Economy, SUV or van: which rental car fits your trip

The right car comes down to three things: how many of you there are, how much you're carrying, and where you're driving. Here is how the classes in ViaRout's fleet compare, with every seat count and model taken from the fleet itself.

Every economy car seats 4 to 5: the Nissan Micra, Kia Picanto, Hyundai Grand i10 HB, Toyota Yaris, Toyota Raize and Mitsubishi ECLIPSE CROSS SUV. Small cars are the easiest to park in Beirut's busy streets, and the coast road north to Byblos and Batroun is an easy drive in any of them.

The sedans seat 4 to 5: the Nissan Sunny, Kia Rio Sedan, Hyundai Grand i10 Sedan, Kia Cerato and Kia Rio SEDAN. A sedan's closed boot keeps luggage out of sight, which helps on a trip with stops along the way.

The SUVs seat 4 to 7. For a family of five or more, look at the models with a seven-seat version: the Mitsubishi Xpander, Kia Sorento, Toyota Prado, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon. If your plans go up to the Cedars or Faraya, a higher car makes the steep switchbacks more comfortable.

The luxury cars seat 5: the Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Defender. They suit a wedding, a business trip or an arrival you want to remember.

The vans seat 9 to 12: the Mercedes-Benz Vito 150 Van and Hyundai H1 Van. For a group travelling together, one van can do the work of two cars.

A refundable security deposit is held at pick-up and returned in full at drop-off once the car is checked. It is set by the class: $300 economy, $400 sedan, $600 SUV, and on request for luxury and vans.

Every car in the fleet can be had with an automatic gearbox. If you would rather drive a manual, the fleet lists the Hyundai Grand i10 HB and Hyundai Grand i10 Sedan as manual or automatic: say which you want when you book.

Compare the daily rates on the fleet, where you can sort by lowest price first, and book the car that fits.