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Where are you heading? | How long are you travelling for? | Who are you travelling with? | What’s your budget?
We’ve all been there, you’ve got off your flight, headed to the rental desk and got your keys to your shiny hire car. You head to the car park and… totally underestimated just how much luggage you have. Doh. Or, you’ve been driving around the Tuscan hills thinking “oh I wish we’d booked a convertible”. We want to help you avoid that, so let’s rewind a few weeks to when you book your hire car…
Where are you heading?
The first thought when thinking about booking your car hire is the location you’re travelling to. This is a key factor in choosing the best hire car for you.
If you’re likely to be only popping from the airport to the hotel, something just big enough for your luggage should suffice. You won’t be driving much so there’s no need for a big car.
Yet, if you’re planning a scenic drive along the coast in Italy, why not opt for a convertible? Nothing can quite compare to open top driving with views across the sea. Just make sure there’s a boot large enough for your luggage!
Are you planning an epic road trip across the USA or Australia? You might want to look out for a big and comfy saloon such as a Toyota Camry or SUV with lots of luggage space. You’ll be spending plenty of time in the car, so space is key.
If you’re heading somewhere hilly, you may want to choose a car that’s powerful enough for the hills. Whilst it’s common for diesels to be best for this, most modern petrol cars are now turbocharged. This gives you plenty of oomph to get up those inclines like a breeze!
Book the right hire car for where you’re travelling. Photo by: grigorylugovoy/Stock
How long are you travelling for?
It almost goes without saying but, that small city car you used for your 3 days in Spain isn’t going to be much use on a two-week tour of Italy. The length of time you’re traveling for should be a big consideration when hiring a car.
If you’re going away for a couple of days in Europe, take a look at smaller cars. An economy or mini with 1-2 cases capacity is ideal. You’re most likely to have smaller bags and you’ll want to be able to nip around to see the sights. Usually a short break involves staying in towns, so an easy-to-park car is best! Look out for a VW Up! or Ford KA.
Planning a lovely 2-week escape? Consider a car with a bit more room. A Ford Focus, Nissan Juke or Skoda Octavia type vehicle. There’s nothing worse than being crammed into a hot car completely engulfed in luggage. Or, trying to squeeze your suitcase onto the rear seats (which we wouldn’t recommend!).
Overall, take some time to think about just how much luggage you’ll take. Would it fit in your car at home? If it’s a squeeze, try looking to book a larger hire car.
Be sure to book a car with plenty of luggage space! Photo by: Africa Studio/Stock
Who are you travelling with?
This should be a huge factor in choosing the best hire car for your holiday. Sometimes who you’re travelling with determines the car you book. Large family? Consider a nine-seater. Travelling alone? Book a city car!
If you’re a typical family of four, then booking a nine-seater is not for you, but neither is a city car. We’ve seen it many times before, where customers have expected to fit luggage for a the family for a two week holiday into a small, four-seater city car. This is never going to work out. Consider booking a medium-sized hatchback. A Ford Focus-type, or the smaller SUV categories such as a Nissan Juke or Ford Kuga. With these, there’s plenty of boot space for luggage and plenty of room for the kids to stretch out their legs.
Perhaps consider a smaller car if you’re travelling as a couple or alone. You’re not likely to have so much luggage unless you’re travelling for a long period of time. Two carry-on cases or one large suitcase is perfect for the supermini category vehicles, choose a VW Up! or Renault Twingo. For a bit more room opt for a Ford Fiesta or Seat Ibiza category.
Travelling as a large group? You should look to be booking a seven, or nine-seater. A lot of our customers like to play golf in the Algarve. A VW Transporter or Ford Tourneo is perfect for this. There’s plenty of space for luggage and a few people. Just remember, as these vehicles are derived from vans, the more luggage you have, the less room available for people.
What’s your budget?
This is the biggie. No matter what car you think you might need, it all comes down to your budget. If you’re travelling with children, it’s likely you’re going to try to save as much as possible on car hire. However, don’t always opt for the cheapest as you could end up with something too small for what you need!
If you’re on a budget and travelling as a family, the larger hatches, such as a Ford Focus category, are usually cheaper than a saloon. Plus with a hatchback, you’ll find it easier with luggage. It’s worth remembering that the prices vary dependent on location and length of visit. It’s likely that a week in Italy will be more expensive than two weeks in Spain. Likewise a 3 day hire in the UK will be much cheaper than a week in Portugal.
If you’re only travelling for couple of days, why not hire something with a bit more luxury? Look out for a small SUV or even a convertible, because who doesn’t like open top driving?
Be cool with top-down driving! Photo by: Vitaly Krivosheev/Stock
This post has taken a broader look at advice for booking the correct car type. We’ve tried to keep it light and not too jargon-filled. Got any tips of your own? Add them to the comments!
If you’d like to read something a bit more specific, then check out our Car Categories Explained blog and the Why the Vehicle You Receive on Collection Can Vary article.
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