Renting a car in Iceland for summer travel on main roads: is a "Mini" class car enough?
I am planning a visit to Iceland in early May, when the road conditions should be okay on the main roads. I am planning on just driving the Golden Circle and Southern Iceland to Vik and back as two separate day-trips from Reykjavik.
On car rental sites such as AutoEurope, the cheapest category of rental is the "mini" class (not to be confused with the Mini brand of cars). However, AutoEurope describes the "mini" class as "Small economical cars suitable for the city and short trips". Some cars in the "Mini" category include the Hyundai I10 or the Ford Ka.
I am wondering if the "Mini" category of car is sufficient for the two aforementioned day-trips. The worst case I want to avoid is running out of fuel halfway...
Edit: Well, at least for the Hyundai I10, according to this webpage, it has a fuel economy of 50ish miles per (imperial, not US) gallon (thanks Jim) (18 km/litre; 6 litre/100 km), but doesn't say what the capacity of the fuel tank is...
Best Answer
I have been to iceland twice. It is totally ok to have Economy (e.g. i10) if you are doing Golden Circle and Southern Iceland to Vik. I booked i10 but got i30 because the rental company didn't have i10 at that time.
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Do I need an SUV in Iceland in summer?
If you're planning to stick to the Ring Road or Golden Circle and you're going in the summer, a regular 2WD car should be fine. If you are doing anything other than that, get a 4WD car.Is it a good idea to rent a car in Iceland?
It really is worth the extra effort to rent a car and drive yourself! Regardless of which vehicle or road you choose, one thing's for sure \u2014 renting a car in Iceland gives you the freedom to set your own path and reach stunning locations off-limits to the typical bus tourist.Do you need AWD in Iceland summer?
2WD in Iceland General rule of thumb is that if you're coming during the summer months a two wheel drive will be just fine. That's the general rule of thumb.Do I need a big car in Iceland?
A larger vehicle is better outside the main roads and during winter. If you decide to travel to places outside the main roads, you are much better off to hire a midsize car, preferably a SUV or a 4WD car like VW Tiguan, Toyota Raf, Dacia Duster, and Suzuki Vitara.7 UNIQUE SMALL CARS
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