Rental Car Reviews

[kevm14]

You forgot to add that it also traps 100, which is well into entry lux car segment.

[Bob]

Yes, It traps 100 and feels strong doing so.

[Bob]

Car: 2016 Nissan Maxima
Date Rented: 4/9/16
Location Rented: PWM
Rental Company: National
Powertrain: 300 HP 3.5L V6 with CVT
Highs: Fast on the highway. More fun to drive than a lot of the other FWD premium class cars. Nav is standard. Looks good in person. Nice interior.
Lows: Not that quick from a standing start (not sure if the CVT is to blame here). Cloth interior in a PCAR???
Fun facts: When I was picking it up, I asked what year it was because I didn't really want the '15. The lady at the counter said, "it's a 1997."
Other notable cars available: I wasn't offered anything else (PWM is not an Aisle location)
Would I rent again? Yes

I just wanted to write a short follow up review. I recently took my in-laws to visit Washington DC and I flew there and drove home because that was the most efficient use of my frequent flyer miles and rental car free days. I had a reservation for a premium car at DCA to drive home. When I got there, the selection was pretty limited. I spoke to the attendant and told her I had a reservation for a premium car. She asked whether I was returning to DCA and I said no. I had a feeling she was about to offer me the Lincoln MKZ that was sitting there as an upgrade but then decided against it when she saw I was going to CLT. She said "you can have either the Lacrosse or the Maxima." To me, those two are almost a tossup. The Lacrosse has Apple CarPlay, but the Maxima has standard NAV. I think the Maxima is a little more pleasing dynamically, but the Lacrosse is a little more refined. I went with the Maxima and I wasn't disappointed. I averaged 32 MPG (according to trip computer) on my way back to CLT, which is probably better than the Lacrosse would have done on the same trip. I will say there is something wrong with the Maxima's off the line performance. I am not sure if they are limiting torque to save the CVT or for emissions, but it feels weak from a standing start when you consider how fast it is from a roll. Otherwise, this is a pleasing car for a drive like this.

[Bob]

Car: 2016 Chevy Camaro 1LT
Date Rented: 2/24/16
Location Rented: LAX
Rental Company: National
Powertrain: 335 HP 3.6L V6 with 8A
Highs: Less than 500 miles on it when I picked it up. Powertrain is responsive and likes to rev. This car is as fast as an LS1 4th gen. Manual mode on auto rev matches decently, although still isn't up the Mazda6 standard of excellence. Chassis feels sophisticated and brakes are good. Steering feel is also good. Apple CarPlay improves the rental experience a lot for me.
Lows: Tramlining a bit of an issue on less than perfect pavement. It still wasn't as much fun as the NC Miata in the Canyon roads, although I am sure it was faster. Visibility out of the back still poor. I feel like the car should look significantly different given how significant the improvements are over the previous generation.
Fun facts: What can I say that hasn't already been said? Maybe cylinder deactivation that allows it to switch into V4 mode. Manual shifting allows you to ride the rev limiter, which is up around 7300!
Other notable cars available: Infiniti QX60, Lincoln MKX, Chrysler 300C, Challenger. I wish I could rent from the LAX National every time because their selection is always so broad.
Would I rent again? Yes!

Update review: rented another one of these and I'm happy to report it's still good. The chassis is way better than the 2015 I rented recently. It just feels so much more agile and the steering feel is much better.

[kevm14]

Which makes me curious how you would feel about an FE4 SS (all 2012+) and the 1LE. Neither will be rental cars. The Gen 5 V6 was not super dialed in.

[Bob]

I took the Camaro on this road: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OceC983Z4e8 Please excuse the poor choice of car and music. I have to say the V6 feels balanced and has plenty of power for a tight twisty road like this. Not sure if the experience would be more fun in the SS (although highway roll-ons certainly would be).

[Bob]

One small thing that I like much better in the 2016 Camaro than the 2015 is the steering wheel. The wheel in the 2016 is much smaller and has a flat bottom. Also, it probably doesn't hurt that feel is better. This is just one example of GM getting the little details right.

[Bob]

Photos

[kevm14]

You could almost accuse this car of having bland GM styling from the side and rear. You could say 5 spoke wheels are timeless but here it seems a little boring. Meanwhile, the Mustang is considerably more busy. I think it is a preference thing, and I like the simplicity of the Camaro. It goes well with the lean and taut Alpha platform underpinnings, imo.

[Bob]

I will say I prefer the looks of the new Mustang, but I like the way the Camaro drives better, particularly when you push it hard. Both cars feel pretty good at 5/10ths, but the Camaro really shines when driven harder, whereas I feel the Mustang starts to feel a bit sloppy.