While the Ford Tortoise—er
Taurus—will remain in production for Hertz (and other rental companies), the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego are the replacement models for the general public and, as such, are also appearing in the Hertz rental fleet.
My vehicle was the Mercury Montego Luxury Edition, but other then trim, the car is identical to the Ford Five Hundred.
Montego HomePage
Ford Five Hundred
The Montego and Five Hundred are both classified as YF - Specialty Fullsize.
Both vehicles come with a 3.0 liter DOHC V6 generating 203hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. While these numbers are the same as the pushrod Duratec V6 in the Taurus, this engine is much more willing to rev and will rev higher. The engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission which is quite happy to kick-down when necesary and is pretty smooth in shifting. Mileage on the highway with AC on was 25mpg.
The ride is "floaty", but not horribly so. The 17" wheels help with the handling, which is decent enough but not "sporty" by any measure. ABS is standard and my car came with TC. Braking is quite good.
This car is king for rear-seat legroom. Even with the front seat all the way back, rear knee room is excellent. However, for long-legged drivers (I am 6'2"), the legroom is tight. My right knee had to rest against the wide center stack and that quickly became uncomfortable. I'm not sure I could do 100-200 miles in this seat without a pillow or something. There is a true dead-pedal, so my left leg didn't rub against anything.
The steering wheel is large and leather-wrapped, though there is no cushioning over the plastic underneath. Fortunately, you have many places to move your hands when they start to cramp. Cruise and radio controls are on the wheel, as is the trip computer controls.
The radio is AM/FM/CD and sounds decent enough for a factory deck. My car came with cloth seats and Neverlost. I have seen Five Hundreds with leather and moonroof, so Hertz seems to be getting a mix of vehicles. The driver seat is six-way power with manual lumbar and backrest.
If you are hauling four big people, these cars have as much interior room as a Grand Marquis/Crown Victoria and get better mileage. I'd still pick an Impala if I had to travel some distance, and a Camry SE if it was just me. But it is a nicer and more comfortable ride than the Taurus.