Rental Car Trunk Sizes ?

[Villains_Rock]

We are trying to figure out what size car to get for our trip in Sept. We are 4 adults - 3 average size and my DH who is 6' 7" 250 lbs...AND a baby in a car seat. We will each have a large roller bag and the baby may or may not have a carry-on size roller bag. We will also have his stroller and probably a back pack size bag for each of our carry-ons (and my mom and I will have purses). Right now I have a full size reserved for $177 after tax...which is a GREAT DEAL!! I can get a crown vic for $245 or a mini van for $386. The SUVs are more than the van with the code I have...ie Magic Card. I'm thinking that we should upgrade so we have more room for luggage and the van would be the most comfy, but it's hard to justify spending $200 more. How big are the trunks...really...and if you guys were in my shoes, what would you do?

 

[iluveeyore]

You should be fine in a full-size - we own an Impala, and I just rented a full-size for our trip in October - we are driving to Talladega to camp before our Disney stay, and I will have 5 large suitcases, golf clubs, cooler and 4 carry-ons, and we know it will fit from many trips we have taken in our own car. Lots of head and leg room in the interior as well. I would save the $$$ - besides, it's not a long drive from MCO to Disney if that's what you're doing, so you won't have to worry if someone has to hold a backpack on their lap, but you should have plenty of room in the trunk for all of it.

 

[keishashadow]

i was surprised how much trunk room is in an impala and how nice the 'tricked out' new models are that we enjoyed our last 2 rentals

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Just a warning..... The Impala is the LARGEST of the full sizes. No guarantee you will get it. (You do not say who you rental car company is so it is hard to tell) But either way you have a car seat and two adults in the back seat.... of what could eaisly be a Mailbu which IMHO is not that big!

 

[iluveeyore]

Just a warning..... The Impala is the LARGEST of the full sizes. No guarantee you will get it. (You do not say who you rental car company is so it is hard to tell) But either way you have a car seat and two adults in the back seat.... of what could eaisly be a Mailbu which IMHO is not that big!

Malibu is shown as a standard size, not a full-size rental, so that would not likely happen. All the full-size cars have the same amount of room, or at least close to it. And if it's Avis or Alamo the OP is renting from, there are always lots of Impalas or similar to choose from at the airport. We had a Ford (Fusion I think), whatever their full-size is, 2 years ago, and had loads of room as well.
I would just go with the full-size and, OP, if you find you don't have enough space, you could always ask to upgrade to the next size vehicle.

 

[corster]

I've found that many of the rental companies consider the Camry to be Full Size, and good luck getting more than 3 large suitcases in the back of one of those.

Impala and Taurus are great for luggage.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

National and Alamo consider the Malibu a full size!

 

[Jestocost]

Just a warning..... The Impala is the LARGEST of the full sizes. No guarantee you will get it. (You do not say who you rental car company is so it is hard to tell) But either way you have a car seat and two adults in the back seat.... of what could eaisly be a Mailbu which IMHO is not that big!

I agree. Other than the Impala (about which I can only accept what PPs have said), the only cars I have found that will fit even four large suitcases (plus some other smaller pieces) are the Lincoln Town Car (so by extension I assume the Crown Vic) and whatever the big Cadillac is.

 

[Villains_Rock]

I have booked though Thrifty and the full size the say they have (or similar) is a Dodge Charger....

 

[Jestocost]

I have booked though Thrifty and the full size the say they have (or similar) is a Dodge Charger....

Critical issue being "or similar." Cars that the agencies include in the same category can have vastly different trunk space.

A Charger has 15.4 cubic feet of trunk space, but a Toyota Camry (which may be considered "similar") has only 15.0 cubic feet.

Compare and contrast both with a Lincoln Town car that has 21 cubic feet of cargo space. As I noted earlier, four large suitcases fills most of the Lincoln, with room for a couple of smaller bags.

 

[Villains_Rock]

Thanks...looks like I'll be upgrading....