> It's fascinating to me because my experience has always been opposite. I want a small car because I don't like to have a monster in unfamiliar territory. I'm always "upgraded" to something larger and when I indicate no thanK you, turns out they don't have a small car at all.

This exact thing happens to me all the time. One time the company tried to give me a car I have no license to drive (truck category instead of a van).

Other time I actually got upgraded by Enterprise to a nicer car but automatic instead of manual. I struggled to get out of the parking.