Hello,
I am about to embark on a 7 day road trip from Athens to Meteora; then over to Parga and back down the coast. I'm looking at ACR and was wondering what category car most recommend for a long road trip with many back roads through the mountains. It will be two people with minimal luggage. Leaning towards automatic, do the smaller hatchbacks have enough power to comfortably handle that type of trip?
Thanks!
Josh
We always rented one of their smallest cars and never had a problem with any type of road. Having said that when we were on the national road big highway we had to stay way over to the right because the locals with their high powered cars go way faster than our economy car was capable of. Same situation on small mountainous roads the locals were impatient with how fast we were going.
Another thing you need to be aware of Greek drivers are not able to drive calmly on curves. They cut the corner and drive in the oncoming lane creating the possibility of a head on collision. They always manage to get back in the proper lane in time. After two weeks of driving I found myself cutting over the dividing line on curves as well.
It is a good idea to have GPS and a paper map to navigate with. Our GPS took us 100 kilometers off our route. Who knew there are 7 places called Meteora in Greece.
We rented up from smallest because my husband is tall and finds smallest cars uncomfortable. Greece has some really small cars. Ours was probably the size of a Corolla here-so compact but not subcompact. We never had any problems parking or driving. We must have had more power than Stanbr as I never noticed people passing us.
My wife and I will be heading from Athens to Meteora in about a month. After Meteora we're going to Delphi, Nafplio, Monemvasia, Kardamyli and back to Athens. I decided to rent ACR's category E2 car, which is about the same size as a Honda Civic. I hope this helps your choice.
do the smaller hatchbacks have enough power to comfortably handle that type of trip
Depends on what "comfortably handle" means.
Any rental car will have adequate power to travel any road permitted by the rental contract. ( usually 'paved public road')
With a small Category A car (1000cc) on the mountain roads of the Peloponnese or Meteora you can expect a lot of fun (and patience) if you want to overtake an old Toyota pickup loaded with olive oil barrels and driving at 30 mph. :))
I’d recommend a compact or intermediate automatic car from Athens Car Rental (ACR), as they’re known for reliable service and airport convenience. Smaller hatchbacks like the Fiat Panda, Hyundai i10, or Suzuki Celerio (often in ACR’s economy or compact categories) can work, but they may feel underpowered on steep mountain roads, especially with an automatic transmission, which can sap some efficiency. For better handling and comfort, consider stepping up to a compact crossover like the Nissan Qashqai or Opel Crossland (ACR’s intermediate category). These offer more power, better ground clearance for uneven roads, and decent fuel economy for long drives. Automatics are pricier but worth it for stress-free driving on winding routes.
