An economy car is a type of car designed for low-cost purchase and operation. They are typically small, lightweight, and inexpensive to produce and purchase. The precise definition of what constitutes an economy car has varied with time and place, based on factors such as fuel prices, disposable income of buyers, and cultural mores. However, they are generally designed to be small and lightweight to offer low-cost operation.

In car rental, economy cars tend to be small and are the second smallest type of car you can rent. They are good for city driving and suitable for four people for shorter trips, and two or three people for longer trips. Rental companies often don’t know precisely which cars they’ll have in their fleet on a given day, so every rental car has ‘or similar’ next to the make and model you’re looking at. Economy cars are the next group up from ‘mini’ cars, and the next group down from ‘compact’ cars.

Most rental companies categorize economy cars as compact cars. Compact cars are smaller than the average four-door vehicle and typically seat one to four people. Economy cars are often two-door cars, but rental companies sometimes classify four-door sedans as economy cars.

Some examples of economy cars include the Mitsubishi Mirage, Toyota Yaris, Kia Soul, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Smart Car, and Volkswagen Golf.

In summary, an economy car is a small, lightweight, and inexpensive car designed for low-cost purchase and operation. They are suitable for city driving and typically seat up to four people.