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New Impala - "It's not an F Car"

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Old Mar 30, 2015, 8:59 pm
  #1  
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New Impala - "It's not an F Car"

What's the story with the new Impala's....

I get the same sham line from every station that it's not an F car... blah blah blah. But the last few rentals I've gotten with them, it says "F" right on the key.

More class creep?
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Old Mar 30, 2015, 9:12 pm
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According to the sticky post at the top of the forum, it can be a F/YF car.

Full Size 4 Door (F, FCAR/FSAR)

Chevrolet Impala (-'13)/Impala Limited ('14) F, YF FCAR
Chevrolet Impala (2014+) F, YF, G FCAR (LS and LT trims)
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Old Mar 30, 2015, 10:56 pm
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Originally Posted by pr0digy25
What's the story with the new Impala's....

I get the same sham line from every station that it's not an F car... blah blah blah. But the last few rentals I've gotten with them, it says "F" right on the key.

More class creep?
My key tag also said F on a nearly new - plated & registered in February 2015 - Impala this month at MCO (on a C reservation). But it showed G on the PDF email.
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Old Mar 31, 2015, 8:39 am
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"New" is a relative term. Last weekend I had a relatively new Impala (2015, >3k miles) but it was the old styled "fleet" Impala which is still in production. It was tagged as YF

I am not sure about Hertz but at Budget the new redesigned Impala that is available on the consumer market now is tagged premium alongside the Ford Taurus!

I wouldn't be surprised if Hertz is keeping the old fleet versions in F and the new fancy ones in G.
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Old Mar 31, 2015, 9:15 am
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The 'new' Impala is also classed Premium at National, and has been from the start.
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Old Mar 31, 2015, 1:04 pm
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Originally Posted by 3Cforme
The 'new' Impala is also classed Premium at National, and has been from the start.
And the old Impala is still a full size.
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Old Mar 31, 2015, 2:01 pm
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There's a huge difference between the new "real" Impala (one of the best cars the US has ever produced) and the "fleet" Impala (which is somewhat, but not much, better than the Dodge Avenger).
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Old Mar 31, 2015, 6:40 pm
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There must be a specialty production line at GM that is making the "new" old-style (Detective Car) Impala just for the RAC agencies.

Nothing peeves me off more is having the counter tell me the Impala they are offering is the new body style and you walk half way back to the airport only to find out it's the undercover cop car body.
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Old Mar 31, 2015, 9:10 pm
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Originally Posted by cestmoi123
There's a huge difference between the new "real" Impala (one of the best cars the US has ever produced) and the "fleet" Impala (which is somewhat, but not much, better than the Dodge Avenger).
Having just driven for a week one of the loaded new Impala's, I'd say it's a nice car. Certainly nothing close to one of the best cars the U.S. or even GM has ever produced. I prefer it over having to drive a Maxima ever again, though.
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Old Apr 1, 2015, 9:00 am
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On a related note has the Impala's smaller brother, the Malibu gotten any physically "bigger"? That used to be classed as Mid-Size at Hertz and now it's a "Full-Size".
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Old Apr 1, 2015, 9:33 am
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Originally Posted by pr0digy25
On a related note has the Impala's smaller brother, the Malibu gotten any physically "bigger"? That used to be classed as Mid-Size at Hertz and now it's a "Full-Size".
Chevy Malibu has never been a C. It's been a D in the past but an F for quite sometime now.
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Old Apr 1, 2015, 10:40 am
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I am driving one 2015 Impala 2LT, the V6. It says "F" on the key tag, but at the counter they told me it is "G" class...

Maybe they will keep this until the undercover cop model is gone.

The car itself is awesome, the engine is a blast, really fast for a 3500 lbs plus car, and the sound of it will just make you smile.

The interior is very good.

The electric steering is very good, the same tech from the Camaro, very pleasant in parking and at the highway.

The only things are the ugliest ever steering wheel I have ever seen, but that is just cosmetics.

This car would be perfect with a RWD though...

I'd say GM itself made this car a lot more Premium that the previous model, not just a new model but a different category.
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Old Apr 1, 2015, 12:54 pm
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I believe it started as an "F" when if first came out but class creeped to a "G" as it is much different than the Impala limited. Most other rental car agencies have it as a Premium vehicle so this brings it more in line with those. An LTZ is worthy of a premium car label IMO... a 2LT not so much although it is border line depending.
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Old Apr 1, 2015, 4:43 pm
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While I personally don't like the 2014+ Impala (Although I admit it's a nice car), I have to say that they are nicer than the Maximas (Most of which have cloth seats and no options). I had a 2014 "Real" Impala LTZ twice a while back as YF, now my last rental was a LT trim (not sure 1LT or 2LT) and a G.
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Old Apr 2, 2015, 5:43 pm
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They have been transitioning them to G. They have been PCAR at National since they were introduced IIRC. Not sure what Avis is doing with them.

Yes, a class creep, but so is the Maxima, LaCrosse, Avalon... Sonic, Versa, Fiesta, Fusion, Chrysler 200, Avenger... I could go on and on. Such is the status quo. I have learned to live with it

-J.
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