Which car to rent in Phuket, class by class

Route 402 down the spine of the island and Highway 4 north over the Sarasin Bridge are wide main roads, and the smallest car on this page is comfortable on both. The drive from the terminal to the west coast needs no extra power, ground clearance or size.

The streets behind Patong beach road are narrow, and the Old Town grid in Phuket Town is one-way in places. A compact hatchback fits them.

Choose by the number of people and the amount of luggage, then take the smallest class that carries both. Two people with cabin bags fit the smallest class here. Four adults with full-size suitcases need the next class up for its boot, and that class still fits the Old Town. A raised car adds ride height and width.

A group of more than five needs a seven or nine seat vehicle, which is taller and longer than a compact car. The interior roads climb and turn back on themselves, and a hairpin a small car takes in one movement can take a large one two. Seat counts are listed on each car in the search.

Check the transmission on the listing if you have not driven an automatic in traffic. Phuket traffic is dense, motorbikes filter down both sides of you, and an automatic leaves you one less thing to do while you are watching them.

Mileage, the deposit and the cover level are set per vehicle and shown on the listing before you pay. Mileage is unlimited on 85% of the sampled airport listings and capped on the rest; a return run from the airport to Khao Lak is roughly 166 km before any local driving. The deposit and the cover level also sit on the car itself, so two identical models from different suppliers can differ in the amount held and in the cover for the wheels and glass.

A seven-seat vehicle rarely has room for seven large bags as well, because a third row that is up takes the boot with it. If your group is at the edge of a class, check before you book that everybody fits with the bags they are bringing.

Whatever class you take, the roads here reward a light foot and a bit of patience: motorbikes emerge from side roads without stopping, overtaking is normal, and in the wet season you should expect at least one heavy downpour on any drive of an hour or more. Slow down and put the lights on; a downpour usually passes within the hour.

The smallest class that carries your group and your luggage is also the one that parks most easily and uses the least fuel.