# Car rental sizes shrinking?



## Nolathyme (Oct 18, 2013)

5-10 years ago, I remember an  intermediate car as  being "mid-size" , now I have to book a full size car to get a "mid-size" and an intermediate car will now get me a "small car".


----------



## Rent_Share (Oct 18, 2013)

swj said:


> 5-10 years ago, I remember an intermediate car as being "mid-size" , now I have to book a full size car to get a "mid-size" and an intermediate car will now get me a "small car".


 
Sizing is a joke   I suppose this is what you would get if you reserved a compact ?


----------



## Luanne (Oct 18, 2013)

You just noticed this? 

And not only have they downsized, but the cars themselves seem smaller.  (If that makes any sense)


----------



## SMHarman (Oct 18, 2013)

Luanne said:


> You just noticed this?
> 
> And not only have they downsized, but the cars themselves seem smaller.  (If that makes any sense)


They kinda are.  Extra Steel in the doors and thicker doors for side impact protection.  10 airbags taking up space, crumple zones, smaller windows for design and side impact reasons all make a narrower space.
Cars are getting lighter and smaller for fuel economy also.


----------



## Luanne (Oct 18, 2013)

SMHarman said:


> They kinda are.  Extra Steel in the doors and thicker doors for side impact protection.  10 airbags taking up space, crumple zones, smaller windows for design and side impact reasons all make a narrower space.
> Cars are getting lighter and smaller for fuel economy also.



I was mostly talking trunk space.  What passes for a large car in today's rental market barely holds two regular size suitcases.  While there is seating space for 4 - 5 people, luggage space for 2 max.


----------



## simpsontruckdriver (Oct 18, 2013)

Like SMHarman and Luanne alluded to, it has nothing to do with the rental car agencies. Cars are shrinking. The Chevrolet Impala/Cadillac XTS is shorter and narrower, and only fits 4 (their predecessors fit 5). It's the same thing that happened in the early 1980s, lighter cars = better fuel economy.

TS


----------



## Passepartout (Oct 18, 2013)

Last trip to Maui we ended up with a Crown Vic. It easily swallowed 6 humans and all our luggage and snorkel gear. That won't likely happen again with one vehicle. Somehow having to have 2 or more vehicles to do the job of one is not efficient- either in rental cost, fuel use, or road crowding.

Oh well.


----------



## dioxide45 (Oct 18, 2013)

I think it does have to do with rental agencies. We noticed about five years ago that a Chevrolet Malibu was a mid size car with Alamo. Then they moved it in to the full size category. If anything the car has gotten smaller but they have put it in a larger category. So agencies are shrinking the size of the cars in their categories.


----------



## Rent_Share (Oct 18, 2013)

having just sold a malibu, there is nothing full size about it


----------



## dioxide45 (Oct 18, 2013)

Rent_Share said:


> having just sold a malibu, there is nothing full size about it



I agree, we own one now. It certainly isn't a full size.


----------



## b2bailey (Oct 19, 2013)

Yes to all of the above. Just this week I rented a FULL-SIZE through Hertz because I wanted the car to have the an electric adjustable seat. On a prior rental with Hertz we netted an Altima which had that feature. This time the FULL-SIZE was a Mitsubishi Galant with standard seat adjuster. For those of you with good backs -- you may not understand that being able to easily adjust the seat while driving is a big help to relieve pain. Anyhow, I would have preferred to have a Ford Focus for a lesser price rather than the Galant. To make matters worse, the alignment was bad and we had to drive Atlanta to Chattanooga with very bad vibration on steering wheel before we could exchange it. This time it was the Altima -- with standard seat adjustment mechanisms. The seat was much more comfortable though.


----------



## jehb2 (Oct 19, 2013)

b2bailey said:


> Yes to all of the above.



+1

My husband and I have been having this same conversation lately.  He's a Hertz Gold member so he can pick which ever car he wants (within the category).  The last number of trips we have popped the trunks of several cars and walked down the isle looking only at trunk space.


----------



## simpsontruckdriver (Oct 19, 2013)

I have an account with National (Emerald Club), which allows me to pick any car on the lot. And I do the same: look and make sure the car is my "size" before driving off.

TS


----------



## dlpearson (Oct 20, 2013)

I've rented mid size several times and received a Toyota Corolla more than once.  Not mid size by any sense of the word in the real world.


----------



## Blues (Oct 21, 2013)

I agree with all the above comments.  Yes, cars are getting smaller.  But primarily, the rental car companies are playing games with their size categories.  The last time I made the mistake of reserving a "mid-size" car (a couple years ago), I got placed into some little econobox.  Now I always reserve full-size, just so I can get the mid-sized car that I really want.

The new name for full-size is now "premium".

-Bob


----------



## SMHarman (Oct 21, 2013)

But an Audi A4 or a Volvo S40 are 'Premium' but midsize.


----------



## Ken555 (Oct 21, 2013)

The last few times I reserved a midsize I got a Dodge Avenger. I don't really like this model (blind spots, etc) but it is actually a midsize, unlike some others.


----------



## Ken555 (Oct 21, 2013)

SMHarman said:


> But an Audi A4 or a Volvo S40 are 'Premium' but midsize.



Really? I don't often look at those options, but I thought those fit in the 'Luxury' or 'sport' category. Of course, not all rental companies classify them exactly the same. I thought Premium was a Cadillac or some other large American auto...


----------



## dioxide45 (Oct 21, 2013)

Ken555 said:


> Really? I don't often look at those options, but I thought those fit in the 'Luxury' or 'sport' category. Of course, not all rental companies classify them exactly the same. I thought Premium was a Cadillac or some other large American auto...



Usually premium is more about the features more so than the size. We have had a Ford Taurus in a premium category. While it was a large car, it had all the optional bells and whistles. Backup camera, full auto on all seats, seat warmers, keyless use (before this was common).


----------



## jehb2 (Oct 22, 2013)

dlpearson said:


> I've rented mid size several times and received a Toyota Corolla more than once.  Not mid size by any sense of the word in the real world.



Wow!  I guess that would make a Honda Civic a mid-size as well.

I just went to the official Toyota website and they call the Corolla a compact car.


----------



## vacationhopeful (Oct 22, 2013)

b2bailey said:


> ... Anyhow, I would have preferred to have a Ford Focus for a lesser price....



My Focus (the old layout verses the last 3 model year ones) is a standard 4 door whose rear seats can hold my 2 of my 6'5"+ nephews without whining as I drive (am 5'8" tall). I can get 4 airline bags in the trunk plus some carry on. And I would NOT put a 5th passenger in the car ... 

PS 3rd Nephew is just 13 yo and he is 5'10" .... still growing.


----------



## LisaH (Oct 22, 2013)

b2bailey said:


> Anyhow, I would have preferred to have a Ford Focus for a lesser price rather than the Galant.



I rented a Focus 10 years ago and I thought the car was very roomy. On the trip to the Big Island recently, we had the Focus again. It was considered a mid-size but it really feels like a compact and cramped. Not sure if I have grown fatter or if the car has shrunk in size...


----------



## vacationhopeful (Oct 22, 2013)

LisaH said:


> I rented a Focus 10 years ago and I thought the car was very roomy. On the trip to the Big Island recently, we had the Focus again. It was considered a mid-size but it really feels like a compact and cramped. Not sure if I have grown fatter or if the car has shrunk in size...



Newer, bullet shaped Focus? "Redesigned" usually means less space and more safety features (side window air bags, more curves to cut thru the air, etc). 

Soon the Focus will be a midsize car.:ignore:


----------



## easyrider (Oct 22, 2013)

I always thought that the rental cars in Mexico were off a couple of sizes. The Dodge Avenger is considered a standard size and the VW Passat is considered full size. In the USA these are compact or mid sized at best.

They did come out with a compact van that seats 7 if you only have 3 bags. This is what I reserved on our next trip to Cabo. The price is right.

Bill


----------



## am1 (Oct 22, 2013)

I guess this happens when people want the cheapest car rental price.


----------



## Luanne (Oct 23, 2013)

am1 said:


> I guess this happens when people want the cheapest car rental price.



Huh?

When I rent [and pay for] a full size car, I expect it to have luggage space that will accommodate the number of passengers it holds.  That is not always the case anymore.  It has nothing to do with wanting the cheapest car rental price.


----------



## Ken555 (Oct 23, 2013)

My suggestion: pack light! 


Sent from my iPad


----------



## am1 (Oct 23, 2013)

Luanne said:


> Huh?
> 
> When I rent [and pay for] a full size car, I expect it to have luggage space that will accommodate the number of passengers it holds.  That is not always the case anymore.  It has nothing to do with wanting the cheapest car rental price.



If you could get a "full-size" car for a few dollars less then most people would book that.  When they actually get the car they realize that is is not really a full sized car.


----------



## Luanne (Oct 23, 2013)

am1 said:


> If you could get a "full-size" car for a few dollars less then most people would book that.  When they actually get the car they realize that is is not really a full sized car.



What's strange is that many times the "full size" IS less when you book it.


----------



## jtp1947 (Oct 26, 2013)

Luanne said:


> What's strange is that many times the "full size" IS less when you book it.



Correct. We just returned in Boston where the full size was less $$ than the standard or intermediate.  Our choices: Camry, Honda, or Fusion.  We took the Fusion and it was cramped for the four of us and luggage.


----------



## Luanne (Oct 27, 2013)

Just picked up our fullsize car (Alamo using Costco) in Tampa.  We had our choice and picked the Toyota Camry.  There are three of us and we had plenty of truck room for two large suitcases and one medium size.


----------

