ST. LOUIS -- According to a survey commissioned by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, 93% of weekend getaway travelers expect to take more driving trips in the next year and 20% are more likely to consider renting a car for those trips.

The survey also found that three in five (60%) U.S. motorists -- or more than 100 million Americans -- have taken a driving weekend getaway in the past year and average seven such trips annually. Moreover, four in five (80%) U.S. motorists take driving weekend getaways so they can enjoy several shorter vacations, rather than fewer extended vacations.

The study also indicated that millions of U.S. motorists aren't satisfied with the vehicles they drive most often for weekend getaways. The leading reasons for their discontent are gas mileage (42%), failure to project the image they want (30%), inadequate seating capacity (22%) and not enough trunk/cargo space (21%).

"Driving weekend getaways offer Americans mini-vacations of sorts, which can be much more affordable than extended vacations. It's a trend that continues to grow," said nationally recognized travel expert Laura Powell. "And for the first time, we also see that a significant number of people are choosing their vehicles carefully to meet specific needs for their trips, especially if they're choosing vehicles that may be better suited for the getaway than their own."

The survey indicated that many Americans enjoy a change of wheels, as well as a change of scenery, when they take weekend getaways. More motorists are parking their own vehicles and choosing to rent for weekend getaways:

-- One out of six (some 17 million American weekend getaway travelers) has rented a vehicle for a weekend getaway in the past 12 months.

-- Americans rent a wide variety of weekend getaway vehicles. SUVs, minivans and mid-size sedans are the most popular choices.

-- Nearly seven in 10 motorists prefer weekend getaways to extended vacations because they are more economical.

Where are people going on these trips?

According to the survey, the beach, the mountains, national or state parks, and lake or river resorts are preferred destinations.

Enterprise's rental business for leisure purposes, which includes weekend getaways, totals more than $1 billion annually and is growing at a double-digit rate compared to last year, said Steve Short, vice president of consumer development.

"We know consumers are renting vehicles because they don't want to run up the mileage on their automobiles, and they enjoy the comforts of driving a new or different vehicle to suit the needs of their weekend getaway," Short said. "The survey indicates that those taking weekend driving trips average seven a year and drive approximately 210 miles on each trip, which adds up to a lot of mileage and wear and tear on your personal vehicle."

The sampling error associated with the research is no more than plus or minus four percentage points at the 95% confidence level, Enterprise said.