# Hatchback owners: issues w/ pax luggage?



## Zardoz (Jan 8, 2017)

Hi guys , for any of you guys who do either uber or lyft with a hatchback car (with the smaller , 3/4 sized trunk), have you had any problems with passengers trying to fit baggage (suitcases and whatever) in your car ? Or have you had any problems getting your car approved for either service ? 

thought i would ask because i am in the market for a new car . my 4-door honda civic gave out on me recently and i am considering buying or leasing a newer toyota corolla , or possibly a prius (and whatever car i get i will probably use it to drive for lyft and / or uber ). 

the corolla is a regular - sized sedan with decent room for pax and a full - sized trunk . the prius has a much smaller hatchback trunk , but it does get like 50 miles per gallon ... nearly twice the amount of a corolla . 

honestly only once or twice have i had pax where this could have been an issue , that had so much stuff that they filled the entire trunk of my civic . just thought i would see if this has ever been an issue for any you who drive hatchbacks . have you ever arrived for pax who too much stuff ? did they just Cancel and get another ? 

( i also know this is a car that i could potentially still be driving for years were i to get a regular non-rideshare job , and thus probably should not let pax play that big a factor in my decision either ... ).


----------



## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

These people will overload ANYTHING.

Whether it's a sport sedan with a half full already trunk or an empty fullsize SUV


----------



## Jimmy Bernat (Apr 12, 2016)

No matter what car u drive people are gonna think they can fit it

Yesterday I picked up a family 4 people with 4 large suit cases. I drive a full size sedan and almost never have anything in the trunk, I was able to barely fit everything. I told them that 95% of uber select cars would have been unable to fit all their luggage and next time they should order am XL or SUV. The dad Informed me that they request 5 selects until they got a bigger car. Kind of a weak practice but they do that. I rated him 1 start (just to make myself feel a little better lol)


----------



## yojimboguy (Mar 2, 2016)

Is the goal to get a car with the smallest practical trunk? Almost every hatchback has much more cargo space than its sedan version

Trying to guess how small a trunk you can get away with is a total crapshoot. Just get what you want and screw the pax.

OTOH _always _get the hatchback if you want the largest trunk.


----------



## bigdaddy (Oct 27, 2015)

I have a VW Golf, and while there have been times where it has been tough to fit everything (airport runs, mostly), I've never actually had to refuse a ride for lack of cargo space. I did almost get the wagon version of the Golf instead of the hatch for exactly this reason (in fact, I think the Golf wagon would be a near-perfect rideshare car). But as others have said above, screw the pax...I'll drive what I want. I do this very part time and I'm not going to let Uber passenger considerations dictate my car choice. They don't pay enough for their comfort to be part of the equation.


----------



## PCH5150 (Jan 13, 2017)

bigdaddy said:


> I have a VW Golf, and while there have been times where it has been tough to fit everything (airport runs, mostly), I've never actually had to refuse a ride for lack of cargo space. I did almost get the wagon version of the Golf instead of the hatch for exactly this reason (in fact, I think the Golf wagon would be a near-perfect rideshare car). But as others have said above, screw the pax...I'll drive what I want. I do this very part time and I'm not going to let Uber passenger considerations dictate my car choice. They don't pay enough for their comfort to be part of the equation.


I would think the new Golf Alltrack all wheel drive wagon would indeed be the perfect rideshare vehicle.


----------



## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Zardoz said:


> Hi guys , for any of you guys who do either uber or lyft with a hatchback car (with the smaller , 3/4 sized trunk), have you had any problems with passengers trying to fit baggage (suitcases and whatever) in your car ? Or have you had any problems getting your car approved for either service ?
> 
> thought i would ask because i am in the market for a new car . my 4-door honda civic gave out on me recently and i am considering buying or leasing a newer toyota corolla , or possibly a prius (and whatever car i get i will probably use it to drive for lyft and / or uber ).
> 
> ...


I have a kia soul. I won't take more than fits easily. One suitcase can go in the hatchback and one can go on the back seat, or one half folded down and it put on there. One pax in the front seat that way.

Basically I can take 2 pax with lots of luggage or 3 with carryons. I won't take 4 plus luggage as it will put me over the weight limit for my car. When I'm at the airport I call and ask how many and how much luggage before I go to the terminal. 
Uber suggests on the website that uberx be for 1 to 2 pax plus luggage, so it's reasonable to tell them that.

I have cheap seat covers so I don't care about luggage on the seats. But if I did care I'd simply always fold down one side of the back seat if needed.

I can actually fit quite a bit in my car, but I'm not playing tetris with the pax and I don't want bags banging up against my doors and scratching them.

Weight limit is 875 lbs. I weigh 150, and probably another 25 in supplies, so I don't like 4 pax, never mind 4 pax plus luggage. 3 plus is a stretch unless they're small females.

I have only had one time when 4 pax plus carryons ordered. Told them to cancel and order xl.


----------



## Jimmy Bernat (Apr 12, 2016)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> I have a kia soul. I won't take more than fits easily. One suitcase can go in the hatchback and one can go on the back seat, or one half folded down and it put on there. One pax in the front seat that way.
> 
> Basically I can take 2 pax with lots of luggage or 3 with carryons. I won't take 4 plus luggage as it will put me over the weight limit for my car. When I'm at the airport I call and ask how many and how much luggage before I go to the terminal.
> Uber suggests on the website that uberx be for 1 to 2 pax plus luggage, so it's reasonable to tell them that.
> ...


I don't know if you're familiar with the Rideshare company Wingz but they only do airport rides anyway they have in the app to ask how many passengers and luggage quantity and size . That way you get the correct car , I think if someone has 3 people all with luggage they should make them order an XL . There are too many UberX cars that are so small that this would help things out a bit. I have a huge sedan so I have a massive trunk that can fit 4 People with 4 larger suit cases but like I said in a previous content i think people who car shop on X waiting for a bigger car at a lower price are scum

What about UberPool at the airport ?? How do Pool drivers handle 2 pickups with luggage ??


----------



## bigdaddy (Oct 27, 2015)

PCH5150 said:


> I would think the new Golf Alltrack all wheel drive wagon would indeed be the perfect rideshare vehicle.


Trouble with the Alltrack is the cost. It's a good $5,000 premium over the regular Golf Sportwagen. And with worse fuel economy due to the AWD. And, as yet, no manual transmission available (deal-breaker for me).


----------



## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

Jimmy Bernat said:


> No matter what car u drive people are gonna think they can fit it
> 
> Yesterday I picked up a family 4 people with 4 large suit cases. I drive a full size sedan and almost never have anything in the trunk, I was able to barely fit everything. I told them that 95% of uber select cars would have been unable to fit all their luggage and next time they should order am XL or SUV. The dad Informed me that they request 5 selects until they got a bigger car. Kind of a weak practice but they do that. I rated him 1 start (just to make myself feel a little better lol)


Total paxhole

Shoulda kicked him out 2 miles from destination


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

I love people like Jimmy Bernat had, I pull up in my pickup and tell them to toss as much as they can in the bed. Hmm, too bad Wingz is available in the Denver market.


----------



## Michael up north (Mar 17, 2017)

bigdaddy said:


> I have a VW Golf, and while there have been times where it has been tough to fit everything (airport runs, mostly), I've never actually had to refuse a ride for lack of cargo space. I did almost get the wagon version of the Golf instead of the hatch for exactly this reason (in fact, I think the Golf wagon would be a near-perfect rideshare car). But as others have said above, screw the pax...I'll drive what I want. I do this very part time and I'm not going to let Uber passenger considerations dictate my car choice. They don't pay enough for their comfort to be part of the equation.


I do a lot of airport work in my MK 7 Golf and discovered I could lower the floor of the hatch area and get the luggage in easier. There was a large gap between the spare tyre and the floor and I could reposition the floor. I have had four people plus luggage. I just checked the cars specs and have plenty of load capacity, 537kg or 1180 pounds. I wouldn't want to go near that, but 4 passengers and luggage leaves about 200kg spare.


----------



## bigdaddy (Oct 27, 2015)

Michael up north said:


> I do a lot of airport work in my MK 7 Golf and discovered I could lower the floor of the hatch area and get the luggage in easier. There was a large gap between the spare tyre and the floor and I could reposition the floor. I have had four people plus luggage. I just checked the cars specs and have plenty of load capacity, 537kg or 1180 pounds. I wouldn't want to go near that, but 4 passengers and luggage leaves about 200kg spare.


The nifty thing about that gap is that (as you said) it can be used to expand storage space by a few cubic feet, or it can be used to store the privacy cover and keep it out of the way when you don't need it -- say, when you have to carry a bunch of luggage. Those wily Germans...


----------

