Which chauffeur car should you book in Dubai? A guide by group size, luggage and occasion

Quick answer: the right car by passengers and suitcases

For 1 to 3 passengers with up to 2 suitcases, book a sedan: the Lexus ES 300h for business class, or the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7 Series for first class. For 4 to 6 with full luggage, book a GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade or Mercedes-Benz V-Class. For 7 to 19, book a Mercedes Sprinter. Above that, book a coach.

Passengers	Large suitcases	Book	Assure’s own examples
1 to 3	Up to 2	Business class sedan	Lexus ES 300h
1 to 3	Up to 2	First class sedan	Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series
4 to 6	Up to 3	Luxury SUV	GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade
4 to 6	Up to 4	Van	Mercedes-Benz V-Class
4 to 6	2 to 3, short trips	People mover	Kia Carnival, Citroen SpaceTourer, Hyundai Staria
7 to 13	Up to 6	Minibus	Mercedes Sprinter, 13 seats
14 to 19	Up to 3	Minibus	Mercedes Sprinter, 19 seats
20 to 50	By coach hold	Coach	Partner coaches of 35 and 50 seats

Two rules sit behind the table. The chauffeur is never counted as a passenger. And every suitcase figure assumes every passenger seat is in use. The suitcase counts are Assure’s planning figures, estimated from the makers’ boot space rather than measured. Send your exact bags and they are checked against the car. Our seats and luggage chart lists every vehicle, model by model.

What do business class, first class and VIP mean in a Dubai chauffeur fleet?

The names describe the car and the rear seat, not a law. Assure uses them as fleet classes, each with its own page.

• Business class: a mid-size executive sedan. In Assure’s fleet that is the Lexus ES 300h. Partner options are the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and Genesis G80.
• First class: a full-size flagship sedan with more rear room and more rear equipment. Assure runs the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the BMW 7 Series. Partner options are the Audi A8, Lexus LS and Genesis G90.
• Ultra-luxury: Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach, all from the partner network.

VIP is about the welcome, not the badge on the bonnet. At the airport your chauffeur waits in the arrivals hall holding a board with your name, and VIP guests are welcomed personally. Any class of car can carry a VIP. Ask for a first class sedan or a partner Rolls-Royce if the car should match the welcome.

Every limousine company in Dubai works under the same regulator. RTA issues the permit for passenger transport by luxury vehicles. Its conditions include a tariff higher than the taxi tariff and approved vehicle categories. Assure is RTA licensed. Our guide to RTA-licensed limousines explains what that licence covers.

Sedans: Lexus ES 300h, Mercedes E-Class, Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series

Sedans carry 3 passengers, all on the rear bench, with the front passenger seat left free. That is the usual chauffeur practice, and it is why every sedan below is listed for 3.

Car	Class	Supplied by	Passengers	Large / cabin bags
Lexus ES 300h	Business	Assure fleet	3	2 / 1
Mercedes-Benz E-Class	Business	Partner network	3	2 / 2
BMW 5 Series	Business	Partner network	3	2 / 2
Mercedes-Benz S-Class	First	Assure fleet	3	2 / 2
BMW 7 Series	First	Assure fleet	3	2 / 2

The Lexus ES 300h is a 2.5 L petrol-electric hybrid. Lexus gives it a 454 L boot and a rear window sunshade. It suits the single traveller from DXB to a hotel in Downtown, about 18 km, or a team moving between offices. Business class options are on the business sedans page.

The S-Class and the 7 Series are the cars for board meetings and VIP arrivals. Mercedes-Benz Dubai offers the S-Class with a First-Class Rear Compartment: a business console with a 7-inch tablet, folding tables and a 10 L fridge. BMW Dubai offers the 7 Series with a 31.3-inch Theatre Screen that folds down from the roof, and a 540 L boot. Both cars carry these as options, so ask what the car for your date has. Both are on our first class sedans page.

To choose between the two, read our S-Class vs 7 Series comparison. The short version: the S-Class for working in the back, the 7 Series for watching a film on the way to Abu Dhabi.

SUVs: GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade, Range Rover and G-Class

SUVs split into two groups. The three-row SUVs carry 6 passengers. The two-row SUVs are planned like sedans, with 3 in the rear.

Car	Supplied by	Passengers	Large / cabin bags
GMC Yukon	Assure fleet	6	3 / 2
Cadillac Escalade	Assure fleet	6	3 / 2
Chevrolet Suburban	Partner network	6	5 / 2
Nissan Patrol	Partner network	6	3 / 2
Range Rover	Partner network	3	3 / 2
Mercedes-Benz G-Class	Partner network	3	2 / 2

The Yukon and the Escalade are Assure’s own. Cadillac gives the Escalade 722 L behind the third row, which is why both are planned for about 3 large cases with 6 aboard. GMC Arabia sells the Yukon with an available rear-seat media system of 12.6-inch screens.

When the bags outgrow them, the long-wheelbase SUVs help. Chevrolet gives the Suburban about 1,175 L behind the third row. Cadillac gives the Escalade ESV the same. The Suburban is available through our partner network, subject to availability, and planned for 5 large cases.

The Range Rover and the G-Class are booked for the car itself: a wedding exit, a hotel arrival, a drive up to Jebel Jais. They seat 3 in the rear, so they are not group cars. All SUVs are on the luxury SUVs page.

People movers and vans: Kia Carnival, Hyundai Staria, Citroen SpaceTourer and Mercedes V-Class

Vans carry 6 passengers in Assure’s planning, with sliding rear doors on every model listed here. They are the practical choice for families and for any group where every person has a suitcase.

• Mercedes-Benz V-Class (Assure fleet): 6 passengers and about 4 large cases. Mercedes-Benz gives it up to 8 seats and 610 L to 5,010 L of luggage space, depending on length and layout.
• Kia Carnival (Assure fleet): 6 passengers and about 3 large cases. Kia UAE gives the third row 903 mm of legroom.
• Citroen SpaceTourer (Assure fleet): 6 passengers and about 3 large cases.
• Hyundai Staria (Assure fleet): 6 passengers and about 2 large cases. Hyundai UAE gives the 7-seat Premium 431 L behind the seats.
• Mercedes-Benz Vito (partner network, subject to availability): 7 passengers and about 3 large cases.

For 6 people with luggage, the V-Class is the safe choice. For the same group going from a Dubai Marina hotel to Dubai Mall, about 21 km with light bags, the Carnival, SpaceTourer or Staria does the job. Our 7-seater guide compares them seat by seat, and all are on the vans page.

Minibuses and coaches: Sprinter, Toyota Hiace, Toyota Coaster, 35 and 50 seat coaches

Above 7 passengers, the seat layout decides the luggage space.

Vehicle	Supplied by	Passengers	Large cases
Mercedes Sprinter, 13 seats	Assure fleet	13	6
Mercedes Sprinter, 19 seats	Assure fleet	19	3
Toyota Hiace	Partner network	12	3
Ford Transit	Partner network	14	3
Toyota Coaster	Partner network, confirm first	22	None (no luggage hold)
Coach, 35 seats	Partner network, confirm first	35	Hold varies by coach
Coach, 50 seats	Partner network, confirm first	50	Hold varies by coach

The two Sprinters are Assure’s own. The 13-seat layout keeps a luggage area, so it suits airport arrivals. The 19-seat layout gives that space to seats, so it suits a shuttle between a hotel and a venue, such as Downtown to Expo City Dubai, about 39 km.

The Toyota Coaster is a 23-seater by Toyota UAE’s count, with curtains and a microphone and amplifier for a guide. It has no separate luggage hold, so suitcases follow in a second vehicle. Coaches of 35 and 50 seats come from partners, and their makes vary. Confirm the luggage hold before you book one for an airport run.

Minibuses are on the minibuses page. Larger groups are quoted through bus rental with a driver.

Ultra-luxury for occasions: Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach

These cars are booked for an occasion rather than for distance. All of them are available through our partner network, subject to availability.

Car	Passengers	Large / cabin bags
Rolls-Royce Phantom	3	2 / 2
Rolls-Royce Ghost	3	2 / 2
Rolls-Royce Cullinan	3	3 / 2
Bentley Flying Spur	3	2 / 1
Mercedes-Maybach S-Class	3	2 / 1

It suits a wedding couple’s exit from a hotel ballroom, an anniversary dinner, or a VIP arrival at DXB Terminal 3. For a wedding, book the couple’s car first. Then add a Sprinter or a V-Class for the family, since none of these cars seats more than 3 in the rear.

Partner cars are confirmed for the date before you book, along with the colour. Exotic models and stretch limousines are on the ultra-luxury cars page. A stretch is confirmed only once a partner has the actual car for your date.

Which car for which trip? Airport pickups, intercity drives, weddings, business and tours

Distances below are road distances from Downtown Dubai without traffic, from OpenStreetMap routing.

Trip	Distance and time	Usual car
DXB arrival, 1 or 2 guests with 2 cases	18 km, about 27 min	Lexus ES 300h or S-Class
DXB arrival, family of 4 with 4 cases	18 km, about 27 min	Mercedes-Benz V-Class
DWC arrival, team of 10	49 km, about 51 min	Sprinter, 13 seats
Business day in DIFC and Business Bay	Short hops, by the hour	S-Class or 7 Series
Abu Dhabi meeting, 3 guests	139 km, about 1 h 30	7 Series or S-Class
Yas Island weekend, 6 guests	114 km, about 1 h 15	Cadillac Escalade or GMC Yukon
Hatta day trip, 5 guests	109 km, about 1 h 25	GMC Yukon
Jebel Jais day trip, 6 guests	154 km, about 2 h	V-Class or Escalade
Wedding couple and family	Venue to venue	Partner Rolls-Royce, plus a Sprinter

Airport pickups are sized by bags more than people. Emirates gives Business Class 40 kg and First Class 50 kg of checked baggage, so 2 premium travellers can outgrow a sedan boot. Pickups at every UAE airport run through airport transfers, with meet and greet in the arrivals hall. At DXB, Emirates flights use Terminal 3. flydubai is based at Terminal 2 but also flies from Terminal 3, so send the terminal with the flight number.

Long drives favour the second row. On the 139 km to Abu Dhabi, keep adults out of an SUV’s third row. Cadillac gives the Escalade’s third row 933 mm of legroom against 1,060 mm in the second. Weddings need two decisions: the couple’s car, and enough seats for everyone else. Tours need a car that stays with you all day, so they are booked by the hour.

Child seats, wheelchairs, pets and other special requests

Child seats are on request. Under the rules RTA and Dubai Police publicise, children younger than 4 travel in a child seat. Nobody aged 10 or younger, or under 145 cm tall, takes the front seat, and either breach carries an AED 400 fine. Give each child’s age and weight when you book, so the seat fits the child and the car.

Wheelchairs: none of the vans or minibuses listed here has a ramp or a lift. A passenger who can move from the chair to a seat can ride in any of them, and the folded chair counts as one large item. A passenger who stays in the chair needs an adapted vehicle, so ask before you book.

Pets: ask before you book. Travelling with an animal is checked for the specific car, so mention the pet, its size and whether it travels in a carrier.

Golf bags, prams and boxed bikes each count as one large suitcase. A sedan takes 2 large items, so golfers with clubs and cases go in an SUV or a van.

Hybrid and electric options

• Lexus ES 300h (Assure fleet): a 2.5 L petrol-electric hybrid, 214 hp by Lexus’s figure.
• BMW 7 Series (Assure fleet): BMW sells it as a petrol car, as the 750e xDrive plug-in hybrid with 70 to 82 km of electric range, and as the fully electric i7. Ask which one the car for your date is.
• Mercedes-Benz EQS: Mercedes-Benz Dubai sells it as a separate electric saloon. It is not on Assure’s list.

If your company travel policy names electric or hybrid cars, say so when you book. The quote then names the car’s drive.

Three bookings that go wrong, and the car that fixes them

Most wrong cars come from counting people and forgetting bags, or the other way round. These three come up often enough to plan around.

Four friends in a first class sedan. An S-Class or 7 Series has 3 rear seats, and the front passenger seat stays free. Four adults for a dinner at a Palm Jumeirah hotel need a 6-seat car. The GMC Yukon or Cadillac Escalade keeps the luxury feel and adds the seats.

Six passengers with six large cases in an SUV. With the third row up, the Escalade has 722 L behind it by Cadillac’s figure, planned for about 3 large cases. Six travellers arriving at Terminal 3 with a case each need the V-Class (about 4) and a second car, or the 13-seat Sprinter (about 6).

A team of 10 in the 19-seat Sprinter with full luggage. The 19-seat layout fills the luggage area with seats, so it is planned for about 3 large cases. For 10 people with a case each, book the 13-seat Sprinter and a V-Class together. That is 19 seats and about 10 large cases between them.

All three are avoided the same way: give the passenger count and the suitcase count in the same message.

Own fleet or partner vehicle: what “subject to availability” means

Assure lists 11 vehicles of its own across 10 models. They are the S-Class, 7 Series, Lexus ES 300h, GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade and V-Class, plus the Kia Carnival, Citroen SpaceTourer, Hyundai Staria and the Sprinter in 13 and 19-seat layouts. Another 34 models come through partner companies.

“Available through our partner network, subject to availability” means three things in practice:

1. The car is confirmed for your date before you book. You are not promised a Rolls-Royce until a partner has one free.
2. The car may differ in detail. Colour, model year and options vary, so ask for what matters.
3. Some partner models need extra checks. Stretch limousines, the Toyota Coaster and the coaches are confirmed car by car.

Fleet page photos are representative studio images unless the caption says otherwise. Ask for a photo of the actual car if the look matters for a wedding or a shoot.

How the car class changes the quote

Assure does not publish prices, because the same car costs a different amount on a different route or day. The class you pick is one of several things that set the figure:

• The class of car. A Lexus ES 300h, an S-Class and a partner Rolls-Royce are quoted far apart.
• Transfer or hourly. A fixed transfer is priced by the route. Hourly hire is priced by the hours you book.
• The route. Distance, and tolls on routes such as the 139 km run to Abu Dhabi.
• Waiting and extra stops. Waiting time and extra stops are set out in the quote.
• Two cars or one. A V-Class with a Kia Carnival, or one 13-seat Sprinter, carry similar groups at different prices, so ask for both.

When two classes would both work, ask for both prices in one reply. A group of 6 with light bags, for example, fits an Escalade or a Kia Carnival.

What to send on WhatsApp to get the right vehicle quoted

Message +971 56 684 8148, answered 24/7, with:

• The date, the pickup time and the pickup address, or the flight number and terminal.
• The drop-off, or the plan for the day if you want the car by the hour.
• The number of passengers, with children’s ages.
• The number of large suitcases and cabin bags, and any odd items such as golf bags or a pram.
• The car or class you want, and any option that matters: the Theatre Screen, a business console, a colour.
• The occasion: an airport arrival, a meeting day, a wedding or a day trip.

With that, the quote names the car, and it comes back on WhatsApp. Prices depend on the route, the hours and the car, so they are quoted per trip.