Rental car - 2 adults, 2 children FL edition

I’m headed to Florida with the family for thanksgiving week, and trying to decide on a rental car. 

We’re flying into Tampa and then will be driving to Bradenton. Then the rental will be used for exploring the area. 

The kids are 8 and 13, but both are under 5 feet (probably close to 4 1/2), so leg rom shouldn’t be a big issue. 

Since they are both become much more aware of cars, especially performance cars, I was considering a mustang convertible.

I’m concerned about the luggage and passenger space, and I’m hoping someone on here can share their mustang experience to help me decide if it will be cool for them, or if I will suffer through a week of complaining from the family about luggage space and legroom.

Thanks for any feedback. 

Bigger than I thought...

If you end up with a Camaro, it is smaller and super small when the top is down.  

Also more expensive than I was originally expecting, so we'll be going with a regular rental.

Thanks for the feedback.

Consider something like Turo? Can be pricey, but you can rent a GTI for $50 a day, that's somewhat more engaging than the usual rental fodder that's out there. Then again, my brother went through Thrifty and ended up with a BMW 3-Series. 

Here's the link for the GTI if you're curious - https://turo.com/rentals/cars/fl/south-pasadena/volkswagen-gti/329470?s=ukz9IHc1

Probably the largest vehicle I can afford to rent for the time.

You sound like your e getting a hyundai sonata or a Nissan Altima. 

yea a camaro convertible with the top down didnt have enough trunk space for my 1 average large sized suitcase and backseat space was not great. I recently had a chrysler 300 S that i drove from Indiana to Baltimore, MD. Although not a convertible it makes decent power, had good trunk space, and has a spacious back seat. I took it accross hwy 50 thourgh West Virginia and it was entertaining through the twisties.

The Altima is pretty decently sized; I️ had one as a rental not to long ago.

edit: what is it with my autocorrect changing “I” to “I️”

I ended up getting VW Jetta TSi, which was better than the Sentra I had a few weeks earlier. There was enough room for luggage and for 3 adults and two kids on drives up to an hour.

The engine performed well, and accelerated well when asked. The handling was responsive, but not harsh over bumps. The transmission was disappointing, and even in sport or "Manual" mode the shifts were slow and soft.

As a DD or rental it wouldn't be a bad place to spend time, but would have been much more fun if it had a manual transmission.

I've been traveling a lot more for work the past 6 months or so and consequently had the opportunity to sample some of Enterprise's finest. I always book a full size and twice I've been offered Mustang coupes as no charge upgrades (took a 300s though the 2nd time, just to try something different.) I'd rate them as follows:

1. Mustang - Entertaining as you could expect a rental spec V6 'Stang to be, taught yet compliant ride, decently peppy with the V6. Neither of us ever sat in back, but seemed to have decent room. Terrible rearward visibility.

2. Chrysler 300s - Very pleasantly surprised, tons of room, rode and handled well and the Pentastar is much more inspiring when backed by the 8 speed in the 300 vs the 5 speed auto I've driven in other applications.

3. Ford Escape - Another pleasant surprise. Had one of the ecoboost motors (assuming the 2.0?) and could really kick you in the pants in the midrange. 

4. Altima - Solidly meh.

5. Dodge Journey - Currently saddled with this POS out in St Louis. Ride reminds me of my mom's old Mercury Villager with blown out shocks I took my drivers test in, does not feel particularly well controlled or composed on the highway, soft but not really comfortable. Can't really see anything behind me. Throttle is laggy and tranny slow to respond. All the coolness of a minivan, but without he low load floor. Not a single thing makes you say "Well done Dodge." Who buys these things?