When you’re looking for a lightweight and compact rental vehicle for travel purposes, the two most popular options are economy cars, also called subcompact cars, and compact cars. While they are quite similar, knowing the differences between economy vs compact cars will help you choose the more suitable type for your circumstances, including how many companions you’re travelling with, how much luggage you have, or your requirement for fuel efficiency.

In general, economy and compact rental car are both ideal for anyone taking a long road trip and looking to save money on both rental fees and gas. Their small sizes make them great for maneuvering, parking in small cities and getting in and out of parking spots, while their light weight allows for stellar gas mileage.

We’ll dive into more information about each below so you can make more informed decisions when renting one, but for your convenience, have a look at the classes of vehicles below, by order of size and weight. Size and weight, which also directly influence a car’s miles per gallon (MPG), are the three most important factors to consider when you’re renting a car.

When you’re looking for a lightweight and compact rental vehicle for travel purposes, the two most popular options are economy cars, also called subcompact cars, and compact cars. While they are quite similar, knowing the differences between economy vs compact cars will help you choose the more suitable type for your circumstances, including how many companions you’re travelling with, how much luggage you have, or your requirement for fuel efficiency.

In general, economy and compact rental car are both ideal for anyone taking a long road trip and looking to save money on both rental fees and gas. Their small sizes make them great for maneuvering, parking in small cities and getting in and out of parking spots, while their light weight allows for stellar gas mileage.

We’ll dive into more information about each below so you can make more informed decisions when renting one, but for your convenience, have a look at the classes of vehicles below, by order of size and weight. Size and weight, which also directly influence a car’s miles per gallon (MPG), are the three most important factors to consider when you’re renting a car.