Match the vehicle to the journey
A fixed base with day trips works, and so does moving between south and north. In the first case only day luggage travels; in the second the boot has to be enough for the whole trip.
Work out the space you need
For two people with light luggage a small class is enough and makes narrow village streets easier. With four people and frequent mountain stages, a class up drives considerably more calmly.
Two halves, two journeys
South and north differ clearly in weather and character, with the mountain between them. Crossing from one half to the other is a genuine stage, there and back.
For the booking that means: with a fixed base, comfort over distance counts; with a change of accommodation, it is boot space across the whole trip.
What the mountain roads mean
The routes inland climb substantial height differences with many bends. Fully loaded, the smallest engine can be heard working on the long climbs, which is a comfort question rather than a safety one.
Allow more time for those stages than a mapping app suggests. Winding mountain roads with oncoming traffic cannot be planned in average speeds.
Where you stay and where you park
In old village centres parking space is scarce. Whether the accommodation has a space of its own decides the sensible size of car more than the number of suitcases.
Settle that before booking. A guaranteed space changes the choice of car more than any luggage calculation.
Collecting at the airport or later
Collecting straight after landing saves a transfer but commits you immediately to the parking question at the accommodation. If the first days are spent in one place anyway, a later pickup can work out better.
Cost both variants including the transfer and parking. The answer depends on the itinerary, not on the daily rate.
Returning before the flight home
Plan the last refuelling near the airport. Under a full-to-full policy it is the gauge at handover that counts, not when you filled up.
Document the condition with photographs and ask for a return receipt with date and time. On an early handover that is the only record.
Record these details first
- Fix whether you stay south or north before choosing the car
- Decide between a fixed base and a change of accommodation
- Allow more driving time for mountain stages than shown
- Settle the accommodation’s parking beforehand
- Size the car for village streets, not only for luggage
- Plan the last refuelling near the airport
- Photograph the return and take the receipt
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a hire car in Tenerife?
For staying in one place, not necessarily. As soon as you want to see several parts of the island a car changes the trip considerably, because the journeys between south, north and the interior take longer than the distance suggests.
Is the smallest class enough?
For two people with light luggage yes, and in narrow village centres it is even an advantage. With four people, full luggage and frequent mountain stages a class up drives more calmly.
How long does it take to reach the north?
Considerably longer than a plain distance calculation suggests. Winding mountain roads with oncoming traffic and changeable weather need margin for the outward and return legs.