Rental: Bruce the Panda Cross 4x4 with TentBox

Meet Bruce

Bruce is a Fiat Panda Cross, a proper small 4x4. He's big enough to take you anywhere in Cornwall, small enough to thread down the lanes without breaking a sweat, and short enough to slot into any busy car park that bigger vehicles can't get near.

On his roof is a TentBox. It goes up in under five minutes, lifts you off the ground, and opens with panoramic views in four directions. No pegging out, no waterproofing test at 2am, no faff.

Together, they're the easiest way to try roof-tent camping: a small, capable car you can take anywhere all day, a five-minute setup when you arrive, two adults sleeping in proper comfort, five-minute pack-down the next morning.

What he isn't: a campervan. There's no kitchen, no toilet, no standing-up space inside. If you want the simplicity of a car you can drive anywhere with a comfortable bed waiting on top, you'll get on with Bruce just fine.

Pricing

From £85 a night, with weekly and long-stay discounts.

Aged 21–24? Add £10/night to cover the higher insurance premium. Bruce is happy to be hired by under-25s, most rental companies aren't.

What you pay when: 20% deposit when you book, balance on pickup. A refundable £500 security deposit is taken on collection and returned within 5 working days, assuming Bruce comes home in the same shape he left.

What's included as standard

• Full insurance with breakdown cover
• TentBox Lite roof tent (sleeps 2 adults)
• Foam mattress with sheet and pillows
• 150 miles per day fair-use mileage
• Proper handover and TentBox demo at pickup (about 30 minutes)
• Bruce delivered with a full tank - return him the same way

Make it your own

We've got a range of optional extras to add to your booking. Things like an awning, a portable PowerStation, and a camping essentials package. Browse our accessories to pick what you need; we'll have it ready for you at pickup.

What to bring

• Bedding - you'll need a duvet or sleeping bags. These are available to hire if you'd prefer.
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The extras you'll see at checkout

• Under-25 driver surcharge: £10/night (covers the higher insurance premium for ages 21–24)
• Additional driver: from £15/day, age-dependent — email us for an exact quote

Email us for a quote if you hold a non-UK licence, have points or convictions on your licence, work in a higher-risk profession, or want to take Bruce outside the UK mainland — none of these are deal-breakers, but the insurance needs an extra calculation.

Who can hire Bruce

• Aged 21–78. Drivers 21–24 pay a £10/night surcharge.
• Held a full UK, EU, or international driving licence for at least 2 years
• No more than 6 points, no DR/IN convictions in the last 5 years
• Two forms of ID at collection — driving licence plus a recent utility bill or bank statement
• A debit or credit card in your own name for the security deposit

How it works

1. Pick your dates in the calendar above. The price updates as you change them.
2. Pay your deposit to secure the booking.
   
3. Collect Bruce. About 30 minutes - we'll walk you through the TentBox, hand over keys, take the security deposit.
4. Off you go. Bring him back on the agreed date with a full tank.

Where to go, where to stay

Where you can drive: All of mainland UK — Cornwall, the rest of England, Wales, and Scotland are all included. Ask first for Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, France or further into Europe — usually fine but the insurance needs setting up in advance.

Where you can sleep: Stay at proper campsites or use Park4Night to find legal overnight spots — there's no shortage of either in Cornwall. Wild camping isn't permitted across most of England and Wales (and isn't covered by Bruce's insurance), so stick to campsites and Park4Night locations.

Where Bruce isn't covered: Off-road driving. He's a real 4x4 but the insurance treats green lanes, forestry tracks, and below-tide-line beach driving as off-road. Forest car parks, gravel tracks to camp spots, and proper roads — all fine.

Plans change

• More than 14 days before pickup: Full refund of the deposit, no quibble.
• 7–14 days: Deposit held as credit toward a rebooking within the next 12 months.
• Less than 7 days: Deposit is non-refundable, but we'll always try to find another date that works.

Common questions

How long does the TentBox really take to set up?
Under five minutes once you've got the hang of it — closer to two on the second attempt. We walk you through it properly at handover.

Where can I park Bruce overnight?
Use a proper campsite or check Park4Night for legal overnight spots. Cornwall has plenty of both. Wild camping isn't legal across most of England and Wales, and the insurance doesn't cover it, so stick to approved locations.

Will Bruce fit on a small campsite?
Yes — that's one of his strong suits. Plenty of smaller Cornish campsites have tight access lanes or pitch sizes that defeat bigger vehicles. Bruce slots in where campervans can't.

Can I take Bruce off-road if he's a 4x4?
The insurance excludes off-road driving even though he's perfectly capable. Forest car parks, gravel tracks to camp spots, and proper roads are all fine. Green lanes, forestry tracks, and beaches below the tide line aren't covered.

What if it rains?
The TentBox is fully waterproof. Sleeping in a tent with the rain on the roof and you four feet off the wet ground is, in our biased opinion, one of the better feelings available.

I'm 21 — can I hire Bruce?
Yes. Lots of rental companies cut off at 25, but our insurance covers drivers from 21. There's a £10/night surcharge for drivers aged 21–24, which is the difference in the insurance premium passed through to you.

Can I add an extra driver?
Yes — from £15/day depending on the second driver's age. They need to meet the same eligibility criteria. Add them at the time of booking and we'll quote the exact figure.

What's the fuel economy like?
40+ mpg on a steady cruise. Bruce is a tiny engine, so motorway runs aren't punishing.