Choosing between 4-seater vs 6-seater golf carts is the first real decision of your OBX cart rental. Get it right and everyone rides together with the beach gear. Get it wrong and you are either paying for empty seats or making two trips to the beach access. Here is how a local would size it up.
How Many People Actually Fit
The names are honest. A 4-seater comfortably carries four adults: two facing forward, two on the rear bench (often rear-facing). A 6-seater adds a middle row or a longer layout for six.
The catch is beach reality. Four people plus chairs, umbrella, cooler, and boogie boards fills a 4-seater fast. A good rule: if your headcount equals the seat count, and you are hauling gear, consider sizing up.
- Couples and families of 3-4: a 4-seater is usually plenty.
- Families of 5-6: the 6-seater is the move.
- Multi-family houses of 7+: one 6-seater plus walking, or two carts for big groups.
Remember the one-person-per-seat-belt rule on street-legal carts. It is not a suggestion; it is how the cart is registered and insured, and hosts take it seriously. Count your maximum riders for any single trip, not your average, and book that number of seats.
Car Seats and Little Kids
Golf carts and car seats are an awkward pair. Some carts have seat belts that can secure a car seat, but not all, and rear-facing bench seats are not a good spot for one. If you have an infant or a child who still needs a full car seat, ask the host before booking whether their cart can accommodate it.
For toddlers and up, seat belts on a street-legal cart plus slow neighborhood speeds work fine, with an adult beside them. More on that in our OBX golf cart safety tips.
Storage: Coolers, Chairs, and Groceries
Most 4-seaters with a rear-facing bench let you flip that bench flat into a cargo deck. That turns your 4-seater into a 2-seater pickup, which is perfect for a beach-gear run or a grocery trip.
Six-seaters often have the same trick on the back row, giving you four seats plus a cargo deck. If your crew hauls a lot, that flexibility is the 6-seater’s quiet superpower. A collapsed stroller or a folded beach wagon rides nicely on a flipped-down deck too, which families with little ones will appreciate daily.
Driveway Space and Maneuverability
OBX rental house driveways range from generous to comically tight, especially under stilted houses. A 6-seater is longer and needs more room to park and turn around.
Check your rental house listing photos before you book the big cart. If the driveway is short or shared, a 4-seater parks where a 6-seater will not. Charging matters too: you will want the cart near an outlet if it is electric, which our electric vs gas guide covers.
The Price Difference
Expect a 6-seater to rent at a premium over a comparable 4-seater, since rates typically run $75-150 a day depending on size and season. Over a full week that premium adds up, so only pay it if you will actually fill the seats.
The flip side: one 6-seater is almost always cheaper than two 4-seaters. For a family of five or six, the bigger cart is the value play. Big multi-family houses sometimes do run two carts, which lets groups split up without negotiating, but for a single household one right-sized cart wins on cost.
Still torn? Default to the smaller cart if your headcount fits, and the bigger one if you are within one seat of maxing out. Nobody has ever regretted an empty seat on the way home from the donut shop; plenty of people have regretted a missing one.
FAQ: Choosing Your Golf Cart Size
Can 5 people ride a 4-seater if some are small kids?
No. One person per seat belt is the rule on street-legal carts. If you are five, book six seats.
Do 6-seaters cost a lot more to rent?
They carry a premium, but it is usually modest compared to renting a second cart. Weekly rates soften the difference further.
Which size should a group of exactly four pick?
A 4-seater, unless you haul serious gear daily or expect guests during the week. Then the extra row earns its keep.
Both sizes are on the platform with real-time availability. Compare 4- and 6-seaters for your dates, and OBX Drive hosts will deliver whichever one fits your crew right to the rental house.