Rental Car thread

[Morris Minor]

Reserved a hybrid Avis rental, & they allocated a Wrangler hybrid. Worthless for Bay Area driving.

So I switched to a 2023 CX-5 - it was convenient and at the top of the list in the app. It's a 2023 - non-turbo. Nice car with the minor gripes of my '21 fixed. Not as highly specced as mine but all I miss are the vented seats. The lack of turbo means it's more refined, quieter, and uses less gas. The lower power & torque numbers are only noticed on the freeway.

Based on this, if going for a CX-5, I'd choose whichever is the highest trim you can get with a naturally aspirated engine. 

[veeman]

I'm in San Diego and reserved a Chrysler 300 as usual. In rental car speak, this falls under premium or luxury car.  Avis offered a Cadillac CT5. Sweet. I've always wanted to drive a Cadillac sedan. The last one I did was in the late 1980s when I sometimes drove my uncle/aunt's Cadillac Seville. 

This is a RWD Turbo 4 cylinder version.

Pros: Looks fantastic design wise. I find it a really good looking car and you don't see that many on the road. Sport mode is still a good ride and the enhanced engine sound is not overly intrusive. Handles well at normal speeds. Auto climate control works well and automatically heats or cools the seats for you. Can easily turn off auto start stop by a physical button. Has apple car play. Best heated and ventilated seats I've ever sat in. They're very comfortable and supportive.

Cons: It's not that fast off the line (but I have the base model engine). It's plenty fast enough for what I want. The interior, other than the seats, is nothing special. Kind of more mainstreamer brand grade. Doesn't have auto folding side view mirrors or surround vision camera which I would expect in a Cadillac, even base model (especially auto folding side view mirrors). 

Overall I really like this car as a long distance cruiser. It looks really good and the seats are fantastic. It's also priced cheaper than the German luxury brands. I'd still choose a Chrysler 300 over it because I like bigger cars as long distance cruisers but this car did not disappoint.

Comparing apples to oranges, I like my Kia EV6 much better as a car to own for local travel. Can't compare with lack of NVH and instant torque of the Kia.   

[Morris Minor]

I'm in San Diego and reserved a Chrysler 300 as usual. In rental car speak, this falls under premium or luxury car.  Avis offered a Cadillac CT5. Sweet. I've always wanted to drive a Cadillac sedan. The last one I did was in the late 1980s when I sometimes drove my uncle/aunt's Cadillac Seville. 

This is a RWD Turbo 4 cylinder version.

Pros: Looks fantastic design wise. I find it a really good looking car and you don't see that many on the road. Sport mode is still a good ride and the enhanced engine sound is not overly intrusive. Handles well at normal speeds. Auto climate control works well and automatically heats or cools the seats for you. Can easily turn off auto start stop by a physical button. Has apple car play. Best heated and ventilated seats I've ever sat in. They're very comfortable and supportive.

Cons: It's not that fast off the line (but I have the base model engine). It's plenty fast enough for what I want. The interior, other than the seats, is nothing special. Kind of more mainstreamer brand grade. Doesn't have auto folding side view mirrors or surround vision camera which I would expect in a Cadillac, even base model (especially auto folding side view mirrors). 

Overall I really like this car as a long distance cruiser. It looks really good and the seats are fantastic. It's also priced cheaper than the German luxury brands. I'd still choose a Chrysler 300 over it because I like bigger cars as long distance cruisers but this car did not disappoint.

Comparing apples to oranges, I like my Kia EV6 much better as a car to own for local travel. Can't compare with lack of NVH and instant torque of the Kia. 

Is that the 2.7L? 

[veeman]

Is that the 2.7L?

It's a 2.0 L turbocharged I4 (237 hp)

[veeman]

Took the Cadillac CT5 rental from San Diego to Las Vegas Friday late afternoon. A lot of traffic and slow speeds for half the drive. Took 6 plus hours. I've changed my mind about the Cadillac.  I like it better as a long distance cruiser than the Chrysler 300.  The seats are the most comfortable and supportive I've ever sat in, the ride and handling at normal cruising speeds in sport mode is fantastic, and the adaptive cruise control works great. It didn't have GM's super cruise so the steering was only in my control but I didn't have to press the brakes much even in stop and go traffic. Only when a car or truck was trying to merge in front of me and was dithering half in my lane would the adaptive cruise control get confused and I'd have to manually hit the brakes. I also liked the warning low pitched buzzing on my backside the car gave me when my car was out of lane, I was going too fast and there was a stopped car in front of me, I was making a lane change with a car in my blind side, or if I was in reverse and there was a pedestrian or car behind me. 

The turbo I4 doesn't sound buzzy at all. Online mag reviews complain about the power of the base turbo 4 engine. It was good enough for me.   

[Morris Minor]

While the CX-5 is in the body shop, this is the rental. Other end of the spectrum from the lively CUV. But I see the appeal.

It's the SR5 w/ cloth seats. Kinda miss a power liftgate and auto climate control but I could live with it.

Edit: this thing drinks lots of petrol.

[Morris Minor]

This thing, 270 hp 4.0L, does not have enough torques: 278 lb-ft.
It cries for a diesel, a good fit for the rugged body-on frame 4Runner. Second choice would be a smaller displacement gasoline turbo.

(My little CX-5's 2.5 turbo has 256 hp & 320 torques on premium gas)

[AutobahnSHO]

Ouch, at 4400+ lbs needs much motor....

[CaminoRacer]

Yeah the V6 in the Tacoma/4runner needs too much RPM to make power. And then at least in the Tacoma they pair it with long gearing which is the opposite of what it needs. If I bought a Taco, a shorter axle ratio would be mod #1.

[giant_mtb]

Yeah the V6 in the Tacoma/4runner needs too much RPM to make power. And then at least in the Tacoma they pair it with long gearing which is the opposite of what it needs. If I bought a Taco, a shorter axle ratio would be mod #1.

Can confirm.

Coupled with the cruise control programming that is (still) garbage...constantly hunting gears as it waits too long to downshift and then upshifts again too early.  I'll put mine in 4th gear in manual mode for certain uphill sections so it just stays there and doesn't see-saw me between 5th and 4th.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Just get a 5.7L iForce V8. Everything you want, and more.

[FoMoJo]

Just get a 5.7L iForce V8. Everything you want, and more.

Yes, more gas.  The quicker we use it up, the better for humanity.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Yes, more gas.  The quicker we use it up, the better for humanity.

+1

Use it up in a V8. Don't waste it in a V6.

[Morris Minor]

If I were to have one of these it would be the Lexus GX version with the V8 & more twiddly comfort bits. There will be some good deals as the Lexus stealerships offload them ready for the 3rd gen.

[Eye of the Tiger]

If I were to have one of these it would be the Lexus GX version with the V8 & more twiddly comfort bits. There will be some good deals as the Lexus stealerships offload them ready for the 3rd gen.

Sometimes, I wish TUNDRA was a GX. I am getting old and everything hurts. I need a plush ride and luxurious things.

[FoMoJo]

+1

Use it up in a V8. Don't waste it in a V6.

Honestly, I would love to have a V8, preferably a late '60s 289 HiPo.  The one in my Tiger got 12 mpg no matter how I drove it; pretty sure even when it was just sitting idling.  It made a lovely hissing/slurping sound through the carburetor. 

[Eye of the Tiger]

Honestly, I would love to have a V8, preferably a late '60s 289 HiPo.  The one in my Tiger got 12 mpg no matter how I drove it; pretty sure even when it was just sitting idling.  It made a lovely hissing/slurping sound through the carburetor. 

MPG doesn't matter when you're awesome.

[Submariner2]

MPG doesn't matter when you're awesome.

More
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Excitement for the Great ones

[Morris Minor]

MPG doesn't matter when you're awesome.

The 4Runner's wheezy V6 is getting around 13 mpg on these roads. I doubt the GX's V8 so much worse that it would actually matter.

The use case for this thing is for dirt and rough roads in 2nd & 3rd world countries. Or a farm or ranch in the USA. But for the US you'd be buying 'murrican - poverty spec Tahoe or something.

[FoMoJo]

MPG doesn't matter when you're awesome.

What transmission (how many speeds) doe the Tundra have?

[Eye of the Tiger]

The 4Runner's wheezy V6 is getting around 13 mpg on these roads. I doubt the GX's V8 so much worse that it would actually matter.

The use case for this thing is for dirt and rough roads in 2nd & 3rd world countries. Or a farm or ranch in the USA. But for the US you'd be buying 'murrican - poverty spec Tahoe or something.

Tundra gets 15-16 MPG in mixed driving.

[Eye of the Tiger]

What transmission (how many speeds) doe the Tundra have?

6-speed auto, and whatever axle ratio comes with the TRD.

[FoMoJo]

6-speed auto, and whatever axle ratio comes with the TRD.

How many are overdrive?

[Eye of the Tiger]

How many are overdrive?

1: 3.333
2: 1.960
3: 1.353
4: 1.000
5: 0.728
6: 0.588
R: 2.070

axles are 4.30

[FoMoJo]

1: 3.333
2: 1.960
3: 1.353
4: 1.000
5: 0.728
6: 0.588
R: 2.070

axles are 4.30

Looks like a work truck.  Bit of a "lurch" between 1st and 2nd, but cruising in 6th should be fairly economical, with a gentle foot.

[Morris Minor]

4Runner for comparison.
1st:   3.52
2nd:   2.04
3rd:   1.40
4th:   1.00
5th:   0.72
R:     3.22
Axles: 3.73

[Eye of the Tiger]

Looks like a work truck.  Bit of a "lurch" between 1st and 2nd, but cruising in 6th should be fairly economical, with a gentle foot.

Oh yeah, 1st gear is also quite jumpy with between the  truck gearing, truck torque, and on/off throttle response. Traction control to the rescue. Still 16 MPG.

[MrH]

I'm out in Phoenix for the week, just for vacation. Booked a small crossover at Enterprise. They offered me multiple Jeep Cherokees, but I declined until they finally offered a Mazda CX-30. It's a great little car.

Mazda is 100% right about infotainment. The screen is wide, and up in your line of sight. Rotary dial is the way, touch screens suck

[CaminoRacer]

Yeah I always liked Mazdas system. BMW is pretty similar. Some people complain about the knob for CarPlay but I think it works well for that too

[CALL_911]

I'm out in Phoenix for the week, just for vacation. Booked a small crossover at Enterprise. They offered me multiple Jeep Cherokees, but I declined until they finally offered a Mazda CX-30. It's a great little car.

Mazda is 100% right about infotainment. The screen is wide, and up in your line of sight. Rotary dial is the way, touch screens suck

Yeah they're great