I 14:00 – 19:00, II 09:00 – 13:00 and III-V 09:00 – 13:00; 14:00 – 19:00
Keddy by Europcar is the Europcar group's budget arm, with a Leiria pickup at Estrada Nacional 1, 2 km from the historic centre — rates from EUR 18 to 32 per day (USD 19.50 to 34.80) for a compact, undercutting Europcar's main brand by 25 to 35 percent, but with fewer counter staff and the now-familiar Trustpilot 1.8 / 5 budget-tier complaint pattern. Best for shoulder-season cheap rentals; risky for first-time Portugal renters who haven't learned to refuse counter upsells. This guide compares Keddy Leiria against the four better-rated Leiria alternatives (Europcar full-service, Drive On Holidays, Bravacar, Sixt), the real Leiria pickup workflow, A1 toll tips for trips to Lisbon and Porto, the Castelo de Leiria parking strategy after pickup, and the third-party excess insurance that saves EUR 90 to 175 on a one-week rental versus Keddy's counter Super Cover.
Daily rates verified May 2026 via KAYAK and DiscoverCars searches at Leiria pickup. Keddy sits at the bottom of the Europcar pricing ladder — cheaper than Europcar mainline but with the budget brand's typical counter friction.
| Season | Months | Daily rate |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Nov to Feb | EUR 18 to 26 (USD 19.50 to 28.30) |
| Shoulder | Mar to May, Oct | EUR 24 to 38 (USD 26 to 41.30) |
| High | Jun to Sep | EUR 38 to 58 (USD 41.30 to 63) |
| Peak | Christmas, New Year, Easter | EUR 55 to 85 (USD 60 to 92.40) |
| Cheapest month | February — EUR 18 (USD 19.50) per day for a Fiat Panda or Opel Corsa class |
| Most expensive month | August — EUR 58 (USD 63) average; weekends near holidays push to EUR 70 |
| Best mid-season value | October — EUR 24 (USD 26) average, good weather, minimal tourist competition |
Address: Estrada Nacional 1, 2400-441 Leiria, on the EN1 main road 2 km north of the historic centre. Phone +351 244 819 700. Hours typically Mon to Fri 09:00 to 18:00, Saturday 09:00 to 12:00, closed Sundays — much more restricted than airport counters. Allow at least 30 minutes for paperwork. After pickup, drive south on EN1 to reach Leiria centre, the Castelo, or the A1 motorway entrance for trips to Lisbon (130 km) or Porto (180 km).
Credit card in the main driver's name with EUR 1,200 to 1,800 available (no debit cards at Keddy), full driving licence (Roman alphabet — UK/EU/US/Canada/Australia all accepted), passport for ID, booking confirmation PDF saved offline. Allow time for the inevitable Super Cover upsell pitch.
Trustpilot and DiscoverCars reviews from May 2026 paint a clear picture. Three local operators consistently beat Keddy on customer satisfaction at similar or lower prices.
Same parent company as Keddy but with full Europcar service standards. Trustpilot 2.7/5 — still mid-tier but markedly better than Keddy 1.8. EUR 28 to 45 per day in shoulder season — about 20% more than Keddy. Worth the premium if you want fewer counter surprises and the Europcar Privilege rewards.
Portuguese independent (Movida group) with strong Leiria presence. Trustpilot 1.5/5 — but recent reviews show better Leiria-specific service than other branches. EUR 20 to 35 per day. Always confirm the prepaid voucher locks the price — counter price hikes happen.
Portuguese independent founded in Madeira, expanded to mainland. Trustpilot 3.5/5 — above the budget-tier average. EUR 22 to 38 per day shoulder season. Smaller fleet, more attentive service, low EUR 250 deposits. Best for travellers who want a calmer pickup experience.
Premium counter experience. Trustpilot Spain/Portugal 4.2/5 — the highest among major brands. EUR 38 to 55 per day. Worth it if you want zero counter friction, modern fleet, and the Sixt Express online check-in. Leiria-area pickup typically requires a small detour from Lisbon-area branches.
Trustpilot 1.8/5. The most common Leiria complaints: “Super Cover” upsell pressure at pickup (EUR 18-30/day extra), pre-existing damage disputes, and EUR 200-400 “post-rental damage” charges 6-8 weeks after return. The headline EUR 18-32/day rate is real, but factor in the upsell risk before booking.
| Company | Trustpilot | Daily rate (shoulder) |
|---|---|---|
| Sixt | 4.2/5 | EUR 38-55 |
| Bravacar | 3.5/5 | EUR 22-38 |
| Europcar (mainline) | 2.7/5 | EUR 28-45 |
| Keddy by Europcar | 1.8/5 | EUR 18-32 |
| Drive On Holidays | 1.5/5 mixed | EUR 20-35 |
Keddy includes basic CDW with EUR 1,200 to 2,000 excess in the headline rate. At the counter you will be offered Super Cover at EUR 18 to 30/day to zero out the excess — this is where the Keddy upsell pressure peaks.
EUR 18-30/day. On a 7-day rental adds EUR 126-210 — often more than the base rental cost. Pressure tactics include showing “catastrophic” damage photos, suggesting Portuguese roads are dangerous, and noting that your credit card “may not cover” the excess.
Buy from iCarHireInsurance, RentalCover or Allianz BEFORE flying. EUR 4-8/day for equivalent or better excess coverage including tyres, glass, underbody. Saves EUR 90-175 on a one-week rental.
| Option | Daily cost | 7-day total |
|---|---|---|
| Keddy Super Cover | EUR 18-30 | EUR 126-210 (USD 137-228) |
| iCarHireInsurance | EUR 4-6 | EUR 28-42 (USD 30-46) |
| RentalCover | EUR 5-8 | EUR 35-56 (USD 38-61) |
| Bare CDW (full excess risk) | EUR 0 | EUR 0 — but EUR 1,200-2,000 at risk |
The A1 motorway (Lisbon-Porto) passes 8 km east of Leiria. All Portuguese motorways use the Via Verde transponder system or pay-at-toll. Keddy rentals typically include the transponder (toll auto-billed to your linked card) — confirm at pickup.
| Route | Distance | Time | Toll (one-way) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leiria → Lisbon (A1) | 130 km | 1h 20min | EUR 11.95 (USD 13) |
| Leiria → Porto (A1) | 180 km | 1h 45min | EUR 14.85 (USD 16) |
| Leiria → Coimbra (A1) | 70 km | 50 min | EUR 6.25 (USD 6.80) |
| Leiria → Aveiro (A1) | 110 km | 1h 10min | EUR 9.55 (USD 10.40) |
| Leiria → Fátima (A19, free) | 20 km | 20 min | EUR 0 (toll-free) |
Keddy is rarely cheapest after Super Cover gets added. Compare DiscoverCars, KAYAK, Auto Europe and the operator direct. If Sixt or Bravacar are within EUR 50 over a week, take the better service.
July/August and Christmas rates double in the final 2 weeks. Booking 6 weeks out gets EUR 25-30 days versus EUR 45-60 walk-up.
Single biggest savings: buy third-party excess insurance from iCarHireInsurance before flying. EUR 35 over 7 days versus EUR 126-210 at the Keddy counter.
If you can drive stick, choose manual. Portuguese roads are flat enough that manual is easy on long drives.
Toll auto-billing is far easier than manual booths. Without Via Verde, you can be stuck at manual queues at Aguda or Bombarral on A1.
Supermarket-attached fuel is 5-8 cents/L cheaper than highway service stations. On a 50L tank: EUR 2.50-4 saved per fill.
| Line item | Smart booking | Walk-up tourist |
|---|---|---|
| Compact daily rate | EUR 22-30 (USD 24-33) | EUR 45-60 (USD 49-65) |
| 7-day base | EUR 154-210 | EUR 315-420 |
| Excess insurance | EUR 35 (third-party) | EUR 175 (Keddy Super Cover) |
| Automatic upgrade | Skipped (manual) | + EUR 70 |
| Via Verde transponder | EUR 10.50 (7 days) | EUR 10.50 (7 days) |
| Fuel | EUR 70 (supermarket) | EUR 80 (highway) |
| Total | EUR 280-326 (USD 304-354) | EUR 651-756 (USD 707-822) |
20 km via A19 toll-free, 20 minutes. The Sanctuary of Fátima — one of the most-visited Catholic pilgrimage sites worldwide. Free parking at the Esplanade. Combine with Batalha Monastery (UNESCO, 12 km west) for a half-day religious heritage circuit.
40 km via A8 toll road (EUR 4.25 one-way), 40 minutes. Nazaré is the legendary giant-wave surf town. Free parking at the cliff-top Praia do Norte lighthouse. Peak surf November to February — Garrett McNamara records here.
130 km via A1 toll road (EUR 11.95 one-way), 1h 20min. Direct route to the capital. Park at Saba Gare do Oriente (EUR 18 day) or Park & Ride Pontinha (EUR 0.65/day with Andante 24h pass) and use the metro into the centre.
180 km via A1 toll road (EUR 14.85 one-way), 1h 45min. Porto wine country and Ribeira UNESCO district. Park at Estádio do Dragão Park & Ride (EUR 1.50/day combined with Andante metro).
It is functional, but the Trustpilot 1.8/5 rating means you should expect counter friction and possible post-rental damage charges. Best for confident travellers who can refuse upsells and have third-party excess insurance. First-time Portugal renters often regret choosing Keddy over Europcar mainline (Trustpilot 2.7/5) or Bravacar (3.5/5).
Keddy is the budget arm of Europcar, sharing the same fleet but with lower-tier service standards. Keddy rates are 25-35% cheaper than Europcar mainline (EUR 18-32 vs 28-45 day shoulder), but Europcar has 50% better Trustpilot (2.7/5 vs 1.8). For trips under 4 days, the EUR 30-50 saving with Keddy is worth the risk. For trips 7+ days, Europcar mainline reliability is usually worth the premium.
No — Keddy requires a credit card in the main driver's name with EUR 1,200-1,800 available for the excess hold. Debit cards are rejected at pickup, even with confirmed prepaid bookings. If you only have a debit card, switch to operators that accept it: some Drive On Holidays and OK Mobility branches do, but with higher mandatory insurance.
Strongly recommended for any trip beyond Leiria. The A1 (Lisbon-Porto), A8 (Nazaré-Caldas) and most major Portuguese motorways are electronic-toll-only. Without Via Verde, you must pay at manual booths or use the foreign-license payment system within 5 days (EUR 7-12 admin fee per missed toll). Keddy charges EUR 1.50/day for the transponder service — well worth it.
February — Keddy from EUR 18/day, fewer tourists, mild weather (12-16°C). October offers the best weather-to-price balance at EUR 24/day average. Avoid July, August, and Christmas weeks unless absolutely necessary — rates double and Keddy upsells intensify.
Yes, one-way drop-offs are allowed but charge a EUR 60-95 fee (varies by season). For a 4-7 day trip starting Leiria and ending Lisbon, the convenience often justifies the fee. Confirm the one-way fee at booking — never assume it is included. Some Keddy promotions waive the fee for longer rentals (10+ days).
Disclosure: Some links (DiscoverCars) are affiliate — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We choose only partners with free cancellation policies.
Fact-check date: 9 May 2026. Primary sources: keddy.com Portugal locations, europcar.pt, discovercars.com Leiria search, trustpilot.com (Keddy, Europcar, Bravacar, Sixt), viaverde.pt toll rates, globalpetrolprices.com Portugal fuel.
