
Yes – Autocunha is one of the top-rated local companies on São Miguel, with an Excellent Service Award for Ponta Delgada Airport, near-new clean cars and flexible pickup. It's the reliability-and-convenience choice over the cheapest brokers.
At Ponta Delgada Airport, at the company HQ on Rua dos Prestes de Cima in São Roque, or delivered to your hotel in Ponta Delgada – whichever suits your arrival.
Around €1,000, held on a credit card in the main driver's name at pickup and released when you return the car in good order. Make sure your card has enough available limit.
No. The Azores have no toll roads at all – every road is free, with no transponder or electronic tolls.
Low-season manual economy cars start around €18–26/day ($20–$29). Shoulder season is €26–38/day and peak summer €38–55/day, with automatics more.
Yes, effectively. The crater lakes, hot springs and tea plantations are spread across the island and poorly served by public transport. A hire car is the only practical way to see them all.
Disclosure: Auto Jardim participates in the DiscoverCars affiliate program. Our company reviews are based on Trustpilot scores, Google Maps reviews, traveler-forum feedback and direct experience. We only recommend companies we would use ourselves.
Last updated: June 2026. Prices and policies change – always verify directly with the rental company.
