Finding your way around a new country can be stressful at the best of times, especially if you’ve chosen to drive, and even more so if you’re driving around in a hire car that you’re not used to driving.

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</a>Land Rover

To help you enjoy a more relaxing time on the road in a vehicle that isn’t your own, I’ve compiled a list of the top five most popular hire cars that are rented and enjoyed around the world.

<strong>Mini Cooper
</strong>Since 1961, the Mini has been fulfilling the needs of drivers who want to nip around towns and cities in a neat, compact, stylish vehicle that has just enough room for your suitcase and a friend. BMW took over the production of these style icons in 2000 and the New MINI range has maintained the old Mini’s reputation of being an ideal rental car. Models like the MINI Clubman offer car hire customers extra space, while the MINI Convertible is an ideal choice for rentals on holidays in warmer climes. The branding of the MINI has been geared towards adventures over the last decade and the new MINI Countryman, with its all-wheel-drive powertrain is geared up for those winding mountain roads.

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When it comes to <a href="http://www.carrentals.co.uk/" target="_blank">car hire uk</a> manufacturer Land Rover enjoys its place as the first choice among drivers who require space, power and rugged versatility from their hire car. If you’re on safari, hiring a Land Rover Defender, with its 6-speed gearbox, 2.4-litre diesel engine and high-intensity driving lamps, will see you cruise through even the roughest driving terrain with ease, and the new models are infinitely more comfortable than the rickety old Land Rovers of yore.

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<strong>Smart Car
</strong>Once met with bewildered stares from passers-by, Smart Cars are now as common a sight on the streets of Europe as men in striped shirts, wearing berets and carrying baguettes under their arms. The popularity of the Smart car among European holidaymakers stems from its ability to squeeze along even the narrowest of winding alleyways and cobbled streets, but later models have added more reasons to make this compact concept your hire car of choice. Models like the Smart Fortwo Passion offer integrated audio and navigation systems, electric soft tops, automatic softouch gear programme, and air conditioning with dust and pollen filters – perfect for summer holidays in the Mediterranean.

<strong>Fiat 500 Abarth
</strong>If you want to look mean on holiday, rent a car with a picture of a scorpion on it. Chances are, you’ll be hard pressed to find one unless you rent the Fiat 500 Abarth. This sporty little beast will whiz you around town with its 1.4-litre performance engine delivering around 40 miles to the gallon. A definite rival to the Mini Cooper.

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<strong>Audi A4
</strong>If you’re an Audi driver, it’s unlikely that you’ll settle for anything less than vorsprung durch technik when you’re away from home. New Audi A4 saloons are widely available to hire, affording you the sheer joy of pressing that pedal to the metal in an Audi that you don’t have to maintain yourself. Our advice: hire one in Germany and enjoy the absence of speed limits on the autobahn. Now that’s what we call a holiday!
<h5><a title="Audi A4  Audi USA" rel="lightbox[slideshow]" href="/images/2011/05/Audi-A4--Audi-USA.jpg"><img src="/images/2011/05/200/Audi-A4--Audi-USA.jpg" alt="Audi A4  Audi USA" width="200" height="133" /></a>Photo by Audi USA</h5>