What Size Car Do I Need?

Rental cars come in all shapes and sizes. Choosing the right one can be the difference between a comfortable, relaxing trip and an uncomfortable, cramped nightmare.

Here's what you need to know.

Hire Car Groups - How To Choose

The hire cars available through CarHirePlace.com are all divided into a number of standard groups (Mini, Economy, Compact, Intermediate, Standard, Fullsize, Luxury, Premium, Minivan, 12 Passenger Van and Exotic).

However, knowing the difference between groups isn't all that easy, and classifications can vary between rental companies.

Fortunately there is a much easier way to work out what you want. When filling out the quote form, select 'Show All' from the Car Group drop-down list.

By doing this, you'll be presented with a list of all the available cars. Next to each one will be a set of simple symbols showing how many adults, how many suitcases and how many doors each car has:

• - How many passengers
• - How much baggage
• - How many doors

Bear in mind that while almost all cars will take 5 people, it isn't always very comfortable. If you need to carry five people over more than a short distance, we would recommend at least an Intermediate class car.