How do you make sure your rental car is 4WD if you need it?

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to book a car at an airport and I need it to have 4 or AWD. You can select an SUV, but so many of those are only 2WD these days. And it doesn't offer 4WD as one of the filters or in the car descriptions. Any advice from fellow travelers?

[Anonymous]

Book the SUV and then call to ask. Unfortunately, the rental car lots don't have a ton of control over their inventory. They will put a note on your reservation to hold an AWD/4WD vehicle, but there's like no guarantees.

Are you heading to the snowy mountains? If possible, see if they have Jeeps and try to reserve one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Book the SUV and then call to ask. Unfortunately, the rental car lots don't have a ton of control over their inventory. They will put a note on your reservation to hold an AWD/4WD vehicle, but there's like no guarantees.

Are you heading to the snowy mountains? If possible, see if they have Jeeps and try to reserve one.

I am. Are all the jeeps 4wd?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Book the SUV and then call to ask. Unfortunately, the rental car lots don't have a ton of control over their inventory. They will put a note on your reservation to hold an AWD/4WD vehicle, but there's like no guarantees.

Are you heading to the snowy mountains? If possible, see if they have Jeeps and try to reserve one.

I am. Are all the jeeps 4wd?

Yes. Jeeps are known for AWD being standard on their SUVs. I'd be surprised if you got a rental car with true 4WD - it's a premium feature not typically found on rental cars. You'll likely receive an AWD vehicle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Book the SUV and then call to ask. Unfortunately, the rental car lots don't have a ton of control over their inventory. They will put a note on your reservation to hold an AWD/4WD vehicle, but there's like no guarantees.

Are you heading to the snowy mountains? If possible, see if they have Jeeps and try to reserve one.

I am. Are all the jeeps 4wd?

Yes. Jeeps are known for AWD being standard on their SUVs. I'd be surprised if you got a rental car with true 4WD - it's a premium feature not typically found on rental cars. You'll likely receive an AWD vehicle.

AWD would be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Book the SUV and then call to ask. Unfortunately, the rental car lots don't have a ton of control over their inventory. They will put a note on your reservation to hold an AWD/4WD vehicle, but there's like no guarantees.

Are you heading to the snowy mountains? If possible, see if they have Jeeps and try to reserve one.

I am. Are all the jeeps 4wd?

Unless you are going off road you don't need a 4WD to go skiing. And chains will get you over Vail pass as well as a 4WD - there is a reason car rental places keep only a few of them on the lot even in places like Denver and Salt Lake and it is because you don't really need one.

-A Colorado Native who did all his ski trips in a 2 wheel drive Datsun

[Anonymous]

Not all jeeps are AWD/4WD, you'll have to ask when you get there.

[Anonymous]

You really can't. Furthermore, there is nothing that you should be doing with a rental car that would make you NEED AWD/4WD. Truly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You really can't. Furthermore, there is nothing that you should be doing with a rental car that would make you NEED AWD/4WD. Truly.

Like driving to a friend's house who lives way up in the mountains? Who recommended 4wd due to snow and ice?


But thanks for your input.

[Anonymous]

Front wheel drive should be your fallback position.

[Anonymous]

I had this problem recently. Hertz allowed reservation of some giant SUV (maybe a suburban or something like that) that was listed as AWD. Once I got to the airport I negotiated with the rental agencies based on the inventory they had. Hertz wouldn't play ball, but Budget offered a handful of smaller AWD SUVs that better fit my needs and for a lower cost. So I cancelled the Hertz reservation.

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with AWD with some chains, if needed?

[Anonymous]

During snow storms, some mountain roads out west require either (1) chains or (2) AWD + snow tires. Most rental agreements prohibit putting chains on a rental car. So, even if a skilled driver from CO could make it up said mountain road in 2WD (not clear if you are saying 2WD with or without chains), the authorities won't allow it. And, yes, they stop all the cars and check.

Even if you can find a rental car with AWD, it will almost certainly not have snow tires, so you may just be SOL. But, the above strategies for getting an AWD rental car sound like good ones, if you will not also need snow tires.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:During snow storms, some mountain roads out west require either (1) chains or (2) AWD + snow tires. Most rental agreements prohibit putting chains on a rental car. So, even if a skilled driver from CO could make it up said mountain road in 2WD (not clear if you are saying 2WD with or without chains), the authorities won't allow it. And, yes, they stop all the cars and check.

Even if you can find a rental car with AWD, it will almost certainly not have snow tires, so you may just be SOL. But, the above strategies for getting an AWD rental car sound like good ones, if you will not also need snow tires.

This is why American car rental companies suck ass.

I’ve rented cars in both Switzerland, France, and Japan to go skiing. In France and Switzerland, they put snow tires on all the cars in mountainous areas. In addition, they meticulously maintain and plow the raids.

In Japan, our rental car in Hokkaido included a set of snow chains.

[Anonymous]

Rental camper van in Iceland had studded tires. Good stuff.