Cape Cod and Island Ferry Trips: What Vehicle Length Means for You

Summer on Cape Cod starts with a bridge and a line of traffic. For many people it continues with a ferry to Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket, where the car is part of the booking, not just the way to the dock. Island ferries generally price a vehicle by size, and length is a big part of that. Parking and driving once you land are another story: narrow lanes, cobblestones, bike traffic and a town center laid out long before cars.

That makes the length of your vehicle a decision worth thinking about before you buy. This guide compares five Jeep and Chrysler models by the dimensions that matter on a trip like this.

Ferry fares and reservations: check the source

Do not rely on a published guide, including this one, for ferry rules. Fares, size limits, season, vehicle reservations and standby procedures all change. The Steamship Authority publishes current information for its routes, and other operators have their own rules. Check the operator's website before you commit to a vehicle purchase, and again before every trip. This page does not state any fares.

What we can compare is the vehicle itself.

The numbers: length, height, width and turning circle

Model	Overall length	Overall height	Width	Turning diameter
Wrangler 2-door	166.8 in	73.6 in	73.9 in	32.7 ft
Compass	173.4 in	64.6 in (64.8 with roof rails)	73.8 in mirrors folded, 80.0 in open	36.3 ft
Cherokee	188.1 in	68.5 in	83.6 in at mirrors	40.3 ft
Wrangler 4-door	188.4 in (up to 192.5 with Xtreme 35 or Moab 392)	73.6 in (75.5 with Xtreme 35 or Moab 392)	73.9 in	38.8 ft
Pacifica	204.3 in	69.9 in (70.7 AWD)	79.6 in (90.4 with mirrors)	39.7 ft (40.2 AWD)
Gladiator	218.0 in	73.1 in (hardtop) to 76.1 in (Rubicon soft top)	73.8 in	44.5 ft

Wrangler length includes the spare tire. By a rough calculation, the two-door Wrangler is about 21.6 inches shorter than the four-door, and the Gladiator is about 44.6 inches longer than the Compass. Those gaps are why the model you pick matters more than the trim.

Height is the other dimension to watch. A roof box, a bike on a roof rack or a tall tire package can add inches that you will want to check against any posted limits. The Wrangler and Gladiator are also the tallest of this group, and the Compass is the lowest.

Why shorter helps on the water

Ferry operators price vehicles partly by length, so a shorter vehicle can mean a smaller line on your bill. It is also easier to place on a crowded deck. How the fare is structured, and what counts as a size category, is up to the operator, so check the details instead of assuming.

The two-door Wrangler and the Compass are the shortest options here. The two-door seats four, and the Compass seats five. The four-door Wrangler and the Cherokee are close to each other in length, at 188.4 and 188.1 inches. The Pacifica and especially the Gladiator are long. The Gladiator is the longest here by a good margin, with a 137.3-inch wheelbase and a bed behind the cab.

Streets in Provincetown, Edgartown and Nantucket

The harder test often begins after you leave the ferry. Provincetown's Commercial Street is narrow, busy and full of pedestrians. Nantucket's old streets have cobblestones and tight corners, and Edgartown and Oak Bluffs are no wider. In all of these, turning circle and width matter as much as length.

• The two-door Wrangler has the tightest turning circle at 32.7 feet and a modest 73.9-inch width.
• The Compass has a 36.3-foot turning circle, and its mirrors fold to 73.8 inches wide.
• The Cherokee is 83.6 inches wide at the mirrors, and its 40.3-foot turn is wider than the Compass's.
• The Pacifica has a 39.7-foot turning circle, but its mirrors push the width to 90.4 inches.
• The Gladiator's 44.5-foot turning circle is the widest, so a U-turn on a town street may take more than one try.

Parking is the other side of the story. Town lots fill early, and some places are permit-only. Plan to park once and walk, bike or shuttle.

Bikes, beach gear and luggage

Island trips involve a lot of stuff: bikes, chairs, umbrellas, coolers and sandy kids.

• Pacifica. Cargo volume is 87.5 cubic feet behind the second row and up to 140.5 cubic feet with the rows folded. Bikes can fit inside with the seats down, and the Stow 'n Go seats make that easier. Pacifica LX starts at $41,595.
• Cherokee. It lists 29.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 62.2 with the seats folded. The Cherokee starts at $35,130, and its Laredo trim and up list roof rails.
• Compass. 27.2 cubic feet behind the second row, 59.8 folded, and roof rails are noted in the height listing. It starts at $29,990.
• Wrangler. Jeep lists one cargo figure: 31.7 cubic feet with the rear seat upright and 72.4 folded. The Sport starts at $36,635 as a two-door and $39,985 as a four-door.
• Gladiator. A 35.5-cubic-foot bed, 60.3 inches long with the tailgate closed and 81.3 inches with it open. It starts at $43,895. Gear in the bed is exposed to weather, unlike gear inside a cabin.

All starting prices are MSRP before destination as of November 2026, and they change.

Driving on the sand: check before you go

Some Outer Cape and island beaches allow driving on the sand, but access, permits and conditions differ by beach and change with the season. This page does not describe those rules. Check with the town or, for the national seashore, with Cape Cod National Seashore before planning any beach driving.

From a vehicle standpoint, there are two things to know. First, ground clearance and traction help. The Wrangler Sport is listed at 9.7 inches of clearance and the Compass at 8.1 (8.6 on the Trailhawk), while the Pacifica sits at just 5.1 inches in front-drive and 5.4 with AWD, which is a poor match for soft ground. Second, if you are not certain that you are allowed, do not try.

Which one fits which trip?

• A couple with bikes who want an island day. Compass or two-door Wrangler. Short, easy to place and easy to park.
• A family of four or five with gear. Cherokee or four-door Wrangler. Similar length, and more room than the Compass.
• A big group or a lot of luggage. Pacifica. Long, but with the most space inside. Confirm ferry size categories first.
• A boat or a camper behind you. Gladiator, which tows up to 7,700 pounds in its Max Tow setup on the Sport S. Expect it to be the longest vehicle in the line, and check how the operator treats a trailer.

For many Cape and island visitors, the right answer is not to bring a vehicle at all. Many people leave the car on the mainland and use bikes, shuttles and taxis on the island. If that is your plan, the best vehicle to buy is the one that suits the other 50 weeks of the year.