Route 66 Road Trip: Choosing the Right Rental Car for Long Distances Most people spend weeks planning a Route 66 road trip. They research the stops, book the motels, map out the diners. Then they pick a rental car in five minutes at the airport. That one decision, made quickly and almost as an afterthought, shapes how comfortable, how costly, and how enjoyable the entire journey turns out to be. Here is exactly how to get it right before you hit the road.
1. Why the Right Car Matters More Than You Think
Route 66 runs 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica. That is not a short drive. If you are also considering an East Coast road trip or a Florida to New York drive, the distances are just as demanding. A car that feels fine for a one-hour commute feels completely different after seven hours on an open highway. Comfort, fuel costs, and reliability are not details. They shape your budget and your experience every single day on the road.
2. Sedans: The Reliable Everyday Choice
For most solo travellers or couples, a mid-size sedan is the easiest answer. It offers a smooth, comfortable ride on long stretches of highway, good fuel economy, and enough boot space for a week or two of luggage without feeling cramped.
Sedans handle well on both the open roads of driving the Route 66 in the USA and the busier stretches of an East Coast road trip. They are easy to park in urban stops, affordable to rent, and widely available. For straightforward, comfortable long-distance travel, a sedan does the job well without overcomplicating anything.
3. SUVs: More Space, More Comfort for Groups
Travelling with family or a group of friends changes the calculation entirely. An SUV gives you the extra seating, legroom, and luggage capacity that makes a long trip comfortable rather than a test of patience.
On a Florida to New York drive, where you might be covering the full eastern seaboard with multiple bags or beach gear, an SUV offers the practical space that makes the journey feel easy. The higher seating position also helps on long drives, reducing fatigue and giving a better view of the landscape.
Modern SUVs are far more fuel-efficient than they used to be, which matters when covering the distances involved in driving Route 66 in the USA.
4. Convertibles: For the Open Road Experience
If you are driving Route 66 in the right season, typically spring or early autumn, a convertible is hard to argue against. The desert stretches of New Mexico and Arizona, with wide skies and open roads, were made for top-down driving.
A convertible adds something no other vehicle can. The wind, the sound of the road, the full exposure to the landscape around you. It turns the drive itself into the destination, which is exactly the spirit that makes driving Route 66 in the USA worth doing in the first place.
It is less practical for an East Coast road trip through busy cities, but for pure open road driving, nothing comes close.
5. Minivans: The Practical Choice for Families
Families travelling with young children need space, comfort, and storage without compromise. A minivan gives you all three. Sliding doors, legroom, and a large boot make stops easy, which matters when you are doing a Florida to New York drive over several days with children on board.
Minivans are not glamorous, but they make long-distance family travel more comfortable than squeezing everyone into a smaller vehicle.
6. Key Things to Check Before You Book
Whatever vehicle you choose, a few things are worth confirming before you collect the rental:
- Check that the car is covered for all the states you plan to drive through
- Confirm the mileage terms, because unlimited mileage matters on a trip of this length
- Make sure insurance covers long-distance use
- Confirm that roadside assistance is included
These details are easy to overlook when you are focused on the excitement of the trip, but they protect you from unexpected costs on the road.
Choosing the Right Rental with Hertz
Whether you are driving Route 66 in the USA, planning an East Coast road trip, or heading out on a Florida to New York drive, Hertz offers a wide range of vehicles built for exactly this kind of journey. From fuel-efficient sedans to spacious SUVs and convertibles, you can choose the vehicle that fits your trip, your group size, and your style of travel.
With flexible rental terms, and pick-up locations across the country, Hertz makes it easy to start your road trip with the right car from day one. Browse all options and book at hertz before your dates fill up.