Rent an SUV in America
America is the land of pickups and SUVs. The roads and parking spaces are spacious, and Americans love driving large vehicles, such as pickups from Dodge and Ford and SUVs from Chevrolet, Jeep, and GMC.
The distances between cities and national parks are vast, often hundreds of kilometers. This makes renting a large SUV in America especially comfortable. Gas prices are significantly lower than in the Netherlands, often about half the price (depending on the state).
Renting an SUV in America: Jeep Wagoneer
Below is a selection of the SUVs you can rent in America. Each rental company may slightly differ in how they classify these categories and which SUVs they offer, but this is a common classification.
Kompakt-SUV: Toyota RAV4, BMW X1, Hyundai Kona
Mittelklasse-SUV: Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Acadia, Toyota Highlander
Luxus-SUV: BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi Q7
Full-Size-SUV: Chevy Tahoe, Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Suburban, Jeep Wagoneer, Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon
Note: You rent a category, not a specific make and model
When you rent a car from a car rental company, you typically rent a category rather than a specific make and model. This means the rental company will provide you with a car that falls within the selected category, such as a compact, midsize, or full-size SUV. However, the exact make and model may vary depending on what is available at the time of pick-up.
Car rental companies in the U.S. are generally quite flexible if you are not satisfied with the make or model of the vehicle assigned to you. If you find upon pick-up that the car does not meet your expectations, you can often mention this at the counter or service desk. In many cases, they will try to offer you a different car, provided there are alternatives available within the category you booked.
Our SUV in America
We embarked on a 900-kilometer road trip through the state of Washington with a full-size SUV Jeep Wagoneer L. The Jeep Wagoneer belongs to the same category as the popular Chevrolet Suburban and Ford Expedition.
The sheer size of the Jeep Wagoneer is impressive. The vehicle offers three spacious rows of seats and can accommodate up to eight people. The trunk is also generous (1,192 liters), providing plenty of space for a significant number of suitcases.
The car is equipped with a 3-liter 6-cylinder engine delivering 420 horsepower. This is more than enough to comfortably maneuver this nearly 3,000-kilogram vehicle along the American highways. We jokingly nicknamed the car “the carpet” because it drives incredibly smoothly.
During our trip, we spent a total of €113.70 on fuel. Despite its size and power, the fuel consumption was reasonable, considering the distances and the varying conditions we encountered in Washington.
Comparing pays off!
There are many car rental companies where you can rent an SUV, including Hertz, Sixt, Avis, Enterprise, Alamo, and National. Platforms like AutoEurope.co.uk make it easy to compare all car rental providers. Prices can vary significantly between companies and depending on the rental period. So, it’s definitely worth comparing to get the best deal for your SUV rental.
Returning your SUV after the rental period
It’s often more cost-effective to return a rental car to the same location where you picked it up, rather than opting for a one-way rental. With one-way rentals, where you drop off the car at a different location, rental companies often charge additional fees. This is because they need to transport the vehicle back to the original location or account for the car being left in a different city or state.
Returning the car with a full tank
The fuel option offered by car rental companies, where you receive the car with a full tank and can return it empty, might sound convenient but is often relatively expensive. This is because rental companies typically charge a higher price per liter than roadside gas stations.
Instead of opting for the fuel option, you can often save money by refueling the car yourself just before returning it. Gas stations near the drop-off location usually offer much more competitive fuel prices, which can significantly reduce the overall cost of your rental car.
