Few states pack as much variety into one drive as Tennessee. Head east from Memphis and the flat farmland of the Mississippi Delta gives way to long, easy interstate miles through the middle of the state, before the road starts climbing into the Smoky Mountains, where tight bends and steep grades take over. Over more than 400 miles, a car is asked to do a bit of everything, so the rental desk’s standard “compact or similar” isn’t always up to the job. Thinking about your route, your luggage and the time of year before you book makes it much easier to pick a car that actually fits the trip.
Start the Trip at Nashville International
For most visitors, the logical starting point is Nashville International Airport (BNA), which sits in the middle of the state. Memphis is about three hours west, Knoxville a little under three hours east and Chattanooga closer to two hours southeast. Airport rental cars at BNA come from large fleets that turn over constantly because of the city’s steady flow of weekend visitors, and that usually means a wider spread of vehicle classes than a neighborhood branch can offer. It also means the trip starts the moment the bags come off the carousel, with no rideshare into town first.
Rental companies reserve a class rather than a specific model, so it is worth booking the class that matches the route and then asking at the counter what is actually on the lot. Agents will often swap within a class on request.
Match the Car to the Route
A trip that stays mostly on I-40, I-24 and I-65 is an interstate trip, and the priorities are comfort, cruise control and fuel economy. A midsize sedan is hard to beat here. Rural interstate limits run to 70 mph, and a quiet cabin with adaptive cruise makes a four-hour stint between Nashville and Memphis feel half as long.
East Tennessee is a different proposition. Newfound Gap Road through Great Smoky Mountains National Park climbs to over 5,000 feet, and the descents are long enough that using a lower gear to spare the brakes is standard practice. Small turbocharged engines handle the climbs well. The weakest base engines in fully loaded compact crossovers can feel strained, so anyone carrying four adults and luggage into the mountains should consider stepping up a class.
Then there is US-129 at Deals Gap, the Tail of the Dragon, with 318 curves in 11 miles. It draws motorcyclists and sports-car drivers from across the country, and a rental Mustang or Camaro makes the visit more memorable. The road is narrow, busy on weekends and unforgiving of overconfidence, so the right car is the one the driver feels relaxed in, not the fastest one available.
The Natchez Trace Parkway, which begins just southwest of Nashville, sits at the opposite extreme. It has a 50 mph limit, no commercial traffic and long, sweeping curves. Almost any comfortable car suits it, and a convertible in spring or fall is hard to beat.
Count the Bags Before the Seats
Seat count is the number most people check, and cargo space is the number that ruins mornings. A family of four with checked luggage will fill the trunk of most midsize sedans and spill into the footwells. A midsize SUV or a minivan solves that, and minivans in particular are underrated rentals: sliding doors in tight parking lots, easy third-row access and more usable cargo room than many three-row SUVs. Two travelers with carry-on bags can happily go smaller and save on both rate and fuel.
Hybrids and EVs
Hybrids are increasingly common in rental fleets and make a strong case on interstate-heavy routes, where 40-plus mpg adds up over several hundred miles. Fully electric rentals work well if the route sticks to the main corridors, where fast chargers have become more common along I-40, I-24 and I-75.
The rural stretches are where EV planning matters. The Natchez Trace has long gaps between towns, and cold weather combined with a steady mountain climb into the Smokies will pull range down faster than the dashboard estimate suggests. Downloading the relevant charging apps before pickup, and asking what charge level the car must be returned at, avoids surprises at the end of the trip.
For anyone using the trip as an extended test drive of a model they might buy, it is worth checking that model’s reliability before falling for it over three days of Tennessee scenery.
Plan for the Season
Spring and fall are the easiest seasons, with mild temperatures and spectacular color in the mountains from mid-October. Summer brings heat, humidity and afternoon thunderstorms, and strong air conditioning matters more than any feature on the spec sheet.
Winter is where the vehicle choice really counts in East Tennessee. Newfound Gap Road can close during snow and ice, sometimes for days, and higher-elevation roads can be slick even when Knoxville is dry. All-wheel drive is worth requesting for a December-to-February trip into the mountains, along with a check of the tires at pickup. Middle and West Tennessee rarely see serious snow, though the occasional ice storm can bring Nashville to a standstill.
Before Driving Off the Lot
A two-minute walk-around with a phone camera, covering every panel, the windshield and the wheels, protects against disputes at return. Tire tread and pressure are worth a glance too, particularly before a mountain itinerary. Tennessee has almost no toll roads, so a toll transponder package is rarely worth adding unless the trip continues into neighboring states that use them.
Insurance is the other conversation to have before reaching the counter. Many personal auto policies extend to rental cars, and some credit cards include collision coverage when the card pays for the rental. A quick call to both before the trip makes the counter’s insurance pitch much easier to answer.
Finally, pairing a phone to the infotainment system before leaving the airport garage is worth the extra five minutes. Cell coverage can drop out in the mountains and along parts of the Trace, so downloading offline maps for the whole route is cheap insurance against a wrong turn on a road with no signal.
Matthew Wilde
Matthew Wilde is an automotive journalist with experience contributing to leading publications. He focuses on delivering clear, well-researched analysis of automotive industry news and vehicles. Growing up surrounded by a variety of cars, Matthew developed a strong foundation in automotive technology and design. His work emphasizes accuracy and depth, aimed at informing both enthusiasts and industry professionals with straightforward, precise reporting.
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