Guidance on 6 passenger rental vehicles

Have you looked at the AutoEurope website to see what is available in the city you would be renting from? One consideration is the amount of luggage you will have. This may necessitate a larger vehcle, unless the vehicle would only be for a day trip.

I am planning a trip with 6 people this summer in a 7 seater minivan. The challenge will be luggage. You MUST pack light. The cargo space is smaller (not as deep) than minivans in the US. I have a Toyota Sienna. We can easily fit two checked bags and 4 carryon size bags in the back. After much research, I found a Ford Galaxy forum in Britain and someone sent me pictures of their van fully loaded with luggage for 6. It will be a Tetris game.

Remember that in addition to 6 suitcases, you will probably also have at least 5 personal items. Those all have to go somewhere.

In the Ford Galaxy, the second row has 3 seats and the last row has two seats. The seats can fold down. So you’ll probably have the child in the way back next to luggage, as well as the cargo area loaded to the roof. Or you could have 2 people in the way back and use the middle seat of the second row for a couple carry on size bags. Be prepared for people to hold their personal items on their lap.

Also be prepared for parking to be a challenge. We’ve rented estate cars (station wagons) in Europe, so we know the challenges of parking a longer car. And we know a minivan may be too tall for some parking garages. Never leave the van unattended with your luggage in it. So no stops between destinations.

Google pictures and videos of the vehicle quoted by the insurance to get an idea of the cargo space you’ll be dealing with. But know that you might end up with something different. VW Sharan seems to be another minivan popular in Europe.

Our destinations are no more than 4 hours from each other, so even if we’re squished it won’t be for too long.

I think it would also be a good idea to research any towns you plan to visit to see what the streets are like. I'm basing this on my experience with navigating to a parking lot at the top of Montepulciano and an AirBnB's off street parking in Alba. We had a compact car both times and it was still challenging.

Consider renting two vehicles. That is what we did with seven. Cheaper, more room for luggage, and easier to park.

Of course, you have to have two people willing to drive.

5 adults and 1 child

Does the child need a car seat? If so trying to do a car seat and 2 adults in a row is likely to be miserable, if not impossible.

DE CARRIS (Latin for: about cars, or chariots)
Renting a van generally costs as much as 3 economy cars. Therefore you will save a great deal if you have two adults willing to drive, and rent two economy cars, which will certainly accommodate 3 people each and the luggage. You could even place 4 persons in one car and devote the second car to only two persons and most of the luggage, by folding both rear seats.

DE PUERIS (Latin for: about children)
The law regulating child seats is complicated and varies depending on the height and age of the child. Child seats or boosters are required for children under 150cm in height or 12 years of age (whichever comes first). The rules change depending on whether the child’s height is below 105cm or 150cm, and whether the child is above or below the age of 15 months. Also there is also a mandatory requirement for anti-abandonment alarm device if the child is under 4 years of age. So what is the age of the child and what is his/her height in centimeters? (1 inch = 2.54cm).
Note that public cars (taxi cabs and limo services) are exempt from the law and children can ride those with just seat belts as long as they sit in the rear seat and are accompanied by an adult over the age of 16 (the taxi lobby in Italy is very powerful).