How to Choose the Right Rental Car Category for Your Trip

Are you wondering if you can pick a specific rental car model? We'll explain how it works and help you understand the ACRISS code, which plays a crucial role in determining your rental car. At HAPPYCAR, we want to make your car rental experience as smooth as possible, so let's dive in!

Can You Choose a Specific Vehicle Model?

When you book through HAPPYCAR, you'll secure a rental car in a specific vehicle category. However, we can't guarantee a particular vehicle model or brand. We don't have access to the local car fleet, which means we can't promise a specific model or color. The vehicle pictures on our site serve as examples of the selected car categories.

Are All Equivalent Cars the Same?

The short answer is no. When you see "or equivalent/or similar" in an offer, it means you are booking a car based on a set of characteristics, not a specific make, model or color.

Understanding the ACRISS Code

Most car rental companies use a four-digit code known as the ACRISS code to classify their rental cars. This code reveals essential information about the vehicle you'll receive on-site. Each position in the four-digit ACRISS code represents a specific characteristic of the vehicle. Here's how to interpret it:

The first letter: General car category based on price and ease of use (e.g., luxury vs. economy).

The second letter: Vehicle type.

The third letter: Transmission and drive, such as automatic, manual, or 4WD.

The fourth letter: Special features of the vehicle, like air conditioning and fuel type.

Category		Type		Transmission \| Drive		Fuel \| Air Conditioning
M	Mini	B	2-3 doors	M	Manual \| Unspecified Drive	R	Unspecified Fuel/ Power \| With Air
N	Mini Elite	C	2-4 doors	N	Manual \| 4WD	N	Unspecified Fuel/ Power \| Without Air
E	Economy	D	4-5 doors	C	Manual \| AWD	D	Diesel \| With Air
H	Economy Elite	W	Wagon/ Estate	A	Automatic \| Unspecified Drive	Q	Diesel \| Without Air
C	Compact	V	Passenger Van	B	Automatic \| 4WD	H	Hybrid \| With Air
D	Compact Elite	L	Limousine/ Sedan	D	Automatic \| AWD	I	Hybrid \| Without Air
I	Intermediate	S	Sport			E	Electric \| With Air
J	Intermediate Elite	T	Convertible			C	Electric \| Without Air
S	Standard	F	SUV			L	LPG \| With Air
R	Standard Elite	J	Open Air All Terrain			S	LPG \| Without Air
F	Full Size	X	Special			A	Hydrogen \| With Air
G	Fullsize Elite	P	Pick Up (single/ extended cab) 2 doors			B	Hydrogen \| Without Air
P	Premium	Q	Pick Up (double cab) 4 doors			M	Multi Fuel/ Power \| With Air
U	Premium Elite	Z	Special Offer Car			F	Multi Fuel/ Power \| Without Air
L	Luxury	E	Coupe			V	Petrol \| With Air
W	Luxury Elite	M	Monospace			Z	Petrol \| Without Air
O	Oversize	R	Recreational Vehicle			U	Ethanol \| With Air
X	Special	H	Motor Home			X	Ethanol \| Without Air
		Y	2 Wheel Vehicle
		N	Roadster
		G	Crossover
		K	Commercial Van/ Truck

Let's look at an ACRISS code in detail, e.g. "CDMR":

Category	C - Compact
Type	D - 4/5 doors
Transmission \| Drive	M - Manual \| Unspecified Drive
Fuel \| Air Conditioning	R - Unspecified Fuel/ Power \| With Air

Car model examples: VW Golf, Ford Focus, Renault Megane

When you're planning to rent a car, you may have a preference for a specific type or even a particular model. Keep in mind that booking a rental car in a certain category doesn't guarantee the exact car model you desire. However, knowing the ACRISS code and understanding the vehicle categories will help you make an informed choice for your next trip. Happy car hunting!

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