A midsize car is the step between a compact and a full SUV, and it is the car most people actually need for a few days in Austin with luggage. Our midsize sedan is the Honda Accord or similar: five seats, three checked bags in the trunk, more rear legroom than a compact, and a smoother ride on a long highway day. If you prefer to sit higher, the same money or a little more gets you a compact or mid-size SUV.
We deliver every car to your hotel, home, office or the AUS arrivals curb and collect it at the end. For the full fleet and delivery areas, see economy car rental Austin.
Midsize cars and SUVs in Austin, live daily rates
Prices are per day before multi-day and weekly discounts. Three days or more cost less per day and a week less still; for a month or longer call or text 512-851-0490 and we quote it directly.
The midsize options, sedan and SUV
The Honda Accord or similar is the classic midsize: a sedan with a big trunk that handles four adults comfortably. It is the car we suggest for business travelers who drive a lot, couples with heavy luggage, and families with younger kids.
The SUV alternatives cover the same group of people with a different shape:
- The Mazda CX-5 or similar is a compact SUV with five seats and room for three bags. When people search for a Mazda rental in Austin, this is the car they mean.
- The Honda CR-V or similar is similar in size, with a wide, flat cargo floor that suits strollers and coolers.
- The Hyundai Santa Fe or similar is a mid-size SUV with space for four bags. It is our Hyundai, the car behind a search for a Hyundai rental in Austin, and it is the roomiest five-seater in this group.
All of them are recent, automatic and come with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. As with every car we rent, you reserve the category and get that model or one of the same class, seats, year range and price.
Compact or midsize: how to decide
The Toyota Corolla or similar at $98 a day is the least expensive car we rent, and for one or two people with two bags it is often the right call. The page on compact car rental Austin covers that case. The difference shows up in three places:
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Bags. A compact trunk takes two large checked bags. The Accord takes three. If you are three adults with a suitcase each, that third bag decides it.
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The back seat. Two adults fit in the back of a compact for a short trip across town. For a two or three hour drive, the extra legroom of a midsize matters.
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Highway comfort. A larger car is quieter and more settled at highway speed on I-35 or SH 130, which you notice by the second hour.
The price gap between the two is small per day, and it shrinks further on rentals of three days or more.
Long highway days from Austin
A lot of midsize rentals in Austin are for a trip out of town. San Antonio is about an hour and a half down I-35. Houston is about two and a half to three hours east, by SH 71 through Bastrop or US 290 through Brenham. Dallas is about three hours north on I-35, and that drive can stretch badly on a Friday afternoon around Round Rock, Temple and Waco.
For those days, the Accord is the car to pick if you want comfort and economy, and the Santa Fe if you have more to carry or simply want the higher view of the road. Some of the fastest routes out of town use SH 130, SH 45 or the 183 toll lanes, so check the Austin toll roads guide before you leave. Closer to home, the Hill Country day trips guide covers Fredericksburg, Wimberley and the wineries on US 290.
Families of four
Two adults and two kids is the standard midsize family, and it fits well in any of these cars. The questions are about luggage and age. With small children, the Accord or the CR-V does the job, and the CR-V's hatch is easier for a folding stroller. With teenagers, the rear seat of the Santa Fe and its larger cargo area make a week of driving more peaceful.
If a grandparent joins and you become five adults, all of these still seat five, but the luggage will not fit. That is the point to look at the 7-passenger SUV rental page instead, or at the wider SUV rental Austin range.
Booking a midsize in Austin
Tell us the dates, where you want the car and which category you want. We confirm by phone within the hour. If you are flying in, send the flight number and the car will be waiting at the arrivals curb; the handover takes about ten minutes. There is no airport concession fee and no facility charge, and the refundable deposit and coverage options are explained before you pay.
Three days or more cost less per day and a week less again. If you need the car for a month or longer, for a work assignment or while you look for a place, the monthly car rental page explains how we quote longer stays.
How it works
- Pick the vehicle category and your dates in the form at the top of this page, or call or text 512-851-0490.
- Tell us where to bring it: your hotel, home, office, venue or the AUS arrivals curb.
- We confirm by phone within the hour and deliver the car clean and fueled at the time you chose. About ten minutes for license, card, walk-around and keys.
- When you are done, we collect it from the same place.
What you need
A valid driver's license and a major credit or debit card. Minimum age is 21, with no young-driver surcharge. Basic liability coverage is included; the refundable deposit and the coverage options are explained before you pay anything. There is no airport concession fee and no facility charge. Every car is recent, automatic, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and "or similar" means you reserve the category and get that model or one of the same class, seats and price.
Common questions
What counts as a midsize car here?
The Honda Accord or similar is our midsize sedan: five seats and room for three checked bags. If you want the same space with a higher seat and a hatch, the Mazda CX-5 or similar, the Honda CR-V or similar and the Hyundai Santa Fe or similar are the SUV alternatives.
Do you rent Mazda and Hyundai models in Austin?
Yes. Our Mazda is the Mazda CX-5 or similar, a compact SUV with five seats and three bags. Our Hyundai is the Hyundai Santa Fe or similar, a mid-size SUV with five seats and room for four bags. Both are delivered anywhere in Greater Austin.
Is a midsize enough for a family of four?
Yes for two adults and two kids with three bags. If the kids are teenagers or you are packing four large suitcases, the Hyundai Santa Fe or similar is the better fit. For more than five people, see the 7-passenger SUVs.
How long is the drive from Austin to Dallas or Houston?
Dallas is about three hours up I-35 without traffic, Houston about two and a half to three hours by SH 71 or US 290, and San Antonio about an hour and a half south on I-35. Allow more time on Friday afternoons.
Can I pick up the car at the airport?
We meet you at the AUS arrivals curb with the car. Send the flight number and we track it; the handover takes about ten minutes. There is no airport concession fee. See Austin airport car rental.
Is the midsize much more than a compact?
The Honda Accord or similar is $114 a day against $98 for the Toyota Corolla or similar. On rentals of three days or more the per-day rate drops for both. For anything about deposits or coverage, call or text 512-851-0490 before you book.
Also serving Greater Austin
We also cover Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. En español: renta de autos económicos en Austin.
Book your car in Austin
Use the short form at the top of the page, or call or text 512-851-0490 and we will sort it out in a couple of minutes. Browse the Austin fleet →
