Best type of rental car to rent??

[blessed2BaMama]

We are a family of 4 (mom, dad, and 2 sons - teenager and tween). The boys want to rent a convertible but my husband says there won't be enough room for suitcases or for people in back seat and wants to rent a medium or top category SUV, I think the lowest/smallest is a Rav 4 size and he wants the next class up (Hyundai Santa Fe ) or the biggest (Chevy Tahoe).

If money wasn't the issue, what would you recommend based on experience? We leave in the fall and are hoping to book early for better deal! Blessings!! Amy

 

[cmph]

We are a family of 4 (mom, dad, and 2 sons - teenager and tween). The boys want to rent a convertible but my husband says there won't be enough room for suitcases or for people in back seat and wants to rent a medium or top category SUV, I think the lowest/smallest is a Rav 4 size and he wants the next class up (Hyundai Santa Fe ) or the biggest (Chevy Tahoe).

If money wasn't the issue, what would you recommend based on experience? We leave in the fall and are hoping to book early for better deal! Blessings!! Amy

We booked Alamo through the discounthawaiicarrental site. The web-site was pretty clear on how many people and suitcases would fit in each type of vehicle. The convertible wasn't going to work for us (also a family of 4), just not enough room for luggage. If I recall, the trunk fit 2, that's all. We lucked into the SUV ("Hyundai Santa Fe or similar") being the same rate as mid-size cars, so we went with that. When we got to the Alamo lot at the airport, it was just a free for all after you checked in - you pick whatever you want in your category. I'm not even sure what other vehicles were in our category, but we got a big ol' Jeep with a removable sun roof b/c DH just couldn't resist. And it turned out to be useful b/c the roads near the airport were flooded on the return trip. He loved driving through the flood way more than he should have, ha! So I guess my advice is to avoid the convertible unless the kids want to squashed under luggage.

 

[twodogs]

SUV will have more space for luggage so it's an important thought. For our family of 4, we could get it all in a full sized car since trunk space is usually generous. For 6, (my parents went too) at Aulani we rented a Tahoe. It was still a squeeze in that with all 6 people and all of our luggage for 6!!! Parking can be tight in such a large vehicle, especially in the Aulani parking garage! Parking spaces aren't huge in Hawaii as reported on this board, but we had no trouble other than at the resort itself. So if you want the space and can get a good rate, the full sized SUV is nice and roomy for 4. We rented through Costco (and rebooked several times before the trip,when the price dropped) and that beat everything, including discounthawaiicarrental.com.

 

[OKW Lover]

A convertible is tempting, but luggage will be an issue. I'd go for the mid-size SUV instead.

 

[karebear06]

What about renting a Jeep Unlimited? You can take the top off and you should have plenty of space in the back for your luggage. My husband has one and we are also renting one during our trip in July.

 

[ihearthawaii]

We are a family of 4 (mom, dad, and 2 sons - teenager and tween). The boys want to rent a convertible but my husband says there won't be enough room for suitcases or for people in back seat and wants to rent a medium or top category SUV, I think the lowest/smallest is a Rav 4 size and he wants the next class up (Hyundai Santa Fe ) or the biggest (Chevy Tahoe).

If money wasn't the issue, what would you recommend based on experience? We leave in the fall and are hoping to book early for better deal! Blessings!! Amy

Not to be a downer but I prefer a car with a trunk to keep our stuff out of sight. Although it hasn't happened to us yet, car break ins is something I've been warned about.

 

[rlk]

When my family of four (two teens) went to Aulani we rented a 4 door jeep. There was plenty of room for our three checked bags and assorted backpacks/carry on luggage.

 

[longboard55]

You can not fit much in a convertible. Maybe two small suitcases.

 

[DisneyFanDad]

We are a family of 4 with two boys, 13 and 9. We just got back today, we rented a larger SUV and got a brand new Dodge Durango with 2000 miles on it. It was perfect for the longer drives to North Shore or over to any of the sites on the other side of the island. Even getting over to Diamond Head or Hanauma bay can be about an hour depending on traffic. We drove out and around on the island almost every day exploring and finding awesome and cool beaches to spend the day at. Having a larger car for that was nice. We did take a day trip to the Big Island to see volcano national park and rented a Jeep Wrangler for the day there. That took care of our Jeep fix. It probably depends on your family and what you are more comfortable with.

 

[blondietink]

We rented a mini van for the 4 of us. Had plenty of space for everything and we were all comfortable. I think it was even cheaper than an SUV. Costco had the best price, although we have rented through the discounthawaiicarrental site.

 

[xlxo]

Unless snow is in the forecast.... Another vote for a Dodge/Chrysler minivan. I agree with security of having a trunk. But I'm more concerned about hauling everything. Dark tinted windows help with security. Stow 'n Go seating is great for valuables.

If parking is a concern.... look for one with a backup camera. Thrifties has minivans with backup cameras.

 

[KristieGriggs]

We rented through Alamo. Family of 4. 2 large suitcases, one carry on suitcase, three backpacks, and one large camera bag. We drove our small car to the airport just to make sure everything would fit, since we planned to rent a small car. But when we checked in at Alamo, everyone with a small to mid-size car reservation, they were giving small SUVs to. Which was nice, but I really wanted something with a trunk. They assigned us first to a small SUV, but it was narrow, and our luggage wouldn't fit inside. (Even though it fit in our Hyundai Elantra on the way to the airport.) So I just went back in and told them. The guy was super nice. Said no problem, and he gave us the next SUV that came up. It was still a smaller SUV, but it was wider so much more room to fit our luggage.
So I wouldn't stress too much about it.
Have fun!!!

 

[cleophus12]

We rented a convertible for the three of us in May. Very small trunk. Fortunately, we only needed one seat in the back so we could use the rest for luggage. However, we rarely put the top down. First of all, it was hot. Secondly, we ran into rain showers frequently so we would have to stop and put the top up. Thirdly, I think it screams "tourist!" I wouldn't do a convertible again even if it was the cheapest available car (which it was for our trip).

 

[happymommy]

As a former resident of Oahu, I would like to reiterate what others have said here. Do NOT get a car where your luggage is in view. I was broken into years ago.

Also, nothing screams tourist like a convertible, and it's so common to be driving over the Koolaus and have sunshine on one side, then run into a 5 minute downpour. Plus they are generally targeted for crime, and don't hold anything for luggage.

Odds are, you will have a washer/dryer, so you won't likely need a lot of luggage at all (I've done 2 week trips to Ko Olina with my family where we each only took carry on bags, and still didn't need all we brought. We stopped at Target the first day and got toiletries and such). You don't need anything dressy!

You will see more parking spaces with "compact car only" here than most places.

We've done a van with a large group, but for the 4 of us, we go with a midsize car. Drop off luggage then go to Costco & Target for shopping.

Don't ever leave valuables in your car, and don't put it in the trunk after parking anywhere - they have gangs that watch tourists (and locals) do this.