Rental Car Sizes Explained
When renting a car with us, it is understandable to be confused by the different sizing options we offer. If you click on the vehicles tab of our website, you will see that we offer cars, SUVs, vans, and special cars.
But under those categories, there are more nuanced specifications meant to better help you decide with your rental. We will look at each of these in turn.
Cars
Cars are a great option for those looking to get good gas mileage, fit into tight spots around the city, and only have a few passengers you’re looking to take along on your journey. Under the car category, there are six different sub-categories that we will look at now.
Economy Car
The economy car is a smaller car that is ideal for traveling due to the excellent gas mileage. In addition, it can seat four passengers and two bags in the trunk—a perfect option for an individual or even a small family.
There are few things that a car has to have to be considered an economy car. The first is that it must have a lightweight design that also focuses on making the interior as big as possible. The car also has to have inexpensive parts and upkeep.
When it comes to the engine, economy cars are all equipped with a four-cylinder engine maximum. With this comes it having a minimum of 30 mpg to qualify as an economy vehicle. The progress in recent technology has only made these smaller engines more efficient, resulting in having an even higher fuel economy. It may not be the car to take to the race track, but it will save you in almost every area when it comes to the expenses a car brings.
Compact Car
A compact car is close in comparison to the economy car. One of the biggest differences between the economy car and the compact is the size of the interior. With the compact vehicle, you can fit five passengers while the number of bags able to fit in the trunk is still at two.
With this increase in size, these cars usually have four-door variants available to make the back seats more accessible and lend to the fact that these vehicles offer more room–no more squeezing into the back seat through the driver’s door. Instead, simply open the back passenger door.
The compact still has great gas mileage even though economy vehicles tend to do better. However, the typical fuel economy for compact vehicles is still above the 30 mpg mark.
Intermediate Car
The word ‘intermediate’ isn’t often used in everyday conversation to describe the cars we see around us. A synonymous term that is more well know is ‘mid-sized.’ To be classified as a mid-sized, or intermediate, vehicle, the car must have anywhere from 110 to 119 cubic feet of cargo and passenger volume available.
This additional space will give you space for five passengers and an additional bag from our last two vehicles, totaling three bags. These cars maintain the good fuel economy of the smaller vehicles thanks to their larger, more efficient engines.
This option is good for anyone looking to carry some more luggage around or a larger family looking to save on gas at the pump.
Standard Car
The ‘standard’ in the standard car is not referring to the way that it shifts gears. This vehicle is just a step up in size from the intermediate car but is not yet the size of a full-size sedan.
Standard cars offer our renters more room for five passengers that gives a comfortable experience. It is capable of fitting three bags in the trunk for all your party’s needs. The fuel economy remains the same as the intermediate car, so there is no need to worry about a huge loss of efficiency.
Full Sized Car
The full-sized car is our largest offering when it comes to the cars category. This vehicle can comfortably fit all five passengers on board while fitting up to four luggage bags in the trunk.
These vehicles can get incredible gas mileage with the larger engines and more efficient technology developed over recent years. Along with the technological advances to the engine’s efficiency, these cars drive smoother on the road due to their heavier weight and design. This can be a bonus for your passengers in the back to where they don’t have to feel every rock on the road!
Premium Car
The premium car option is a full-sized sedan that offers more room for comfortable seating, luggage in the trunk, and features. This is ideal for business or leisure.
The vehicle maintains a good fuel economy with the bonuses of the comfort features the previous cars lack. The ride will be smooth and comfortable, not lacking in control or maneuverability.
Luxury Car
Our luxury cars offer the highest level of comfort, style, and ease of use. These vehicles come with leather seats and an engine with six to eight cylinders so that you won’t be lacking power.
This option offers an abundance of space for you as the driver and the passengers tagging along for the leisurely ride. The luxury car is the vehicle you want to connect your phone to, turn up the toons, and ride around just enjoying the experience. So you can’t go wrong with this option.
SUV
SUVs are a great option for anyone who wants more space and plans on having a higher number of people in the vehicle than with a car option. While it doesn’t get as good fuel economy as the cars, it makes up for it in the extra volume provided to the renter.
In the car section, we covered the basic idea of compact, intermediate, standard, and luxury concerning the vehicle that it is describing. Below we will be building off of that base and extending it to the SUV class of vehicles. Where they differentiate, it will be made clear.
Compact SUV
The compact SUV is our smallest SUV offering. This option is great for commuting in the city due to its ability to fit easily into smaller parking spots. In addition, its size lends to better maneuverability on the streets.
It offers a good amount of space for luggage and your passengers, easily fitting five people and three pieces of luggage into the trunk.
Intermediate and Standard SUV
Like the standard and intermediate cars, these SUVs are larger in size when compared to the compact SUV. The standard offers more room on the inside of the cabin for your passengers. These both offer more luggage space than the compact SUV, going from three pieces of luggage to four.
Full Size SUV
Our full-size SUV is where we see a jump in the space for additional passengers. This is an ideal option for those with larger families or teams traveling around an area together. The full-size SUV can carry seven passengers with ease and four luggage bags in the trunk area.
Special SUV
The descriptor for this one says it all. This vehicle is ideal for the renter who has a special idea in mind for using the vehicle. Maybe you’re going somewhere that requires a little offroading or difficult terrain. Our special SUV offering is up to the task. Capable of carrying up to five passengers and three bags, we are confident this vehicle can meet your outdoor and city needs.
Luxury SUV
Our luxury SUV offers the most space out of all the SUV options available, with the advantage of having all the amenities you would expect in a luxury vehicle.
It offers the capability of holding up to eight passengers and carrying six pieces of luggage. This is an ideal option for the large family who wants the smoothest ride possible or the team looking to get comfortable and rest between business destinations.
Vans
The next category that we will look at is the vans that we offer here at Advantage. We offer two different types of vans for our renters. Vans are ideal for larger families going on road trips or a vacation when the kids are out of school.
Minivan
Our minivan is capable of holding seven passengers and five bags of luggage. So there shouldn’t be any issues with this going across the country on an epic adventure you and the kids will never forget.
Full Size Van
Save money on getting a bus and instead rent one of our 15 passenger vans. This option is great for shuttling groups from one location to another or traveling long distances with many people. On top of transporting 15 people, it can carry five pieces of luggage in the back.
Special Car
For those that like to hear the engine roar on their way from the hotel to the boardroom, our special car option gives our renters the experience of commuting to and fro in a convertible Ford Mustang. No need to be modest with this ride. It screams confidence and style.
The sports car can carry five passengers and two bags in the trunk.
The Takeaway
Americans spend most of their time driving–293 hours per year, to be exact. Here at Advantage, we want to make as many of those hours as enjoyable for our customers while driving our vehicles.
We have many options that can suit your needs. So whether you’re riding solo or you’re a member of the Brady Bunch, we have a vehicle that will suit you perfectly.
Sources:
Car Ratings Car Shopping Guides Economy Cars vs. Compact Cars
FAQ | FuelEconomy.gov
Americans Spend 293 Hours Driving Each Year – Safety
