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The right rental car makes business trips more comfortable and cost-efficient, but how do you choose?
From Mini to Compact, Enterprise to Station Wagon, visit any car rental company and you’ll be presented with a dizzying array of car rental groups to sift through. To find the best vehicle for your next business trip, you’ll first need to understand what all these categories mean. The distinction between groups is subtle, but these small details make all the difference when accommodating your team on the road.
In this guide, we’ll cover the most common car rental classes you’re likely to see, their identifying features, and what types of business travel each group is best for. We’ll also explain what industry-specific car rental group codes mean, so you can cut through the jargon and find the best rental car for business travel.
A current look at the Cars and Automakers Database shows, at the time of writing, there are 131 brands and over 7,000 models listed. While this full amount won’t be available from every car rental provider, the choice is still staggering when you’re trying to find the best vehicle for an upcoming business trip. And booking the wrong size of vehicle can be frustrating when you find your luggage won’t fit, and you need to pay for an upgrade that runs over budget.
To help their customers narrow down the field, car rental companies classify vehicles into groups determined primarily by size, but also by performance, comfort, and features. Understanding these car rental classes ensures you’ll be better positioned to select a car that fits your needs and budget, while avoiding unwanted upgrades or downgrades into a different class.
While every car company may have a slightly different system of car rental classes, generally they include the following standards or groups:
The smallest cars for rental fall into the Mini category, accommodating two passengers comfortably and up to four when necessary. However, additional passengers will be a tighter fit especially if they’re carrying luggage.
The next step up from a Mini, Economy group cars typically have five doors with ample room for up to two small suitcases in the trunk. These will comfortably seat three or four passengers. Efficient engines and hybrid models cut fuel costs, helping you stay within your company’s travel budget.
Like the Economy car rental class, Compact cars will comfortably seat up to four people. They’ll come equipped with more room for luggage in the trunk, making this a good option for small, traveling teams.
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The next step up is the Intermediate car rental group. These five-door cars can comfortably fit four passengers with up to three large suitcases. They often come with more comfort-minded features and amenities, like air conditioning as standard.
Size-wise, Standard cars are very similar to Intermediate, and you’ll often find some overlap between the car makes and models when looking at options between different car rental companies. Generally, the Standard class includes cars that comfortably seat up to five people with ample rear seating.
Sometimes grouped together into the same car rental vehicle group, Full-Size and Station Wagon cars are the largest you can get that aren’t an SUV or van. Full-Size cars can fit five passengers with ease, and some Station Wagons will be seven-seaters that come with five doors. Air conditioning is standard, and you’ll be able to fit at least four large suitcases in the trunk.
Vehicles in this classification group may seat five, seven, or nine passengers, depending on the make and model. Minivans come with far more storage room than standard cars, which means you’ll be able to accommodate more passengers with all their luggage.
Equipped with features like heated leather seats, advanced infotainment systems, night vision, and sunroofs, cars in the Premium and Luxury categories offer a higher level of comfort and convenience. Premium cars will usually be the top-range version of mid-range vehicles, ranging in size from five-seat to eight-seat models. Cars in the Luxury Car group will be high-end enough to transport corporate VIPs.
Suitable for rougher roads and wintry travel, SUVs and All-Terrain 4x4s come with a specially designed chassis and larger trunk size when compared to standard cars. They also usually have all-wheel drive for better control.
While sifting through the various car rental classes, you’ll see the phrase "or similar" mentioned frequently. Companies use this term because they can’t guarantee that you’ll always receive the exact pictured make and model of car. It’s difficult to predict which cars will be available on the day, due to repairs, servicing, and cleaning needs.
If you book a car for business travel that includes the phrase "or similar," you’re entitled to receive a similarly sized vehicle within the same class, should your original car not be available. And sometimes, you’ll receive a higher class of car at no extra charge, depending on availability.
With such a wide range of vehicles out there, it’s helpful for international car rental companies to have a universally recognized classification standard.
One such industry standard is the Association of Car Rental Industry Standards (ACRISS) system, which groups similar vehicles together using a four-letter code.
Each letter corresponds to a different feature:
For example, a car classified as CCBV would be a compact two or four-door car with an automatic transmission, four-wheel drive and air conditioning.
There are many things to consider when renting a car for business. As you compare different categories, makes, models and features, keep the following factors in mind.
If you’re traveling to a sprawling city with lots of traffic, like Los Angeles, you’ll want a smaller car to navigate multiple motorway lanes and find a parking spot. If you’re traveling to a remote construction site in Australia, a 4x4 or SUV will be a better choice.
Will you be traveling for business on your own, with a sales partner, or a larger group of colleagues? This will dictate the passenger space needed.
Will you be taking multiple suitcases as well as promotional materials for your business? If so, you’ll need a larger car with plenty of storage in the trunk.
If you’ll be driving in the summer months or a hot, humid climate, it’s worth paying a little extra for air conditioning.
Everyone has different preferences, whether it’s heated seats or a sunroof. If you’re driving long-distance, reliable Bluetooth connectivity might be at the top of your business travel checklist.
Of course, cost is always at the forefront of business travel planning. Generally, the smaller the car, the less you’ll pay, though it’s vital to shop around and take advantage of corporate car discounts where available.
A common mistake is paying for more vehicles than you need. If you’re traveling alone and will only be driving short distances, a Mini or Economy class car will be adequate. Stretching to a larger Station Wagon car will only stretch your budget.
Another mistake is choosing an inconvenient pick-up location – make sure you don’t need to travel far to pick up your car upon arrival. Sometimes this will be at airport arrivals, and other times it will be a downtown location near your business hotel.
Now that you have a greater understanding of the different car rental vehicle groups out there, you’ll be in a better position to compare all the options. Selecting the right car for business travel involves weighing up various factors like rate rules, mileage, capacity, document requirements, and others.
We’re here to help, with corporate car rental available from over 200 leading brands in 140 destinations. When you search, you’ll see carefully selected suggestions based on the best rates, along with filters for preferences. Images are included to help you sort through your choices, too.
With 45,000 pick-up locations available, there’s bound to be a suitable option that meets your business’s requirements, both in terms of car size and budget. Our booking platform is free to use, no matter how many trips you take – and you can save 10- 15% off on select cars for rental with automatic enrolment in our Genius Loyalty Program.
Understanding car rental classes and ACRISS codes will help you filter through hundreds of available options to find a vehicle that suits your business trip budget and logistical needs.
On a final note, keep in mind that car rental companies will display their fleet details in different ways. To make sure you’re getting the car you need, review each vehicle description, along with all terms and conditions, in full before finishing your booking. Booking.com for Business takes the guesswork out of your car rental comparison, clearly displaying photos, descriptions, and competitive rates that match your preferences. And you’ll be able to book business flights and hotels at the same time, for streamlined management of the full journey.
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