Ask The Best And Brightest: What Car Should Four Scots Tour New England In?

Based on my own rental experience during the past 6 months I also recommend the Dodge/Chrysler Min van for comfortable touring. Had a brand new (800 miles) Dodge Caravan for a 5 day trip in Pennsylvania last October with 4 adults and a toddler. We all had great views and comfortable cloth seats. I liked driving it so much I hated to turn the wheel over to my son-in-law. The vehicle was quiet as a church at 70 mph. Not so the Chrysler T & C my wife and I rented a month later for a trip from LA to Flagstaff, AZ. This upscale version with leather seats was not as comfortable as the Dodge and the vehicle suffered from really excessive wind noise. It was pleasant to drive other than the noise. My daily driver is a 2003 Chevy Malibu which has proven to be a pretty good car over the past 7 years but after 3 cross country trips with it in the past 2 years, I would rather rent a Dodge Caravan for touring.

There are plenty of good suggestions here, but I'd like to add that if you're going to tour new England in a rental, be sure to take it up (and back down) Mt. Washington. By the time you turn it in, the brakes should have stopped emitting that burning smell, and the rental agency won't notice. Just be sure not to affix the "This Car Climbed Mt. Washington" sticker to the bumper. (I did this with a late-90s Buick we rented, I still have the sticker someplace.) September is a great time to go--Vermont and New Hampshire are particularly beautiful. Id agree with the minivan suggestion, to allow visibility for all.

"@Mr. K, wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick?" I have worked at Buick and Chevy stores. About the only difference I see is the Buick has better noise insulation and thicker glass so its quieter...and a 4 year 50k v a 3/36 warranty. Both have about the same driving dynamics...

I`d recommend a full-sized pickup truck for an experience you wouldn`t get in Europe, but parking would be too hard for someone not use to driving one. Flexes are interesting. Their boxy look is something way out of style in Europe, and it may be why they don't sell as well as Ford hopes here. It also looks hugely long when you look in the rear-view mirror even though it's of normal length for a large SUV. Something like a Toyota Sienna may be available at franchise locations (non-corporate run) which is a Toyota that's bigger than the people movers they offer in Europe. Keep in mind that any "normal" minivan or large SUV can be hard to parallel park. You could try a Ford Escape, a smaller SUV that is based on a pretty old design and has been refined about as much as it can be without a lot of added cost. It would be experiencing what a lot of typical middle class Americans drive: something that's "OK". It's on-center steering is OK, the ride is OK, the interior is OK, and for a lot of people, it's handling on twisty roads is merely OK. Actually, I'd prefer a Ford Edge as a somewhat larger SUV alternative although you'd be missing out on something perhaps less European in feel and design (for an SUV). If you're in the mood for some bizarre interior styling that you can use as something to talk about back home, try the Lincoln MKZ. It's a pretty good ride, as it's based on the Ford Fusion, but has the most chrome you can get for the money on it's dashboard! Not my cup-of-tea. I could tolerate renting it, though, since I do like how the Fusion drives. Common rental cars that might interest you are the Dodge Challenger (not Avenger) or the Chrysler 300. You can look up the outer styling which you may feel like driving in. Keep in mind that large cars are as long as the minivans. To tell you the truth, though, I'd want to drive a convertible to fully see the very colourful, autumn New England scenery. Even though the Chrysler 200 isn't great, it's one of the few convertibles available that seats 4 people. Trunk space is a problem with the top down as it only fits a couple of golf club sized bags there, so you'd have to carry soft luggage or backpacks on your knees or below your feet. Or rent 2 convertibles ! As you can see, I'm trying to come up with vehicles you won't get to drive back home. Oh, and hopefully you have an alternative or two in mind if the rental company doesn't have the model in the price/class range you booked or are hoping for. Please let us know what you choose and how you liked driving it!