I'm trying to figure out what size would be most comfortable without breaking the bank. This drives me insane! All the companies use different terms.

So, for 3 kids in the backseat, am I better with a:

Intermediate (Peugeot 407 or similar) (about $50 more)
Intermediate Wagon (Opel Zafira Wagon or similar) (about $20 more)
Standard (Toyota Prius or similar) (cheapest)

I'm not worried about luggage - it is more the comfort factor in the backseat. They are "ok" with our Volvo S40 - but the kid with long legs complains for long car rides.

thoughts ?

When you are using the car will you not have your luggage with you? I don't see how 5 people can fit their bag's in the Prius. Plus the back seat is the smallest of the 3. I would say you will have to at least choose the Wagon. Plus the wagon give you the most storage space.

Three 6 yo kids or three 16 yo kids makes a BIG difference. But in general for 5 you'd want an intermediate. But the interior sizes really aren't that much different.

I believe when we rented an Opel Zafira, we could configure it to have a third seat row. When not carrying luggage, that was a nice feature.

The Zafira has three individual seats in the second row, and a further two seats in the third row. I think this would be more comfortable for 5 than a Prius, and would also have a lot more luggage space. The Zafira is also higher, which is better for sight-seeing.

I don't think that the 407 would have any particular advantage for you to justify the extra money.

We rented a 407 in Spain recently, and could not find the boot catch. It turned out to be in the middle of the "0" of the "407".

The problem is that you can;t reserve a specific car - just a class. You need to be sure that any car in the class is big enough to hold you and the luggage.

For 2 (tall adults) with more luggage - each 1 25 or 26 bag plus a small carry on - we get a minimum of a mid size and sometimes larger. We are more interested in power (IMHO mnay cars in europ ehave engines that are too small) and we like to drive something with substantial pep - esp for meling with high speed traffic.

Think of the Opel as a mini van rather than a wagon. It will be the most comfortable and have the most luggage room for your group. The Peugeot has no advantage over the Opel. The problem is the "or similar" part of the offer. In my experience, I rarely get the car that I had "specified."

The Prius (I have one) will give you about 50% better fuel efficiency over the Opel gas model - no small advantage with the price of fuel in Europe. The driving cost evens out some if you luck into a diesel. The rear seat in the Prius will hold 3 people - the width will give each of the 3 the same room they would have in a coach class flight. Leg room is surprisingly generous - it it were an airplane it would have a 36" pitch. The trunk holds more than it would appear to. Five 22" rollers would fit - 5 larger bags, no. I suppose if the offer says Prius, that is what you will get since there really is nothing similar.

So, it comes down to how far you want to drive or how long you will be in the car at any one time and how much you want to spend, considering fuel costs as well, not to mention the size of the kids

I should add, since you said "standard" where the Prius is classsified and they give you something else, you will lose the mileage advantage and thus would have been better off with the Opel.

thanks guys for all the replies!

The kids are ages 7, 9, and 11. They are pretty good travelers, but occasionally we do get the "you're looking at me funny" syndrome, which is when a break is needed!

As for luggage - we are taking 3-4 carry on size bags plus everyone will have a small backpack. Why 3-4 ? Well, with coats, its more like 4, without coats, its more like 3 : ) The small backpacks generally go at the kids feet (me too as I like to be able to access my "stuff" ).

Good thoughts about fuel economy with regard to the Prius. I agree, it is the "or similar" that gets you!

As it turned out, I ended up calling Auto Europe who got me a great rate with a Passat 1.8 diesel. I think there are some benefits to the diesel, but I've certainly read enough problems, that I KNOW to pay attention to the type of gas when we refill!!!

So, while it sounds like the Opel would have been good (and the 3rd row a benefit...), we have a Passat.


or similar....

We ended up with an Alfa Romeo 159 wagon. It was a diesel, and the backseat was just fine for the kids - in fact, I sat back there for awhile when one of the kids wasn't feeling well.

One new thing was that it had sensors on the rear AND front bumpers to tell when you were getting close -- we have them on our car here for reversing, but the front corners was a new experience.

I still have no clue what "class" it was in, but it was fine for us and our gear.

thanks all!

Sounds like a good deal. That's why I like to call Auto Europe. But it is still a roll of the dice as to what car you end up with. I've never had someone give us a smaller-than-requested vehicle, though.

For what it's worth, we have a Prius and I think it would be rather uncomfortable for three kids to ride any distance in the backseat. Our children are normal-sized 9 and 10 year olds and if we add a friend or cousin in the back, it really gets cramped and uncomfortable (I am a small person and I do not really fit as the third person in the back).

whoops = i just figured out that you already took your trip! glad you had the wagon and hope you had fun!!

we had a great time... thanks!

I guess I should add that we carried a kids booster seat with us (seat only - no back to it). It was an old one, so we just donated it to the cause when we were done. We had no problem checking it as a piece of luggage.

Only downside to that is that since the booster needs a lap and shoulder belt, the other two kids fight over who gets the honor of sitting in the middle.

<i>One new thing was that it had sensors on the rear AND front bumpers to tell when you were getting close -- we have them on our car here for reversing, but the front corners was a new experience.</i>

Oh if only the car we rented had had that. We (three adults) wound up with an Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Great car, fun to drive, zippy. But I dinged the corner of the front bumper pulling up too close to a stone wall. Wah-wahhh.

Glad you had a good trip!

Hi mom,

Thanks for reporting on the results.