Most people choosing a chauffeured vehicle start with the wrong question. They ask which car is nicest. The question that actually determines whether the day goes smoothly is narrower: how many people, and how much are they carrying?
Get that right and everything else follows. Get it wrong and you are standing on a footpath in Southbank repacking three suitcases into a boot that was never going to take them.
Here is how the fleet divides up.
The luggage trap
Seat count and luggage capacity are two different numbers, and they do not move together.
A vehicle rated for seven passengers is rated for seven people. Fill all seven seats and the space behind the third row is what is left for bags — which, in most people movers, is not much. Four adults with four large suitcases is a genuinely different vehicle requirement from seven adults with hand luggage.
So when you ask for a quote, give both numbers. Not “there’s six of us” but “six of us, four large suitcases and a pram.”
Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 — one or two people, travelling light
Up to 4 passengers · up to 2 suitcases
Not every journey needs a people mover. The CLA 200 is an executive sedan for solo travellers and couples — a meeting across town, a hotel-to-restaurant run, a straightforward airport transfer with a case each.
It is the most cost-effective vehicle in the fleet, with the same chauffeur and the same standard of service as everything above it. It also handles Melbourne CBD car parks and hotel forecourts more easily than anything larger, which matters more than people expect in the middle of the city.
Best for: solo business travel, couples, short transfers.
Toyota Alphard and Alphard 40 — when the arrival matters
Up to 6 passengers · up to 3 suitcases (Alphard 40)
The Alphard is Toyota’s flagship luxury people mover, and it is built around one idea: the second row should feel like a private first-class cabin. Individual captain’s chairs with powered recline and ottoman leg support, heated and ventilated seating, a deeply insulated cabin and soft ambient lighting.
The Alphard 40 is the latest generation and the most requested vehicle in the fleet — the usual choice for VIP airport meet and greet, executive travel and milestone occasions.
The trade-off is deliberate. Those lounge seats take up space that a more utilitarian vehicle would give to luggage. Six passengers and three suitcases is the honest figure. If your group is six people with six large cases, this is not the vehicle — and that is worth knowing before the morning of the trip rather than at the kerb.
Best for: VIP arrivals, executives, anniversaries and weddings, anyone who wants the journey itself to be the good part.
Mercedes-Benz V-Class — the working group
Up to 7 passengers · leather, multi-zone climate
The V-Class is where business meets comfort. A leather-appointed cabin seats up to seven with power front seats and multi-zone climate control, and there is genuine room to talk, work or spread out a laptop between stops.
It is the natural choice for corporate groups and delegations — enough space for the team plus sample cases or event gear, and quiet enough for a conversation that continues from the office to the airport.
Best for: corporate travel, delegations, premium group transfers.
Kia Carnival — families, and everything families bring
Up to 7 passengers · up to 6 suitcases
The Carnival is the most popular people mover in the fleet for families and small groups, and the reason is that luggage figure. Three rows of full-size seating and up to six suitcases is a combination the more luxurious vehicles cannot match.
Dual power sliding doors matter more than they sound — they are the difference between an easy exit and a difficult one when you are travelling with small children or grandparents. Baby capsules, child seats and boosters are available on request.
Best for: family airport runs, full-day tours with kids, anyone whose luggage list includes a pram and a golf bag.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — keep everyone together
11+ passengers · roughly one suitcase each
When the group is big and the day is full, the Sprinter is what keeps it from splitting into a convoy. Seating for eleven or more, room for a suitcase per person, stand-up interior height and easy boarding.
Splitting a group of twelve across two cars sounds workable until you are coordinating two vehicles through Melbourne traffic to arrive at a cellar door at the same time. One vehicle removes the problem entirely — and for larger groups it is usually the more economical answer as well.
Best for: group airport transfers, full-day tours, weddings, corporate shuttles.
Quick reference
| Vehicle | Passengers | Suitcases | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 | up to 4 | up to 2 | Solo travellers, couples |
| Toyota Alphard | up to 6 | — | VIP and executive travel |
| Toyota Alphard 40 | up to 6 | up to 3 | VIP arrivals, special occasions |
| Mercedes-Benz V-Class | up to 7 | — | Corporate groups, delegations |
| Kia Carnival | up to 7 | up to 6 | Families and small groups |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | 11+ | ~1 each | Large groups and tours |
The awkward cases
Oversized items. Prams, golf bags, skis and surfboards can all be carried — mention them when you book so the right vehicle is assigned from the start rather than discovered at pick-up.
Children. Baby capsules and boosters are supplied free of charge and fitted in advance. Give the number of children and their ages at booking.
Groups that fall between vehicles. Nine people is the classic problem — too many for a V-Class, arguably light for a Sprinter. Sometimes the answer is the Sprinter anyway; sometimes it is two vehicles. Send the numbers and we will tell you which, rather than squeezing you into something that technically fits.
Tell us the group size and what you are carrying on the quote form, or read the full luggage and booking detail on the booking information page.
