iluvdoco

2017 Audi A4. Handles superbly

MissJ

Where did you see one for rent? That would be a nice find but I've never encountered an Audi on the aisle.

Putnik

Well, I picked up a turbo Mustang. So far it's fun to drive but I haven't taken it on any canyon roads yet.
I'll try to look for a 370Z next time.

DonCarpenter

The turbo Mustang is superb. One of the best aisle cars.

Closingracer

Meh they are ok. Personally if I had to choose I'll either take a V6 base model (2018 it's a base i4 turbo) or a V8

MissJ

I actually did not like the Mustang at all. Maybe it's because I'm used to driving a RWD sportscar that weighs 500+ lbs less than it, but all of the current pony cars just feel fat to me.

TravelTheWorld66

I recently rented a Nissan Maxima and was surprised by how well it handled.

yeeeeperdiems

Maxima is actually pretty great for what it really is: a poor man's 5 series (NOT a "4-door sports car" no matter how much Nissan's marketing team tries to tell you otherwise). The SV trim has almost everything a 528i/530i has, on top of a more powerful engine. The only things against are the fact that it is a FWD, and the stupid CVT.

cyclogenesis

Had this once on a trip to Boulder (at DEN). That was fun.

Closingracer

The CVT in the maxima is the best CVT avaliable IMHO. It's not that bad.... I'll take it over any crysler automatic.

Putnik

I took the Mustang up to Angeles Crest Highway, it didn't feel as tossable as my WRX, but I didn't try to push it too much due to roads being wet and maybe even icy in places. The car has Track mode which disables Traction Control when turned on.
So far it's OK, the visibility out of it a lot better than both the Camaro and the Challenger especially around C pillar.

I rented a Maxima in Bay Area back in december, it was fun to drive, and the only problem was that it was too big.

ZestJDM

I had a 2015 WRX Limited and honestly, no other cars can beat WRX when it comes to handling.

National's fleet do offer a great variety of cars but nothing close to WRX. Mazda3 would be a good choice, I've seen a couple 2017 sedan model lately at SNA and ONT. Nissan Maxima is powerful but a bit too big for canyons. If there's Infiniti Q50 in the aisle, I would give it a try. At least it's RWD with 3.0 turbo engine.

For canyon roads, Angeles Crest Highway is the most famous one. Malibu area has tons of canyons (Decker Rd, Yerba Buena Rd, and Mulholland Hwy) If you are willing to travel far, Hwy18/138 to Lake Arrowhead and Hwy 243/74 to Idyllwild are both fun with fewer traffic. I personally like Glendora Mountain Road, the tight and twisty turns are made for cars like WRX.

Putnik

Mine is a Limited too, with 6 speed manual , of course.

I've done part of Angeles Crest Highway on Wednesday after work. I've done 74 from the 5 all the way to Desert Springs, I've also done 243 back in January in a Camaro and 300C. Last weekend, I did CA39, Glendora and Mount Baldy road in a Chrysler 300C. I've done Mullholland too in a Camaro. Turnbull Canyon Whittier is also fun, if a bit short.

Closingracer

The Q50 also has the base 2.0t engine which I've seen more of

strickerj

Well, since others here are suggesting premium and luxury cars rather than just the typical aisle choices, I'll suggest the Cadillac ATS. I haven't driven one, but its ride and handling balance has been universally praised by the automotive media (much the way the BMW 3 series used to be), and I also own a 6th-gen Camaro which uses the same platform.

Also, a Camaro coupe would be a good choice, but I think that's been mentioned already.
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