What is the ideal family car? This question worries every driver who is accustomed to comfortable travel and doesn’t want to change anything for the sake of greater passenger capacity. In fact, a good family car should be roomy, safe, and allow you to go wherever you want.
For example, if your goal is to pick up a 7 seater hire Malaga to enjoy a beach vacation, then you will need a vehicle with high ground clearance and all-wheel drive on board. With this set, you can easily get to the wildest and most secret beaches, and you will confidently move even along the sandy road.
Indeed, four-wheel drive minivans with high ground clearance combine several qualities that are typical for different categories of vehicles, including a passenger van and an off-road SUV. So, which ones will be a good choice if you need to hire a car for family purposes?
Hyundai Starex
Today, the Hyundai Starex comes with rear wheel drive or all-wheel drive to choose from, if we mean the second generation of this minivan. However, the first generation of the Starex was offered mostly with rear-wheel drive.
In addition, both the second and the first generation were distinguished by a fairly high ground clearance – 190 millimeters. This is quite enough for safe driving on curbs, as well as for driving on relatively easy off-road, for example, on the beach or unpaved compacted roads.
The body length of this minivan is 5,125 mm. It comes with 5-step automatic/manual transmissions. For the entire existence of this minibus, it was equipped with a large number of power units.
Now it’s available with two types of engines:
- 2.5-liter diesel engine providing 145 hps;
- 2.4-liter petrol engine providing 159 hps.
Honda Odyssey
The first generation of this minivan, which is available in both all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive versions, appeared back in 1996.
This is the perfect car for a large family. It enjoys well-deserved popularity and it’s not a secret that many car hire companies have it in their fleets. At the moment, the 4th generation Odyssey is available to you.
In its most recent modification, Odyssey has the following characteristics:
- 5-door minivan with 7-8 seats;
- body length is 5,154 mm;
- ground clearance height is 155 mm;
- 3.5-liter diesel engine with 248 hps;
- Front-wheel drive or plug-in four-wheel drive;
- fuel consumption is about 11 liters in the combined driving mode.
Also, the car is equipped with an automatic transmission and has good dynamic characteristics. It has a positive effect on the popularity of the model among those who often hire a car for family trips.
Toyota Sienna
This is another four-wheel drive minivan targeted at the US, Western Europe and East Asia markets. Toyota Sienna has been produced from 1997 to the present, while the first sample of the third generation was released in 2010, and in 2015 a significant facelift was carried out within the framework of the third generation.
However, it was the cars of the second generation that were distinguished by the best characteristics for driving on country roads.
What Toyota Sienna can offer you?
- 5-door minivan with 8 spacious seats;
- clearance of 173.5 mm;
- powerful 3.5-liter turbo-diesel engine with 266 hps;
- body length of 5,105 mm.
Since 2010, the characteristics have changed slightly: the ground clearance was reduced to 157 mm, and the body was shortened to 5,080 mm. However, it’s still a powerful minivan, suitable for comfortable rides with 7-8 people, including the driver.
Dodge Grand Caravan
A large Dodge Grand Caravan is what many travelers mean by a great hire car for family needs. This minivan is also known under other names: Chrysler Town & Country, Plymouth Voyager, RAM C/V, or Lancia Voyager. The model first debuted back in 1995. Since then, many modifications have been released both for the domestic American market and for Europe.
This is a 5-door minivan with 7 seats. The body length is 5,070 mm. The ground clearance in different models ranges between 145-160 mm. The car is equipped with powerful diesel and gasoline engines.
Dodge Grand Caravan IV is has a powerful 3.8-liter diesel engine and the same gasoline-powered engine running on regular fuel.
Volkswagen Multivan
The minibus is designed with some German pedantry and has good roominess along with comfortable equipment. The model is designed for long-distance family trips and outdoor enthusiasts.
What is so remarkable about the Volkswagen Multivan?
- 2.5 TDI / 3.2 V-6 in-line diesel engines;
- 5-speed manual or 6-step automatic transmission;
- The braking system is a ventilated disc assembly.
- Ground clearance is 165 mm. Wheelbase – 3.0 meters. Weight – 1.19 tons. Load capacity – 0.9 tons.
- Average fuel consumption is 8 liters per 100 km.
- Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 17.8 seconds.
- The maximum speed is 205 km / h.