Our Little Beast

I have to say that when our rental vehicle rolled up in front of us, I was a bit disappointed.

In 2024, when DW and I drove all over Costa Rica, our rental company had an administrative glitch. They reserved two SUVs for us.

Our RAV4 in 2024.

We didn't think much of it at first. We were sitting at our hotel, not far from the airport in San Jose, when a silver Toyota RAV4 and a deep-blue Hyundai Tucson pulled up. The agency was dropping off our vehicle and we figured the second SUV was for the agents to return to their shop.

When they explained our contract and showed us the price, we were shocked. They had quoted more than double what we had agreed to before leaving Canada. It was an added surprise, since this rental agency, America Car Rental Costa Rica, prided itself on giving you a quote that included all fees and taxes.

There was supposed to be no hidden cost.

The issue was quickly resolved when we discovered that the agency had charged us for two rentals. When we had initially reserved our vehicle, we were quoted a price and we agreed to it. But about a week or two later, we were told that we could get a better price, so we agreed to the second quote.

At some mix-up with the agency, they reserved us a vehicle at the second rate but forgot to cancel the original reservation.

And so, DW and I were given the choice of which vehicle we wanted. We picked the RAV4, as we felt it was the more-established, better-trusted vehicle (no slag intended for Hyundai: I'm sure they make great vehicles).

The RAV4 worked well, handling main roads and even the pot-holed, secondary roads of Monteverde. On the Nicoya Peninsula, it was very good on the dirt roads.

It wasn't until we met with our friends, Cat and Jim, in Dominicalito, and had to climb a very steep dirt road to get to our Airbnb that the all-wheel drive proved the most useful, though it had me white-knuckling the steering wheel every time.

The folks who rented us the Airbnb warned us that we wouldn't be able to climb the hill without four-wheel drive, and they were serious. I always had to put the RAV4 in first gear, press the accelerator to the floor, and not let up. Even still, I'd watch the engine RPMs sink as we negotiated that hill.

While the RAV4 seemed underpowered, it did get us up some very steep hills, albeit slowly. It gave me faith that for our 2026 vacation, it would be the desired rental.

But when we were at the rental agency in Liberia, last month, my initial reaction to the car that pulled up in front of us was one of disappointment. Standing in the dark, in front of the agency, we were met by a white Suzuki Vitara.

I hadn't driven a Suzuki since the 80s and it was a basic. Basically, it was a piece of junk.

When DW first saw the Vitara, she asked it the agency had a RAV4. Or a Honda CR-V. But the Vitara was the only vehicle in our class that we had reserved. They had a Suzuki Jimny, but it was definitely too small for four people and all of their belongings.

We had to use flashlights to examine the vehicle and account for the scratches and dings that it had, but once the agent and I were satisfied that we captured every mark, we loaded up our suitcases and backpacks, for which there was plenty of room, and we made our way to Bijagua.

The Suzuki was still basic but it was far better than the Suzuki Sidekick that I had driven in the late 80s. Cars have come a long way since then.

Our first challenge in the Vitara was negotiating the road that led from the main drag in Bijagua to Finca Verde Lodge. Where the road became gravel, we had to dodge many potholes, often driving on the wrong side of the road. This wasn't a huge issue, as there was barely any traffic along this stretch of road.

Getting the SUV from the lodge's parking lot to the space outside out cabin was a narrow path through jungle, with two muddy ruts that became deeper and slipperier as the rains fell. I had to crawl though this space, turning tightly between trees that were just centimetres on either side.

But the Vitara endured.

Our biggest challenge came when we drove to La Leone Waterfall, near the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. We negotiated pot-holed, windy roads to the village where the tour company was located, but that wasn't the worst of it.

Hiking to the waterfall requires a guide, who takes you on a rocky trail that goes through caves and traverses a wide stream. To save money on the tour, we opted to drive ourselves to the trailhead, rather than use the tour company's transportation.

On the hike to La Leona Waterfall.

We picked up our guide, Louis, and he navigated us to the trailhead. The road to the trailhead was treacherous, requiring the Vitara's all-wheel drive. We climbed rocky hills that were steeper than anything we drove in 2024, and here's where our Suzuki surprised me.

I didn't have to put it in first gear. I didn't have to put my foot to the floor. The RPMs didn't drop with five people inside.

The drivetrain on the Vitara was impressive. And it was a tough little beast.

We negotiated more climbs on dirt roads on our way to Playa Potrero, and even waded through a couple of river crossings with no problem (mind you, it was the dry season so the river was at most about 10cm or so).

Turning in the vehicle, at the end of our trip, I had no complaints. The agency noted how dirty the outside of the vehicle was, and we left some muddy footprints on the floor of the interior—nothing a good vacuuming can't fix. The key fob reminded me that its battery was low from day two but it was never an issue.

Our little beast.

If you're thinking of vacationing in Costa Rica, I'd recommend going through America Car Rental Costa Rica. They team up with various rental agencies throughout the country and are stress-free.