When it comes to renting, your choice of a vehicle is usually influenced by certain practical matters. These are the price, safety, and comfort. Depending on your priorities, you will put one of these factors over the others. For example, if you drive with a group of people or you have to stay overnight in a car, you will most certainly aim at the vehicle with a comfortable interior. People who rent a car to drive with kids would prefer an auto with a higher safety rate. People who aren’t able or don’t want to spend much money on hiring a car, but still want to do so, will first look at its price.
In reality, not only a certain group of people is concerned about the rental price. Car leasing itself is not very cheap. So no wonder people tend to choose economy or rent premium SUV. Yet, taking a cheaper vehicle will deprive you of at least five distinct advantages that no regular car possesses.
All-wheel drive
Ever drove a car in winter? If you did, you probably know how easily the vehicle gets stuck in a lump of snow. Due to this, you have to get out of the car and push its way through the snow. When you lease an economy car in winter, you think that it has all-season tires. It means that you shouldn’t worry about skidding or sticking in the snow. In most cases, that is not true. In order to avoid changing tires every season, car dealers came to the compromise solution in the form of all-season tires. Their quality, however, is nowhere near the quality of the SUV tires due to the limited road wheel size. Besides, many economy cars are two-wheel drive, which doesn’t give you much control in a difficult situation on a road. So the better option here is to rent a vehicle with an all-wheel drive (AWD). This feature will help you to manage through almost any unpleasant weather conditions. Moreover, a 4×4 SUV, like Range Rover, is designed in such a way that it gives you the ability to drive on a rough terrain, mountainous, or wooded surface. Keep in mind that if you choose an off-road vehicle to drive on a rough track, you must equip it properly. Extreme roads are as damaging for regular cars as for SUVs. However, if you plan to drive short distances and park in well-organized lots, then the economy car will be a better option.
High ground clearance
Ground clearance (or drive height) is the distance between the bottom of a vehicle and the surface below it. Economy cars usually have low ground clearance. It means that the car has an increased center of gravity, which prevents it from rolling over in an accident. However, it is not very practical as the car can be easily damaged from riding on rough surface. Some companies even blame these damages on their clients. Thus, the clients are obliged to pay charges for improper driving, though it was never the case. Thanks to the bigger drive height, SUVs are less likely to get stuck. Not only the off-road vehicles have high ground clearance – the large cars like Minivan and pick-up truck often have it too.
Much room for passengers and cargo
Due to the size and low drive height, economy cars cannot carry much cargo. Besides, if you need to carry ski equipment for a winter resort or a surfing board for summer holidays, hiring a bigger car would be a more practical option. Furthermore, it might be even the only option as no economy car can fit such equipment. Many people recommend renting an SUV specifically for this purpose. This car provides much space not only for your equipment and luggage, but also for the passengers you travel with. The backseat of an SUV is so roomy that it can fit people of any height and fitness. Its ceiling is high enough to avoid accidental bumps to the head. Also, the seats are placed at the optimal distance to provide space and comfort for your legs. Some car rental companies, like Real Car, for example, even provide ski equipment or bikes rent together with a vehicle. At the same time, some agencies even offer towing since big cars are more suitable for this purpose, than the standard ones. If you plan to drive alone, then a smaller car will be more convenient and reasonable solution.
Comfortable car height
Regular cars are usually no higher than 4 ft. So, taking into account that an average person is more than 5 ft. tall, many find it a bit inconvenient to enter a car. A bigger one, like a sport utility, can be as high as an average person and even higher, depending on the model. Thanks to this feature, entering an SUV, minivan, or pick-up truck, is easy and comfortable. It is especially useful for seniors and people with mobility difficulties. Also, with a high car it is more convenient to buckle in a child. Another plus of a high vehicle is that it opens a better visibility range. As a result, you can see clearly all the obstacles on the driveway and where the traffic ends.
Advanced safety
The regular cars are considered safer than the big ones. It’s because they have a lower gravity center, which prevents them from rolling over. However, this is not always the case. The thing is, economy cars mostly have a two-wheel drive, which is, no matter how highly the car is rated, far less safe than the four-wheel drive. This is because with AWD you have more control over the vehicle, than with a two-wheel drive. Plus, automobiles with AWD are typically equipped with stabilizing systems and movement control as opposed to the economy cars. There is another factor that one should consider here – the influence of physics in case of collision. If a bigger and a smaller car collide head-on, the latter will be damaged more significantly. For example, a pick-up will deal a lot of damage to a sedan after collision. Due to its larger size and weight, it will pass its energy to the latter one. Thanks to the better protection properties, the bigger cars, like SUVs, are often rented by families who travel with children.
Final thoughts
Economy car has many advantages: it’s easy to park, has low rental price, low center of gravity, better aerodynamics, and such. Yet, it doesn’t suite for every purpose or occasion. For example, if you want to take your family to upstate New York, you will definitely consider something bigger than a VW Beetle. The majority of people, who like travelling, especially with friends or family, prefer driving by SUV. It can carry five people along with a cargo, is good on rough terrains, has a cozy interior, enough space for both passengers and luggage, and an increased level of safety. Your choice only depends on the purpose for which you rent a car. If it’s just a business trip or a lone trip, then the economy class is a very good option. Or, if you plan to go on travel and you want to enjoy it to the fullest, you should probably think over some other options that the car leasing market offers.
