Should we get a Compact or Midsize car in England?
 

We are in the stages of getting a rental car, most probably through AutoEurope. We are a party of 3 people, and I think we will have 3 large suitcases(around 26') and maybe 2-3 carryon bags.

The agent at Autoeurope said with that amount of people and luggage, we would defintely need a midsize, or even a midsize wagon(don't know what that means)

I just wanted to double check with everyone on the board, since I have always gotten such good advice from everyone here. I'm thinking we should go with a midsize to be on the safe side, but we are wondering if we could fit into a compact? Any thoughts?

You won't fit 3 full sized suitcases plus 3 carry-ons in just about ANY compact and not even in some midsized.

A mid-sized wagon is a station wagon (called an Estate car in the UK)

You'll easily fit into the smaller car. The luggage won't.

i rented a midsized car for 4..we had 2 21" and 2 22' bags and nor carryons..and it was tight..rethink your bags. You will not want an estate wagon on back roads thoughis fine on the highways.

Thanks everyone for your replies - the agent told me that the compact(opel astra) would be like having a ford focus, and a midsize(opel vectra) would be equal to a VW Passat. I asked him if they would really be those sizes or smaller(since most cars in Europe are smaller than the ones we are used to)but he confirmed that they would be equal to a ford focus/passat.

Travelbunny,

Did all your luggage fit into the trunk, or did some need to be put in the backseat area of the car?

My own experience with a Ford Focus twice in the UK with only two adults and large bags was that two large bags and two max-size carry-ons have fit into the boot of a Focus without problems.

No problem with three people in the car but the luggage will be another issue.

Dukey,

Since you fit all those bags and people into a compact, does it seem like we would be fine with just a midsize?

..we fit all the luggage in the bak but they were flat (ie not with the expansion zippers open)...and one of us spent 15 minutes trying to optimize the space.

You can probably get into a Vectra hatchback or estate if your back seat passenger doesn't mind sharing with some of the smaller bags.

I'd also bet your chances of getting a compact with automatic are slim to nil. And the UK is the one place I need automatic transmission...my brain is not programmed to shift with my left hand and requires deliberate concentration to do so..it is just one more thing to worry about!

Hi Anna,

We drove a compact, Peugeot 307, in France.

We could put one 26" and one 21" suitcase in the trunk area along with a tote bag. The camera bag and my wife's purse wouldn't fit.

For 4 people and the amount of luggage you are carrying, you will definitely need a midsize or larger.

You can see how much the cars can hold at www.autoeurope.com by clicking on the car image.

They are currently having a sale, offering a free upgrade. You can get your midsize at the price of a compact.

((I))

Small automatics are easily available in the UK provided you deal with the larger companies.

These days even sub-compacts and smaller come with automatic gears

I think an Astra is much smaller than a Focus.

Thanks everyone - So, it seems like the astra is smaller than a focus, and someone mentioned that the Vectra is actually a hatchback? Isn't that smaller than a midsize?

Ira,
I noticed the free upgrade deal, but I think that only referred to a manual car, and we need an automatic car.

Since we are picking up the car at Manchester airport, we should hopfully have a easy time finding a automatic right?

Most cars - of whatever size - in the UK are hatchbacks. The Vectra is, by European standards, quite a large car and is the size of a Mondeo

You can always take along rope (or buy some) and tie the luggage on the top.
I don't think it is lawful to tie people on the top.

Seriously, we had a Corolla wagon last summer and 3 people plus luggage would have fit. The backseat passenger might have had a suitcase for a seat mate, but unless we are talking offensive tackle or guard size people, they can fit in a Corolla wagon.

Now if we get into the 330 pound class, the answer is NO WAY. I could have put one 330 to 340 lb. tackle in the rear with the back seat folded down.

Even so, the front seat on the passenger side wold need to be fully pulled up and the driver would have to be shorter than 5 - 8.

I am not sure that Max Jean Gilles could fit in a compact if you took all the seats out. He was conservatively listed in the program at 340. I bet that was after 2 weeks on just a little bread and and not much water. Or possibly when he was a freshman before he got to the training table.

We rented a four-door Astra with automatic transmission from 1car1 this past October with five people and five carry-ons. Our luggage fit quite snugly in the hatchback-style trunk (but it did fit).

We chose a smaller vehicle because some of our driving was be on back roads (some single lane). Even though we were quite cozy, most of the daytrips we took were not further than an hour away from our rental cottage.

I'm not sure of your travel plans, whether you are staying in one place or moving around quite a bit. I would opt for the midsize if you're not staying in one place.

Have a lovely time!

You need a mid-size to fit all those stuff. Size itself is not an issue unless you going to Devon and Cornwall in SW England where the roads are very narrow. Other parts, you should have no problem.

Hi A,

>Since we are picking up the car at Manchester airport, we should hopfully have a easy time finding a automatic right?<

Maybe.

However, AE is a good firm to work with.

Hint: check the prices on the UK site, sometimes they are lower than the US site.

Hint: Always book with them over the phone, not the internet.

((I))

Ira,

Can you explain why one would only want to book an auto rental over the phone rather than the internet?