Hi All,
We will be picking up a car in Florence and using it primarily to see small towns in southern Tuscany after traveling by train through Umbria. We will also be using the car to return to FCO at the end of our week. Any advice on a Fiat Tipo Wagon vs. Jeep Compass? We are 5 adults with 5 carry-on sized suitcases (and personal items.). Appreciate any insight from others who have rented cars in Italy.
Welcome
In our experience you don’t always get the exact car that is shown
You may just get a similar size/type -whatever they have on the lot
So don’t get too attached to a certain model
Just make sure the size you pick has room for all passsengers and luggage
5 adults and 5 carryons is a lot
Cargo/trunk size in European cars is small
It might be hard to fit 5 bags
Thanks so much! Would a DS7 be a better option? This is a European car we are not familiar with.
Those cars are so small that it it’s nip and tick. It might come down to three 100 lb people fitting but three larger people not fitting in a back seat. So it’s impossible for strangers to answer. You can always go for a larger car, but smaller is better when it comes to parking, getting around ancient towns, and fuel mileage. I recall once in Austria driving a rental through a stone city and we had to pull the mirrors in on both sides to fit through an opening.
Would a DS7 be a better option?
The DS7 category should fit 5 adults without too much trouble. The middle seat in the back isn't the best, so you'll want to take turns, but it should be OK.
Likewise, a ~500 litre trunk should be able to hold your luggage, but it would help if some (1-2) participants take duffel bags. 5 inflexible suitcases might require some impossible Tetris-ing even in a huge trunk.
Thank you everyone for your help and advice. We've decided to go with a bit more comfort and rent the DS7 (or something similar.)
The compass has a decent size trunk and is spacious for a car of that category. However 5 people with luggage is probably too many for the Compass. You can go to a Jeep dealership near you and check for yourself. Jeep Compass is sold in the US too (it is assembled in the Stellantis plant of Toluca, Mexico).
