In the search results on VroomVroomVroom, we list hire vehicles grouped by size. We use this vehicle classification because it is easy to understand, and will help you easily find a rental car that suits your needs.
To better explain the differences between vehicles, we’ve put together this brief guide to help you make sense of the classification system. Please note that this is a general guideline only — car rental providers can classify the same vehicle differently, and they often use boot space as an important criteria in doing so.
An economy car is suitable for three to four people and could be either a two- or four-door vehicle with somewhat limited luggage space. These are generally fuel efficient and so come with a relatively low petrol cost. If you’re a traveller on a tight budget, an economy car is often a good choice. Two examples of economy cars are the Suzuki Swift and Toyota Yaris.
Doors: Four doors.
Seats: Five seats.
Luggage: Up to one large bag and two small bags.
Ideal for: Budget travellers, inner-city driving.
Compact cars are suitable for a family of up to four passengers — with luggage (as long as the amount of luggage is not excessive). These normally come in a five-door configuration and, like economy cars, are quite good on the gas. A Toyota Corolla is a typical example of a compact car.
Doors: Four doors.
Seats: Five seats.
Luggage: Up to one large bag and two small bags.
Ideal for: Up to four passengers, inner-city driving.
Occupying the middle ground between a compact car and a standard car, intermediate cars are good for those looking for a bit more room than a compact car without the price tag of a standard car. The Hyundai Accent and Hyundai I30 are examples of intermediate cars.
Doors: Four doors.
Seats: Five seats.
Luggage: Up to one large bag and two small bags.
Ideal for: Up to four passengers, inner-city and long-distance travel.
Larger than a compact, economy, or intermediate car, a standard car can be a comfortable choice for five passengers with enough space for their luggage (as long as the amount of luggage is not excessive). While these hire cars will still offer reasonable fuel consumption, it most likely will be higher than that of a smaller rental car. The Hyundai Elantra and Holden Commodore are examples of standard cars.
Doors: Four doors.
Seats: Five seats.
Luggage: Up to two large bags and two small bags.
Ideal for: Up to five passengers, inner-city and long-distance travel.
One step below a sports vehicle, a full size car will have enough space for five passengers and with a larger boot size than a standard car. The Toyota Camry is a good example of a typical full size car.
Doors: Four doors.
Seats: Five seats.
Luggage: Up to two large bags and two small bags.
Ideal for: Up to five passengers — with more luggage, inner-city and long-distance travel.
If you’re after a vehicle that’s good for inner-city driving but you’d like a bit more space and comfort, compact SUVs and wagons are well worth considering. By going for a compact option, you get the elevation of a full size model without so much of the bulkiness. The Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai are examples of compact SUVs.
Doors: Four doors.
Seats: Five seats.
Luggage: Up to two large bags and two small bags.
Ideal for: Up to five passengers — with more luggage, inner-city and long-distance travel.
Need still more space? Intermediate SUVs and wagons offer a little more space than a compact SUV but less space than what full size models offer, making for a happy medium, and are ideal for all sorts of driving. The Toyota Rav4 and Mitsubishi Eclipse are popular intermediate SUVs.
Doors: Five doors.
Seats: Five seats.
Luggage: Up to two large bags and two small bags.
Ideal for: Up to five passengers — with more luggage, inner-city and long-distance travel.
While perhaps not the best choice for prolonged inner-city driving, with a full size SUV or wagon you can enjoy maximum comfort on the road. Ideal for family trips, full size models offer extra room for legs and luggage—welcome additions for longer-distance road trips. The Holden Captiva7 and Mitsubishi Pajero are two of the more popular full size SUVs.
Doors: Up to five doors.
Seats: Up to seven seats.
Luggage: Up to three large bags and two small bags.
Ideal for: Up to seven passengers — with more luggage, long-distance travel.
A premium or luxury car will carry with it a premium or luxury price tag. With a premium or luxury hire car you can expect top-of-the-line features, performance, and comfort. A Holden SV6 and a Holden Caprice V8 are examples of premium and luxury hire cars respectively.
Doors: Up to four doors.
Seats: Up to five seats.
Luggage: Up to one large bag and two small bags.
Ideal for: Up to five passengers, inner-city and long-distance travel.
Combining the best aspects of luxury vehicles and SUVs, lovers of big cars will enjoy the range of premium SUVs and wagons offered by our car rental providers. Keep in mind, these vehicles may attract an additional security bond. The Toyota Kluger and Audi Q2 are two examples of premium SUVs.
Doors: Up to five doors.
Seats: Up to seven seats.
Luggage: Up to three large bags and two small bags.
Ideal for: Up to seven passengers — with more luggage, long-distance travel.
Economical and more environmentally friendly electric vehicles are now available through some of our car rental providers. Keep in mind, electric cars are best topped up at dedicated charging stations, though they can be plugged into a residence as well. When it comes to electric cars, the MG ZS and Tesla Model 3 are two popular choices.
Doors: Up to five doors.
Seats: Up to five seats.
Luggage: Up to three large bags and five small bags.
Ideal for: Up to five passengers, inner-city travel.
If you’re after a few extra seats in the car, a people mover or minivan could be the perfect solution for you. Ideal for larger families, these vehicles typically come with eight seats and enough space for everyone. Best of all, they can be driven with a standard driving licence. Common examples of people movers include the Kia Carnival and the Hyundai iMax.
Doors: Up to five doors.
Seats: Up to eight seats.
Luggage: Up to five large bags and three small bags.
Ideal for: Up to eight passengers — with more luggage, inner-city and long-distance travel.
If you need to transport a larger group of people — or a lot of luggage — consider renting a twelve-seater passenger van. Keep in mind, these vehicles may require an additional security bond and may have additional licence requirements. The Toyota Hiace and the Ford Transit are popular choices of passenger vans.
Doors: Up to four doors.
Seats: Up to twelve seats.
Luggage: Up to twelve large bags.
Ideal for: Up to twelve passengers — with more luggage, inner-city and long-distance travel.
If you’ve encountered the term “SIPP codes” while renting a car and wondered what it means, please read our SIPP codes and car rental article, which explains what the acronym refers to. In brief, SIPP codes are used to technically classify rental cars into different groups.
Read more about what you need to know before you book a rental car in Australia.
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