I arrived in SFO on an early morning flight and noticed my name on the #1 Club Gold board at the Hertz pickup level.
After deciding I wanted something different than the Toyota Camry with NeverLost waiting in my stall, I decided to spend a little extra and was presented with a 2006 Dodge Charger R/T with 6 miles on the odometer.
How I got it: $10/day upgrade from class F
Vehicle Class: H (according to keychain)
Dodge Charger page:
http://www.dodge.com/charger/home_static.html
5.7-liter HEMIŪ V8 engine with MDS
340 horsepower, 390 lb-ft of torque
Five-speed AutoStickŪ transmission
18-inch ultra-bright aluminum wheels
Power:
Due to the Hemi engine, power was very strong, especially off the line. The throttle response was excellent and you sort of needed a steady foot when driving in city traffic with all that torque.
Ride/Handling:
The ride was very comfortable and the first thing I noticed when I started leaving the Hertz lot was how quiet it was. The noise picked up under hard acceleration, but it was a pleasant sound. I think the car's size will hurt if you needed to do some emergency maneuvers, though. The brakes are strong.
Interior:
The Charger was equipped with Sirius satellite radio, but I didn't get to test it out. I've been recently taking my own Sirius receiver and antenna with me, so it hasn't really mattered if the vehicles I rent have it or not. The interior had a lot of plastic, but it was soft to the touch and the audio cluster looked very minimalist. I liked the cool blue color of the dash when the headlights were turned on.
Overall:
I really liked driving this car around. I can say that it will become my second favorite rental next to the Infiniti G35. I've heard good things about the Audi A6, but have been unable to secure one.
Everyone that saw the car on when I was parking it commented on how nice it looked. I also enjoyed showing the Hertz return agents the car upon my return, much like when we checked out one of the new model Mustangs when they just came out. However, I never got the chance to say those favorite words to anyone- "Yeah, it's got a Hemi!"
