15–16 Foot Moving Truck: Dimensions, Capacity, and What Fits
The most-rented size in the country, and the first one that comes with a ramp. A 15–16 footer handles a two-bedroom apartment or a small house, and it's the smallest truck Penske and Budget will let you tow a car behind.
- Cargo volume
- 658–800 cu ft
- Max load
- 4,300–6,385 lb
- Estimated mpg
- 6–12
- License
- Regular
Ranges span what U-Haul, Penske, and Budget each publish for this size. The spread between companies is often wider than people expect.
What each company calls this size
Same job, three different numbers on the door. This is the single biggest source of confusion when people price-shop across companies.
Adds a Mom's Attic over the cab (2'6" × 7'8" × 2'7") and publishes by far the highest payload at this size: 6,385 lb.
The biggest box of the three at up to 800 cu ft, with a flat floor and no wheel-well intrusion. Penske's smallest truck you can tow a car behind.
The narrowest box here at 6'3", and the smallest volume. It's also Budget's cheapest tow-capable truck.
Specs, side by side
Published figures from each company's own spec pages. Where a company doesn't publish a number, we say so rather than guessing.
| Spec | U-Haul 15' truck | Penske 16' truck | Budget 16' truck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior (L × W × H) | 15' × 7'8" × 7'2" | Up to 16' × 7'7" × 6'6" | 16'0" × 6'3" × 6'7" |
| Door opening (W × H) | 7'3" × 6'5" | Not published | 7'4" × 6'1" |
| Cargo volume | 764 cu ft | Up to 800 cu ft | 658 cu ft |
| Max load | 6,385 lb | Up to 4,300 lb | 4,460 lb |
| Gross vehicle weight | 14,500 lb | Up to 12,500 lb (commercial spec) | 12,500 lb |
| Fuel / tank | Gas · 40 gal | Gas · 33 gal | Gas · 33 gal |
| Estimated mpg | 10 | Up to 12 | 6–10 |
| Loading ramp | Yes: EZ-Load, 2'2" wide | Yes, 1,000 lb capacity | Yes: 2'0⅜" wide, 1,000 lb capacity |
| Towing | Up to 10,000 lb | Tow-capable · towed car up to 4,055 lb | Tow-capable · rating on the rear-door decal |
| Seats | 3 | 2 | 2 |
The spread at this size is bigger than the names suggest. Penske's 16' holds 800 cu ft and Budget's 16' holds 658. That's a 142 cu ft gap between two trucks sold as the same length, because Budget's box is 16 inches narrower. U-Haul's 15' sits between them at 764 cu ft while carrying the most weight by far: 6,385 lb, against roughly 4,300–4,500 for the other two. If you're moving books, tools, or appliances rather than volume, that payload difference matters more than the cubic feet.
Specs are the companies' own published figures and vary by model year and location, so confirm the truck you're actually given at pickup. Sources: U-Haul 15' truck · Penske 16' truck · Budget 16' truck
What actually fits
Penske calls this two to three rooms; Budget rates its 16' at three to four rooms, up to 250 medium boxes and ten pieces of furniture.
- A two-bedroom apartment, or a small two-bedroom house
- A king bed (the first size where one reliably fits)
- Two bedroom sets, a sofa, a dining table and chairs, plus 40–60 boxes
- A washer and dryer alongside the furniture, if you watch the payload
- A towed car behind it at any of the three companies
Rent this one if…
- You're moving a two-bedroom apartment or a small house.
- You want a ramp. This is the smallest size that has one.
- You need to tow a car and you're renting from Penske or Budget.
- You're moving heavy things and renting U-Haul, whose 6,385 lb payload leads the size.
Size up or down if…
- You have a three-bedroom home. Go up to the 20–22' rather than making two trips.
- You're renting Budget for a home over about 1,200 sq ft. Budget itself points those customers to the 26'.
- You're moving a lot of dense weight on a Penske or Budget 16': both cap out around 4,300–4,460 lb.
- You need a tall doorway. Budget's opening is 6'1" high, which is tight for an upright fridge.
Driving and fuel
Around 11 feet tall and wide enough that mirrors become your main tool. No more drive-throughs, and low garage clearances are now a real hazard. All three run on regular gas at this size, with published estimates of 6–12 mpg; expect the low end of that fully loaded. U-Haul's 15' and 20' share the same 40-gallon tank, so range is roughly 400 miles between fills.
Common questions
Is a Penske 16' bigger than a U-Haul 15'?
In volume, slightly: 800 cu ft against 764. But U-Haul's 15' carries far more weight (6,385 lb vs up to 4,300 lb) and has a Mom's Attic over the cab that Penske doesn't offer. Which is "bigger" depends on whether you're running out of space or out of payload.
Will a king bed fit in a 15 or 16 foot truck?
Yes. At 7'8" wide (U-Haul) or 7'7" (Penske), a 76-inch king mattress fits across the box; Budget's narrower 6'3" box takes it lengthwise. Budget states plainly that king mattresses only fit its 16' and 26' trucks.
Does a 16 foot truck have a ramp?
Yes, at all three companies, and it's the smallest size that does. Penske and Budget both rate their ramps at 1,000 lb; U-Haul's EZ-Load ramp is 2'2" wide. None of the three publishes ramp length, so if incline matters for an appliance dolly, ask at pickup.
How many bedrooms does a 15 foot truck hold?
Two, comfortably. That's the sweet spot everyone designs this size around. U-Haul markets it as a one-bedroom home to two-bedroom apartment; Penske says two to three rooms. A packed two-bedroom with a garage should look at the next size up.
