Does my hire car have enough boot space?

Ever seen a cartoon clown car? Consider the scene: a car pulls up and seven clowns appear from the boot. Very funny, you think. You know who isn't laughing? The clown who hired the car.

They had a job to do and they did it. You, as you read this, might also have a job to do: you might be looking for a car to hire. You may be in the middle of your research right now.

The first things you've considered are the obvious ones: price, efficiency and availability. But have you considered another important factor – boot space?

Here's a quick guide to help you. Remember the three Ps:

1. Purpose

What do you need the vehicle for? This should be at the root of your consideration. If you're hiring a vehicle to move furniture, you'll likely need something entirely different than if you were hiring a vehicle for a day on the coast.

But it's not quite so simple as this. Each individual need is different. If you only need to move one piece of furniture then you may in fact need a smaller boot. Imagine moving an antique side table in a large vehicle with generous boot space – if improperly secured, it may roll around in transit, damaging the table and endangering the driver.

2. Passengers

Some vehicles have variable boot space. By removing or folding extra seats, storage can be increased or decreased as required.

A people carrier, for example, might have the option for seven seats – with the rear five designed to fold down or be removed entirely. This could be an excellent option for a driver intending to have more passengers on the outbound journey, and more equipment on the return.

Here's another scenario to think about. A beach volleyball captain drives to the coast for the game, transporting a five-person team, drinks manager, and minimal equipment (just the ball and the net, say). The team are defeated – a record consecutive loss – and the captain decides to pack volleyball in, ditch the team, and take up windsurfing. She purchases the equipment on the spot. Only the people carrier will do here.

These are the types of considerations you'll need to turn over beforehand.

3. Packing – access and clearance

Manufacturers usually list boot space in litres. But this may not be the best figure to consider. There are more specific details you may want to consider first – namely, what type of boot access does the car have?

You'll need to work out the height of the boot itself: will the item load into the boot? If so, how will you pack it? Can it be stowed safely (i.e. so it will not move around during transit and become damaged, or distract the driver)?

When considering these questions, consider also the clearance of the vehicle. If your item is heavy, will you be able to lift it to the height required? If the item is tall or wide, will it load through the boot?

Here's a good way to be sure: take the item to the car hire company before choosing a vehicle, and practice loading it. If it is impractical to load the item beforehand (perhaps you are hiring the vehicle specifically to travel to collect the item), then try to find something which can be used as a model or make use of video demonstrations online.

Now that we have the three Ps, let's consider a few examples.

Hiring a vehicle to transport items to a new location

Work your way through the three Ps.

• Purpose: transporting household items.
• Passengers: for this example, let's say one to three.
• Packing: items are standard boxes, bags and furniture.

Answer: a small van with a tall boot.

In this example, a small van is a good choice. With three seats in the cab, all passengers can travel up front, away from items stored in the back. In this way, if an item were to fall en route, passengers would not be injured.

The furniture here is an important factor too. Without the furniture – if the items included mostly boxes and clothes – then it may be possible to move the items in a smaller vehicle, such as a large car.

Hiring a vehicle for daily use, while your own car is in for repairs

• Purpose: mostly day-to-day commuting.
• Passengers: typically one, perhaps more on occasion.
• Packing: negligible.

Answer: a small car, according to preference and budget.

In this case, a large boot is probably unnecessary. Typically, larger vehicles are less efficient in their fuel consumption, so if you're looking to keep the running costs down a small car may be the way to go.

Some small cars have well-designed boot space – selected modern hatchbacks, for instance. So the hatchback may be the option for those looking for fuel efficiency – and some boot space – on a budget.

Hiring a vehicle for a trip to the coast

• Purpose: transporting more passengers and equipment than usual.
• Passengers: five.
• Packing: medium requirement, large items.

Answer: a people carrier, without two rear seats.

Here, the people carrier is the choice for its combination of seats and boot space. It may not have the transportation capacity of a small van, but it has more seats.

A further consideration is the vehicle's model. Your choice here will depend on your budget and how the items load.

Remember: the best way to determine this is to practise loading the items, particularly those most important for the trip, before choosing the vehicle.

Metro Vehicle Hire has helped drivers find cars to hire in the northeast for more than 15 years. For more useful tips, check out our vehicle rental blog.