Hire Car classes explained

If you are unsure what the difference is between hiring an economy car in comparison to hiring a compact, then hopefully the following information will be of assistance to you as it explains in brief what you can expect from each class of hire car.

Mini

This is usually a three door hire car with a small engine. The car will be able to fit four people in at a squeeze but you may struggle to fit the luggage in.

This would usually be a manual transmission vehicle without any air conditioning. However, on the plus size the small size of the vehicle makes for easy parking and great for manoeuvring through traffic.

An example of a ‘mini’ car would be a Ford KA.

Economy

This would usually be a three of five door car with four seats, so would easily cater for a family of four people and their luggage. Usually be a manual transmission vehicle and would not usually have any air conditioning.

An ‘economy’ car would be good for manoeuvring through busy streets and is fuel efficient if you are planning to do a fair amount of travelling.

An example of an ‘economy’ hire car would be a Chevy Aveo.

Compact

A ‘compact’ vehicle would usually be a five door car which could seat up to five people and a decent amount of luggage in the boot. This hire car could be available as a manual and would usually have power steering. It may also be available as an automatic for an extra cost.

An example of a ‘compact’ vehicle is a Vauxhall Astra.

Standard

This could be a four of five door car and offers a larger engine size such as a 1.8 or 2 litre hire car. The vehicle will be a lot more spacious for travellers and their luggage offering a more luxurious journey. The car will usually have the added benefits or air conditioning, power steering, electric windows and a CD player.

An example of a ‘standard’ vehicle would be a Vauxhall Insignia.

Full Size MPV

A full size MPV would have five doors and be able to seat up to seven people; so it is an excellent alternative to a mini-bus. This is an excellent choice of hire car if you are travelling with a large group of people or are a small family who require additional luggage space. This type of vehicle will usually come with power steering for ease of use and air conditioning for your comfort.

An example of a ‘full size MPV’ would be a Ford Galaxy.

Prestige

This is a sportier car for those of you who are feeling a little flash on their holidays. This vehicle will have everything that a ‘full size’ hire car has but will have a bigger engine size. The ‘Prestige’ vehicles will usually sell out fast to those people wishing to travel in comfort and luxury.

An example of a ‘prestige’ vehicle is a Mercedes Benz S Class.

There are a few things which you may want to bear in mind when selecting your hire car as you should never assume the smallest vehicle is the cheapest. It often depends on the demand for the vehicle which drives the cost.

Each Country will have a different customer base, so it could be that a ‘Full Size MPV’ will work out at the same cost as a ‘mini’; so keep this in mind when searching for a hire car.

If you are offered an upgrade, do not automatically assume that you will be given a better hire car. Make sure you check which features you would be getting on the upgrade vehicle and compare these to your original vehicle of choice. Usually a top of the range ‘compact’ car will be better than a lower range ‘standard’ hire car.

Finally, keep in mind that if you are travelling to the USA that many things are plus size! Therefore, a ‘mini’ hire car in the USA is often what other countries would refer to as a ‘compact’ family car in European Countries.