Understanding ACRISS rental car category codes
A category code can help compare vehicle offers more accurately than a model photograph. Use it to identify important differences, then check the supplier’s full category description.
Check Automatic or manual car hire: choosing deliberately explicitly even when a code looks familiar. Use Plug-in hybrid or fully electric rental? to distinguish powertrain descriptions.
Read the four positions separately
The ACRISS matrix describes category, body type, transmission or drive, and fuel or air-conditioning characteristics. Consult the current matrix for the letters in your quote rather than trying to infer the code from a similar-looking example.
Use the code alongside real needs
A code is a useful filter, but it does not measure your suitcase or confirm a particular model. After identifying the class, check passenger space, luggage and any essential equipment. If two quotes use different codes, record that difference before comparing price as though the offers were identical.
Read one code without over-interpreting it
Write the four code positions on separate lines and decode them using the current ACRISS matrix. Then add a separate list of requirements the code cannot settle, such as your bag dimensions or an exact adapted feature. The classification helps compare offers; it is not a guarantee of a particular model.
| Check | What to record |
|---|---|
| Code position | Use the official matrix definition |
| Supplier category | Confirm the written offer description |
| Practical requirement | Measure or confirm anything the code does not establish |
Your practical checklist
- Save the code shown on the reservation.
- Verify transmission and powertrain explicitly.
- Check separately whether an exact model is guaranteed.
The question to resolve before you proceed
Which category-code differences explain the difference between these offers?
Reference: ACRISS: current classification matrix. Checked 14 November 2026.
Explore the full topic in Choosing a rental car that fits the journey.
