2011 Hyundai Sonata

WOW WOW WOW is all I can say. I noticed this car in a magazine a few weeks ago, and loved the "4-door coupe" design. Little did I know I'd like the car itself as much as I did.

Powerful 4 cylinder engine, responsive 6-speed transmission, and enough gadgets (even this base model) to keep me occupied. If I were to buy one myself I'd opt for the Limited edition, which would include ammenities like power moon roof, leather/heated seats, dual climate control, fog lights, better wheels, etc. Even with every option on it, the Sonata comes in slightly under a comparably priced Malibu and significantly lower than a Fusion. The Sonata does not currently come in a V6, but to be honest I don't think I'd need it. I may WANT it but it really isn't necessary.

I will be looking for another Sonata on the lot this week when I pick up my car for sure.

2010 Nissan Versa

A few weeks ago there was a major shortage of "intermediate" and "full" sized vehicles at National , so I was left with either waiting for cars to be returned or taking what was available. My choices- a Toyota Yaris, a Hyundai Elantra and this Nissan Versa. I am not sure which was the best solution. The Versa might be one of the cheapest vehicles I have driven in a long time. I clearly have been spoiled by my most recent selections.

On the positive note, this car did have decent pickup for as small as it is, and the gas mileage was pretty decent for the week. That being said, I didn't like being on the freeways with the anemic engine and wished I had something bigger. It also had power locks and windows, one thing I know the Elantra does not have (at least the last time I got stuck with one).

I suppose if I were in the market for a very inexpensive, economical vehicle I would consider this one, but would want to find one with a few more bells and whistles. Maybe better interior trim and a better stereo would be nice.

Above all, it got me to and from work for the week, which is what a rental car is supposed to do. It just wasn't exactly stylish or comfortable.

2009 VW "New" Beetle

I arrived in Memphis around 1 AM on Tuesday, and was glad to find National was actually waiting for my arrival. When they dropped me off at the lot the politely apologized for the small number of cars, and informed me they had just taken over 200 Toyotas off the lot. There were 2 cars, and 2 of us needing them. The VW Beetle and a Chevrolet Colbalt were running and waiting for us. I immediately walked over to the VW and boy, am I happy I did.

FUN does not even begin to describe this car. I fell in love as soon as I got in and closed the door. The dash and controls were typical VW- clean lines, no fuss and very user friendly. The color was pretty cool too, a blend of blue and red LED.

The other words that come to mind for this car are FAST and TORQUE. I am truly amazed I didn't get a ticket this week. You put a 2.5 liter, 5-cylinder (150 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque) engine on a little sporty chassis and it is hard not to push the limits to see what it can do. The 6-speed automatic was very responsive, and the "Sport" setting was fun on the highway. The manual shift mode was a lot of fun too when I wanted to be a little playful.

The only things I noticed about this car I'd have to learn to deal with:
1. The back seat is ridiculously small. I got in just to see what it was like, and I am not a tall person; I barely fit.
2. The stereo was a little weak, and I didn't find an AUX input. I think they should be standard in the age of the iPod. One is available as an option for $130.
3. The back tail was tricky to close. I had to open and reclose it a few times. A light on the dash indicated when it was open, even though I couldn't pull it up it was not latched 100%. I really had to slam it sometimes to get it to close all the way.

Aside from the speedy and fun factor, what impressed me most was I used less gas this week than ever. Granted I used the car one less day, but I didn't need to stop and get gas before I returned the car, even with my "aggressive" driving from Tuesday night to Thursday afternoon. That included the trip to and from the airport on the freeway. Granted it was not as "FULL" as it was when I picked it up, but the needle was still on F so I got to skip the fuel pump on the way home.

The price for a 2010 model with the same features as the one I drove is $20,542. I'd add a sunroof and maybe the larger wheels, but even the base model has all the featurs I'd want. I love VW and this one certainly did not disappoint!

2010 GMC Terrain SLT

Talk about impressed! I was really happy to see this vehicle available on Monday morning. I jumped in and immediately felt that this compact SUV was going to be a nice drive for the week. I was correct.

The SLT1 version I drove had more bells and whistles than I would ever need, and I was very surprised with how loaded this vehicle was for a rental. The interior was beautiful too, the seating was a 2-tone leather with a red stitching that looked very stylish and sporty. The instrument panel was clear and easy to use, despite the many controls for the stereo, climate control and vehicle information. I did find myself turning the wrong dial for the fan and stereo volume on occasion. There was a volume control on the steering wheel, but the controls were very small to be used easily. I am sure if I owned this car I'd grow accustom to it.

The Terrain has a 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder engine. It was adequately powered for my in-town driving, and did not seem to have problems getting onto the freeway or passing when I needed the extra power. The 6-speed automatic was OK as well, however I tried the "manual" shift mode and was disappointed with its responsiveness. It was not at all like the Borrego that shifted immediately when you pressed the button. Instead the Terrain seemed to just be suggested by your commands and shifted when it wanted to anyway. Also, when you are at speed and shift into Manual the transmission automatically shifts down to 4.

The one feature I could do without was the backup camera. Maybe I would get used to it over time, but I found it to be easier to turn and look especially since I couldn't judge the distance of something behind me just by looking in the camera. I suppose it would be good for safety purposes, but I prefer the parking assist "beeping" that other cars have to the camera.

The Terrain has Remote Start, like most other GM vehicles. This was wonderful on the cold and frosty Memphis mornings. I simply started the car from my hotel room and the windows were clear and the heat was warm by the time I got downstairs. I think every car should have this feature!

The car's computer stated that it was getting 22.4 MPG average, but I feel like it used more gas than other cars. My refill on Thursday was slightly higher this week than in the past. The Ford with the larger V6 used less fuel. The Terrain is also available in a V6 for $1500 more than the standard engine. I wonder if my more 'aggressive' driving put more demand on the 4 and therefore effected the fuel economy.

The Terrain SLT-1 stickers for $28,500- certainly a great price and there are very few options available to drive the price any higher.

2010 Ford Flex SEL AWD

Another week in Memphis, another 7 passenger vehicle. This week I rented a Ford Flex, the second time I have driven this interesting vehicle from Ford.

The first Flex I drove was the 2009 model, and I don't think it was the SEL model, it may have been the SE.

This first impression of this car is "man this is BIG." The headroom was massive, and it felt like I was driving a living room. The suspension felt very soft and while very comfortable, it made for a very sluggish and almost boring ride. The 3.5 liter V6 felt decent, however, I'd love to see what this vehicle feels like with the EcoBoost that is now available.

The interior was nicely appointed, and the leather seats were very comfortable. The dash had more controls than are probably necessary, and the dials used to change the radio volume and the driver or passenger temperatures were nearly identical. I found myself reaching for the wrong dial more than once.

I did like the parking assist on this car. I went to the Memphis Grizzlies' game, and getting out of the parking lot was a lot easier thanks to the warning it gives when you nearly back into another car.

This model stickers for about $34k, and would go up to $40k for the EcoBoost. The next trim level up with all of the "bells and whistles" and AWD/EcoBoost is tops out at $43k.

2010 Kia Borrego LX

I have wanted to drive a Borrego for a while, and finally got the chance on my second full week trip to Memphis. It was sitting right next to a Chevrolet Traverse, but I decided to give the Borrego a shot. I am so glad that I did.

The LX model was nicely appointed, and though it had cloth seating, it still to have a bit more luxury to it than most cloth interiors.

The dashboard and controls were very modern and well laid out. I liked the clean feel and the red color reminded me of Audi or other premium cars.

What impressed me most about this car was the engine. The "base" 3.8 liter V6 had more than adequate power, and was coupled to a very responsive 5-speed automatic. I chose to try the 'manua' shift and was really impressed at how quickly it responded to my up or downshift commands.

The other thing that impressed me was how this big vehicle felt and drove much more like a car. It felt solid and connected to the road like none of the other cars have recently. I did notice a few minor details:

• The sound system sounded great when turned up very loud, but didn't at lower volumes. There didn't seem to be a "medium" in between. I either felt it was too loud or I could barely hear it. It did have speed responsive volume, maybe it was turned up too high.
• There was a rattling sound that took me 2 days to find- the second row seat was not fully latched, and it drove me nuts. It was hard to get it to latch right, I wonder if a previous renter broke it or if it was always a bit off. This is the second car that I have had problems with a 2nd row access to the 3rd row.

Overall I was very, very impressed by this vehicle. The model I drove stickers in the $26k range, and for just $3k more would include 4x4 drive. Even upgrading to the EX model with 4WD keeps the car under $30k. If I were to purchase one, it would be the EX so I could get a few more items like leather and a sunroof.

2010 Dodge Journey SXT

The first week long trip to Memphis started off with renting a 2010 Dodge Journey. Once again, I was udnerwhelmed by the sparse interior of the vehicle, much like the 300.

This is the first 7-passenger vehicle I rented. I didn't need the seating, but it was available so I grabbed it.

The engine felt adequate, but certainly nothing to get excited about. A few things bothered me about this car:

• The driver's door felt like it didn't open wide enough for me to get in and out of easily, there was just something odd about it.
• I was going to drive 4 other people to lunch one day, since I had seating for 7. We had real trouble getting the second row to move forward to give access to the third row, so difficult that 2 people chose to drive in a different vehicle.
• The transmission felt like it could never decide what gear to be in, it up/downshifted so much I finally used the "Autostick" feature to shift it myself.

I started to notice that this car has a lot of storage compartments throughout, including under the front passenger's seat. I thought that was a pretty nice feature especially for someone that might drive a lot for work, or for families that take a lot of road trips.

This Journey was the "SXT" trim level, which meant it 3.5 liter V6 and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Maybe the 6-speed was one too many. The cloth seats were comfortable, and the driver's seat had power adjusting which I always like. This car's sticker is in the $24,500 range, not too bad for a bigger crossover with 3 rows of seating. I probably wouldn't buy a Journey, but might consider renting one while we are on vacation sometime and need the extra space.

2010 Chevrolet Impala LTZ

My second trip was a 3 hour drive to Pittsburgh for a meeting at my company's headquarters.  The National location at the Columbus, OH airport was nearly empty that day, and I was once again disappointed in the selection of vehicles. This location did not include the LTZ models in the Executive selection, and the section was full of HHR's, a car I'd rather be hit by than drive. I convinced the nice woman behind the counter to let me take the beautiful black Impala LTZ.

The first Impala I drove was a year ago, when I rented an 2009 SS model in Miami. Say what you like, that was a hot car. Chevrolet decided to drop that trim level for 2010.

I have rented a few Malibus in the last year, and noticed that Chevrolet was still using an "older" look and layout of their previous models. The features were more sophisticated than the 300, but not as sharp as I'd expect for the "top of the line" for Chevrolet.

The engine (a 3.9 litre V6) had plenty of power, and I felt more than adequate OOMPH getting onto the freeways when necessary. The XM radio (Bose no less) sounded amazing, and the heated leather seats were great on the cold winter day.

The second day of the rental was my favorite. It had snowed heavily overnight, and I was able to start the car remotely from inside of the hotel. It started, turned the heat and rear defroster on, and was toasty warm when I went outside. This is a feature I could get really used to having.

I estimate that this model would retail around $30k, not bad for the features.

2010 Chrysler 300 Touring

My first trip to Memphis was for a short visit, just in and out for one day. I only had this car for one day, but it was enough for me to form some clear opinions. When I arrived at the National site I was disappointed in the selection of vehicles. Luckily I have 'executive' status and could chose nearly any car on the lot. That being said, the 300 was the "best" car left.

I first noticed the 300 when it came out in 2004; it had a distinct look and certainly turned heads. That being said, the look is beginning to be a bit played out, but it is still a stylish vehicle. There were a few to choose from, all were the "Touring" trim level, but the black one was the one I chose.

The looks on the outside were as stylish as I expected, though I know better wheels, fog lights and other exterior features are available on the higher trim levels. I got into the car and was immediately surprised by the sparse dashboard. I have been in other Mopar vehicles lately, and this looked and felt just like the others. The seating was not very comfortable, and only adjusted 8 ways (with power).

Leaving the airport area and getting onto Route 240 was less than easy- I thought I was going to have to get out and push the car to get it going onto the highway. It really felt like the car was vastly underpowered for its size and weight. The Touring model has a 2.7 litre V6. One would hope that the 3.5 HO is better. I have experience with the 5.7 Hemi, and know that this car would fare much better with that powerhouse.

The 300 has a standard 4-speed automatic, and is front engine/rear drive. It felt balanced but overall much heavier than it should. Aside from the lacking power, it felt sluggish to respond to cornering and turning.

The base 300 stickers for $28k, but for one with a better engine and more "stuff" you'd have to fork out $32k for "Signature Series" model, ($34 with AWD) and it can go north of $49k for the "Executive" series. Seems a bit steep for a Chrysler.