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2014 U-Haul 14' Truck Road Trip Review


Originally, I was hesitant to review this because it's not something many people care to learn about and I don't have any previous truck experience to make comparisons between other models. But after spending 250+ miles sitting in it, I felt obliged to give my opinion. 

When it gets down to it, there isn't much to review because all aspects about a U-Haul truck are so utilitarian and plain. I was, however, impressed with the plastic quality in the interior. Though none of the surfaces were padded, the low-gloss finish and intricate graining wouldn't have looked odd in, say, a Ford Fusion. Plus, the dashboard airbag cover along with the door armrests were rubberized for elbow and feet comfort should you decided to place your limbs there. 

Otherwise, the interior features were utterly unimpressive. The only thing power was the stereo, which does not contain a CD player but does have an auxiliary input. Not that you'll want to listen to your music through the two tinny speakers. At least there's fairly robust air conditioning.

The truck claims a 3-passenger capacity, but anyone who doesn't have a rod-straight back will not want to sit the in the unadjustable center seat. Making matters worse is that the center portion of the uncarpeted floor near the engine heats up quickly, taking barefoot travel out of the equation if it matters to you. 

Unsurprising from a truck, comfort while driving is the opposite of what you would find in a Lexus. You bounce over bumps, especially when the truck is unloaded. While road noise was nicely subdued, the upright shape of the truck combined with the baking pan-sized side mirrors generated much wind noise. Tire noise from other vehicles slips in through the doors. 

 Of course, the real reason to rent a U-Haul is for the cargo area. The size of the cargo area was capacious and there were nice wooden rails on the sides should you want to secure things with strings. An advertised low low-in height combined with a pullout ramp make loading and unloading tolerable. The ramp was extremely difficult to pull out and secure back in, however. 

From the time we got the truck to the time we parked it back in U-Haul, the V-10 that's both sluggish and noisy returned 8.7 miles per gallon with predominantly interstate driving. Before it was loaded with furniture and three people, the trip computer displayed 11 miles per gallon in city driving. Your mileage will vary.

Overall, I would rent from U-Haul again provided we get another new truck (our example had only 3000 or so miles). The truck did what it was supposed to, which was carry our stuff in a relatively economical way without breaking down. I've heard horror stories of older, undermaintained U-Haul truck rentals, so I say be wary of extremely aged trucks. 


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