i would rent a wrangler if its available but the cargo space is almost non-existant. however all the other vehicles mentioned would be fine. if they are renting them then they have the power to take the hills. get whatever one come in a convertable and enjoy yourself.

The Vitara will get the job done and it worked fine for our group of 4. It is bare bones so if A/C is required, I would look at a Wrangler.
As 'lip' mentioned, they will all work but it depends on what ammenities you are looking for. We wanted to get from villa to beach and smell the island so the Vitara fit the bill.

Or, IMHO, a better question would be, how often did anyone actually USE the 4WD? I've lived here for over 7 years, and I can count the times on one hand that my 4WD was required. If you would like to save money on rentals, go with a small car. Less gas and cheaper to rent.

I'm not surprised. I'm a department manager at a large Ford dealer in southern Illinois, and one of the more common complaints from customers shortly after an infrequent snowfall is that "It won't go into four wheel drive!" When the customer is asked "when did you last use your four wheel drive?"...many times the customer either can't remember or they might think about it and say something like..."golly, it was maybe..2 years ago"? I'll be visiting St. John this November, and have really enjoyed reading the posts. I'll be staying at Estate Concordia, and a rental vehicle is necessary to get there. I've looked at many of the car rental provider websites, and it appears that 4x4's are the rental vehicle of choice. Does anyone even rent economy cars on St.John? Thanks for everyone's comments, they are REALLY helpful!

You may only use it 5% of the time, but if that 5% is the last 100 yards in and out of your villa (unpaved, straight up)…. And sometimes it’s the ground clearance you need more than the 4WD.

The one place on St. John I absolutely remember needing 4WD was on the unpaved road to Lameshur Bay. If you're staying at Estate Concordia (Lameshur is close by) and want to go there, don't attempt it with anything but 4x4!

4X4 is not needed, but it is best to get something that sits a little higher than a compact car. I rented a Ford Taurus through Budget. I can't count how many F words I said in front of my kids evertime I bottomed that thing out. Go w/ any 4x4 if you can, but the Taurus will get you by.

Rod

I get 4wd not because I know I'm going to need it, but because I might need it. And if you need it and don't have it, there's really no substitute. Jacob's Ladder or some north shore switchback during or after a rain is hair-raising. The driveways to some villas also necessitate it. But I get it mostly because the roads get very slick when it rains (and it doesn't take much rain to make them slick). This is on main roads, not off-roading. I'm always interested in saving a buck, but that's one place I wouldn't try to cut corners.

Most important to check the tires - 4WD will do little good if you have lame worn tires.
Ditto on above - you would want the option of 4WD on the STJ north shore switchbacks if you get a light rain after a period of no rain when all the rubber and oil comes up on the surface which could make it extra slick.