If you're staying on STT you don't need 4WD. If on STJ you do, but you'll be fine with a 2WD for day trips from St Thomas to St John. A Ford Explorer is a very comfortable ride and the equally multi-passenger Durango also gets thumbs up from many. Both have 7-passenger capacity with good storage space too. "Expensive" is relative. Compare the price to the per person taxi rates (linked above under "St Thomas") and the cost of a rental vehicle comes out looking very reasonable!

aggie:

My recommendation is to ask the owner/agent of your rental house if you'll need 4x4. A few homes on (STT, STJ) are located on very steep / "unimproved" (i.e. gravel) roads and driveways. In that the case, you may want a high clearance SUV or 4x4. However, most (both STT and STJ) are not and can be easily reached with 2WD. You do not need 4x4 to reach the vast majority of beaches (STT and STJ).

A mini van provides more comfort for passengers, especially those unlucky enough to sit the third row (aka ralph row). All rental cars are expensive. STT/STJ is not a "cheep destination".

A lot of folks (especially on STJ) seem to think that they NEED a trendy a gas-guzzling 4x4. Good tires, controlled acceleration/deceleration, utilizing the low gears, turning off A/C on steep sections, and leaving plenty of space between cars is much more important than 4x4. I would recommend against riding around the island with 4WD engaged, unless you want to spend 100s at the gas station, or feel the need to protect your ego with 1 ton of American steel.
what ever you rent, check the tires for tread before leaving the rental lot.

We rented a Chevy Traverse from Discount Rentals for a week while my parents were here. We fit 4 adults and two baby carriers. My mom had to climb out of the back hatch when we had a lot of beach stuff in the car. It was a tight squeeze, but it worked. We were allowed to take it to St. John. If we chose the mini-van, for some reason, it was not allowed on St. John. The Traverse was only slightly more expensive than the minivan.

Check with www.dependablecar.com

I just talked with a rental company and they asked where I was staying. I told them in the Mafolie Estates. They said that a mini van would not work. I would need something with a V8 , like a jeep commander or dodge durango. What do you think?

A minivan may not have the necessary "oomph" and weight to navigate on a full load of passengers up steep hills but why don't you ask the villa owner or property manager directly? I have a Ford Explorer V6 and have never had a problem on any STT roads but then again I've never been any distance with a full passenger complement. The Durango seems to be a very popular choice for those traveling with a group but, again, I would ask the villa owners directly for their opinion.

We have often rented a mini-van for 6 and have driven all over STT and STJ without an issue. We've had Dodge vans without issue and even a Kia van that ran fine.

We rent from Avis at Seaborne because it is less expensive than picking up at the airport - you can still drop the vehicle at the airport, you just need to let them know that you will return to the airport. You can try the following discount code: AWD Code x147880 - it may also help save you some money.

If you opt to rent from Seaborne - we just have one person take the taxi to pick up the vehicle while the others grab the luggage - then you can swing by and pick up the rest of your group.

What rental company did you ask about Mafolie Hotel? I wonder what their reasoning was?

LadyMich21 wrote:

What rental company did you ask about Mafolie Hotel? I wonder what their reasoning was?

Not the Mafolie Hotel - in the Mafolie Estate.

It was Thrifty Rental that told me this. They said I needed a vehicle with V8, no t necessarily 4WD.