U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire Reviews 

6,152
TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.6

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 53 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers consistently praise the friendly, helpful, and professional staff, who make the rental process smooth and stress-free. Many highlight exceptional customer service, noting the team's efficiency and willingness to go above and beyond. Reviewers also commend the immaculate, comfortable, and easy-to-drive vehicles, contributing to an overall positive user experience. However, some people mentioned significant issues with customer service, describing interactions as rude, dismissive, or aggressive, with a perceived lack of accountability. A few others also reported problems related to billing, including fees applied in error or deposits held for extended periods.

What people talk about most

Staff

Customers had positive experiences with staff, frequently describing them as friendly, professional, and... See more

Service

Users describe positive interactions with service, highlighting the friendly, professional, and helpful... See more

Customer service

Consumers find customer service to be positive, with many reviewers praising the helpfulness,... See more

Product

Reviewers highlight positive aspects of the product, with many finding the vehicles to be well-presented,... See more

User experience

Clients share positive opinions on user experience, highlighting a seamless and easy process from booking to... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Ty went above and beyond regarding some important documentation for me. His customer service is second to none! ALWAYS a pleasure! Thank you!! Also want to thank, Steve, Alex and Callum for ALWAYS... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We had been left dangling after Enterprise let us down for a pre-booked hire, the night before the hire. We tried Europcar but they couldn't provide a vehicle. We then contacted U-Drive and all our wo... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We hired a van from Poole, the online booking tool was easy to use, follow up questions on the phone were easily resolved, staff were very friendly, explained everything clearly and the pick up and re... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Exceptional service and assistance. Another firm let me down and with just two hours to find another car and to get to Stonehenge for a tour they delivered a service efficiently and without fuss.... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Car Rental Agency
  2. Car Leasing Service
  3. Truck Rental Agency
  4. Van Rental Agency

About U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Written by the company

U-Drive is a family-run vehicle hire company based in the South West, with a network of locations across Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Glamorgan, and the North West. We’ve been providing high-quality vehicles and excellent customer service since 1982. Our fleet is maintained to the highest standard, and our knowledgeable team is here to help with all your vehicle hire needs.

In addition to our car and van hire services, we offer flexible short-term and long-term hire options for businesses and public sector organisations available through U-Drive Pro at u-drivepro.co.uk. Explore our wide range of commercial vehicles, including EVs and specialist options. We can also fit any accessories, vehicle livery, and Chapter 8 requirements. Experience the difference of working with a company dedicated to providing the best vehicle hire experience.

Contact info

4.6

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

6K reviews

5-star
4-star
3-star
2-star
1-star

No recent history of asking for reviews

This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative

Replied to 60% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 48 hours

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4.6

All reviews

(6,152)

85 reviews in the last 12 months

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Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great company

Great company. Nice banter with cheerful staff and a great van for the day

October 6, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hello,

Thank you for your kind review! We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed both the van and the friendly service from our Poole team. We’ll be sure to pass along your comments — they’ll be thrilled to hear it!

Kind regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Van hire

Borrowed a transit from the bristol branch for 24 hours very easy to hire with no problems van was very spacious for a flat move and very easy to drive .The staff was very helpful especially asha who went out of her way to help you on your way over all a great experience

September 29, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Colston,

Thank you for your great review. We hope that the move went well. We are pleased to hear that you had such a good experience at our Bristol branch and will make sure your kind words get back to Achia and the team.

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Hired a small van from Bristol

Hired a small van from the Bristol branch.
So easy! Excellent vehicle condition, cheap rental price for 24 hours. Easy to park my car on site for free during the hire period.
Friendly, knowledgeable staff.
Would use again, highly recommended.

October 1, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Lucie,

Thank you so much for your amazing review and recommendations! We are please to hear that you have had an excellent experience at our Bristol branch and will make sure your kind words get back to our team.

Thank you,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Asha in Bristol went above & beyond

Asha in Bristol went out of her way to help me out when I arrived late for a Saturday rental. Totally my fault so massive appreciation for this extra effort.
Have used U-Drive for years and always been good on service and cost.

September 27, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hello,

Thank you very much for your kind review and continued support. We are glad to hear that you had a great experience with our Bristol branch and will ensure that your kind words get back to Achia and our Bristol branch.

We hope to see you again soon,

U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

U-Drive Poole (Ty)

Picked up my rental to move flats, Ty at the desk was friendly and sort sorted out all the paperwork nice and quickly.

I've used Poole before and it's always really easy!

September 27, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Chris,

Thank you for your great review for our Poole branch. We are glad that you had a great experience with U-Drive and we hope that your move went well. We will make sure that your kind comments get back to Ty and the Poole team. We hope to welcome you back again soon.

Kind regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Staff member Ty at Poole was courteous…

Staff member Ty at Poole was courteous and nothing was an issue.
Needed to change van spec at short notice.
Add to this his great sense of humour which added to a stress free experience. Thank you

September 19, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Robert,

Thank you so much for your amazing 5* review for our Poole branch. We will make sure that your kind words get back to Ty and the rest of the team. We are pleased to hear that you had a great experience with U-Drive and we hope to see you again soon.

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Services.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My first time hiring a vehicle

My first time hiring a vehicle. I have to say Ty at the Poole branch made the process easy. He was super happy and cheerful for a Friday morning which made the process a nice experience. Ty, if you see this, carry on being happy mate. You are doing a stellar job and you deserve a raise.

September 19, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Jack,

thank you for your 5-star review. We’re so pleased to hear Ty made your first vehicle hire such an easy and positive experience. His cheerful approach clearly made a great impression, and your kind words mean a lot. We’ll be sure to share your feedback with Ty and the Poole team. We look forward to assisting you again in the future.

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Services.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Exceptional customer service from Tye…

Exceptional customer service from Tye once again. The efficiency of getting signed up and on my way was a swift one, Along with good jokes. Always a pleasure hiring with these guys.

September 13, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi David,

thank you for your 5-star review. We’re delighted to hear Ty provided exceptional service and made the process quick and straightforward. It’s great to know his friendly approach left such a positive impression. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Ty and the Poole team. We look forward to assisting you again in the future.

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Exemplary customer service

Exemplary customer service. Everything was clearly explained, the van was ready early - very clean (and new!). Painless. That is why we always come back to U-Drive.

August 19, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Russell,

Thank you for your great review for our Southampton branch. We appreciate your kind words and continued support! We will ensure that your great review gets back to our team in Southampton. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon.

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Services

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Unsafe and Unfit Vehicle – Avoid Hiring from Here

I know most people will search the 1star reviews to find the real ones…

I recently hired a Nissan Proace electric van from U-Drive and had one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had with a rental company.

The original van they allocated to me wasn’t usable due to a faulty battery. I was then made to wait an hour at their station for an alternative to be sourced, yet this fact was not even acknowledged in their complaint response. The replacement van arrived with the battery only half charged, and from there the day became a nightmare.
• Within 15 miles of starting the journey, I had to stop and recharge.
• Despite multiple full charges throughout the day, the van never held power for long. I was forced to stop and recharge five separate times.
• I had no load in the van, drove cautiously (often coasting at very low speeds), and used a variety of public chargers. None made a difference, the range was unacceptably poor.
• The final breakdown was on my way home from Weymouth: after a 1hr 40min charge, the van still failed to make a simple 40-minute journey. I broke down in Poole at midnight, and had to wait until 3:30am for recovery to arrive, finally getting home around 5am.

When I returned the van, staff didn’t even recognise the vehicle’s registration number, which raised serious questions about how their fleet is managed.

This was not just inconvenient, it was unsafe. I’m a man in my 40s and could cope with being stranded late at night, but had it been a family or a more vulnerable person, the consequences could have been much worse.

I raised a formal complaint, only to be told by U-Drive that “no fault could be replicated” and that it must have been down to charging methods, driving style, or load. None of these explanations apply in my case, yet they have flatly refused a refund.

In my opinion, this van was unfit for hire and should never have been rented out. U-Drive’s dismissive handling of the situation, alongside their failure to even acknowledge key parts of what happened, only underlines their lack of accountability.

If you value safety, reliability, and honest customer service, I strongly advise avoiding this company.
I know they will respond to this with their explanation made up of lies and denial, so be wary.

August 14, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great experience

Dave was spectacular! Professional, very friendly and hugely helpful. Highly recommend and will use again.

August 28, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Lisa,

thank you for your 5-star review. We’re glad to hear Dave provided professional, friendly, and helpful service. Your recommendation means a lot and is greatly appreciated. We’ll make sure Dave and the Cardiff team hear your kind words. We look forward to assisting you again in the future.

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Van hire experience fantastic

I needed a van for hire to travel to France for a family holiday so I shopped around many many van hire companies to find the van I needed at a good price. Most companies didn’t even have the type of van I required or the price was too high. I then came across this company u-drive in Cardiff they had the van I wanted and the price was the best I could find so I booked the van happily. 10 days before we had to pick up the van we released we needed a crit air certificate and you need 2 weeks to allow so I was panicking I called u Drive and was asked to pop in so they could help sort this out for me I dealt with Dave and Andy who were more than happy to help and they managed to get it all sorted for me top guys. On the day of collecting the van i dealt with another very helpful gentleman I think his name was Jason he sorted the van all ready for us his customer service was excellent just like Dave and Andy. Thanks u drive Cardiff absolutely fantastic customer service great prices all round great company. Would recommend this hire company to anyone ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

August 15, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Steven,

Thank you so much for your 5-star review and kind comments. We’re delighted to hear that you’d recommend us for our great service and value.

We hope you had a wonderful holiday in France, and we’ll be sure to pass your kind words along to our Cardiff team. We look forward to welcoming you again soon!

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A great company to deal with

A great company to deal with. We hired a Ford Tourneo - 9 seater MPV for a trip to Scotland for a family gathering. The collection and return process was straightforward with very friendly , helpful and professional staff. The vehicle itself was in immaculate condition and a joy to drive and be a passenger in for the long journeys. We had 7-8 passengers during the trip as a whole and it was extremely comfortable. Highly recommend this company.

August 21, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Jen, thank you so much for your 5-star review and great comments. We’re delighted that you were happy with the vehicle and found our team to be friendly and helpful, as providing excellent service is really important to us.

We’ll be sure to share your kind words with our Exeter branch team and hope to see you again soon.

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Amazing customer service from Ashu (I…

Amazing customer service from Ashu (I think that was her name) very polite, straight to the point and an asset to your team. She showed us a few different vans to make sure we were getting the right size for what we needed, doing so without making us feel any pressure.
Lovely lady, top marks.

August 15, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Thanks so much for your review, Kieran! We're thrilled Achia made the van hire experience so smooth and helped you pick the right one without any pressure. We'll be sure to pass your lovely comments on to her, she’ll be thrilled to hear it!

Kind regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Really helpful and great customer service!

Kayleigh was super helpful when we hired an extra long wheel base to move house. Her manner with customers was excellent and she was really thorough when inspecting the vehicle with us and giving us a demo!

July 24, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Katie, thank you so much for leaving us a fantastic 5-star review. We’re delighted to hear Kayleigh made your hire experience such a positive one. Providing excellent service is really important to us, so it’s great to know this came through. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Kayleigh and the Southampton branch team. We hope the move went smoothly and wish you all the best settling into your new home.

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Fraudulent & Predatory

Fraudulent & Predatory – Avoid

They run a clear scam: rent you a car, then invent damages and falsify drop-off records to charge you extra. My case matches countless other reviews with the exact same story. This is not bad service — it’s a business built on deception.

August 12, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi Susan,

We’re really sorry to hear about your experience — it must have been very frustrating. However, we believe there may have been a mix-up. U-Drive Ltd is a UK-based vehicle rental company, and we have no connection to the business operating in the UAE under a similar name (udrive.ae).

From the details in your review, it sounds like your hire may have been with that company rather than with us. We’d encourage you to reach out to them directly so they can assist with your concerns. If possible, we kindly ask that you remove or update your review here so it reflects the correct company.

If you’re ever in the UK and need a rental vehicle, we’d be more than happy to welcome you and provide the reliable service our customers know us for.

Kind regards,
U-Drive Customer Service Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Lauren was very helpful and gave…

Lauren was very helpful and gave service with a smile, there were alot of customers to process on the morning that I hired a truck for. Lauren kept her cool and was very informative and helpful. Great service by all the team

July 19, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi David,

thank you for your fantastic 5-star feedback. It’s always great to hear that our team provides helpful and friendly service. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Lauren. Your comments about the informative and supportive approach are much appreciated. We look forward to assisting you again in the future.

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I hired a tipper

I hired a tipper, and explained I was moving scrap metal, the guy at the counter said no problem just because careful. I was very careful,but unfortunately scratched a decal on the back. They have charged me and kept my deposit. When I complained. The customer service was awful.

July 30, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hello Mr Marlow,

Thank you for your review. After inspection, the vehicle was returned with a dent to the rear Highways Maintenance board and damage to the sign writing. This is not fair wear and tear, the cost of repair was reviewed, and part of your deposit amount has been refunded. We are sorry you felt our service fell short and will review how your concerns were handled.

Kind regards,

U-Drive Customer Service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Perfect experience hiring a van

Hired a van for the day. Friendly staff made the whole experience straightforward and easy. Trust worthy and not looking to rip you off as no hidden fees or attempts to take your deposit - would 100% use again, as also the best prices for a van hire I could find in Bristol

August 7, 2025
Unprompted review
U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire logo

Reply from U-Drive | Car, Van, Minibus & Truck Hire

Hi James,

thank you for your 5-star review. We’re glad your hire experience was straightforward and easy. Your feedback is much appreciated. We’ll make sure the Bristol team hears your kind words. We look forward to assisting you again in the future.

Kind Regards,
U-Drive Customer Service

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