As a frequent business traveler and a Hertz Gold Member I've had my share of Fusions, Mustangs and Tauruses (Taurii?). On a recent trip to the Bay Area I was surprised to see a utility-company-white 2006 Toyota RAV4 parked in space #312 at San Jose's Norman Y. Mineta International Airport. My company requires employees to rent at least a midsize vehicle, and occasionally Hertz has upgraded me to a full-size SUV or convertible. I guess this is one of the few times one could classify a mini-SUV as a midsize vehicle.

My usual routine is always to toss my luggage in the trunk of the car, which invariably leads to my first impressions of my ride for the week. The RAV4 has a wide, side-swinging tailgate that would have been easy to open had it not been for a Ford Taurus parked just inches behind. The low floor made loading luggage a snap, but judging from the number of deep gouges in the bumper, prior renters found it easier to drag their Samsonites across the threshold. A bumper guard would be a wise investment for those committed to a long-term relationship with the RAV4.

My second impression (not Toyota's fault) came via the untold number of renters granted driving privileges for this particular RAV4 previously. I wondered how a vehicle with less than 9000 miles on it could smell like an orangutan's armpit during an Indonesian summer. I had a 45-minute drive and a meeting with a boss in 30, so the visit to the Hertz rental counter had to wait.

I quickly made myself familiar with interior controls, specifically the power windows and the climate control system. The tilt/telescope steering wheel and manual adjusting seats were easy to use, and the overall interior layout echoed generations of Toyota ergonomics and sensibility. The windows are large and made one feel as if the seating position is higher than what it actually is.

My only complaints were with the small lettering on the dashboard gauges and a less than effective drink holder. The tiny print used on the gauges reflected the mini-SUV theme, but my travel-weary eyes found it difficult to focus on. A trip to In-N-Out Burger evetually confirmed my suspicion that the cup holders, while large enough to hold a large chocolate shake, did a poor job of keeping smaller drinks steady; more than once did I play catch with my drink while on the road.

The 16-valve four-banger is zippy and eager. Pulling onto the 101 Freeway was a snap and it provided ample cruising and passing power when needed. The ride was a different story. While low-speed maneuvers required little effort, the RAV4 became squirrelly at highway speeds. Bucking and bouncing over the grooved highways and wavy local roads confirmed recent news reports that California's roadways are the worst in the nation. The RAV4 would probably be great for those with a short commute, but Dramamine is required for anyone taking a road trip.

Despite its broncoesque ride and indecipherable gauges, the RAV4 was a welcome change from the typical midsized rental. The surprisingly roomy interior and sporty appearance makes city driving a breeze but anything longer than a short commute would be a boon to chiropractors everywhere. Perhaps next time Hertz will upgrade me to something from the Hertz "Fun" Collection (Shelby GT-H anyone?) – Gene Manuel

Send all rental-car reachrounds to tips@jalopnik.com.

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Jalopnik Rental-Car Reacharound, Short Form: The Shelby Mustang GT-H [internal]

What do you get when you stick an Englishman behind the wheel of a berzerker German interpretation of an iconic American adaptation of a British sports car? How do you handle an English country lane in roadster with 12.9 liters of V8 (780 ci) under the hood, a billet crankshaft the size of Martin Short and more torque than the 7th Armored Division? Do they even make wheels (that aren't steel and set atop rails) that can handle nearly 1,300 ft.-lbs of torque? So many questions. PistonHeads' Ian Kuah has some of the answers. [Thanks to CJ for the tip.]

Weineck Cobra [PistonHeads]

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Feckin' Feck!: Weineck 708ci Cobra [internal]

On a recent trip to Reno, I was "upgraded" to a 2007 Dodge Caliber by the good folks at Enterprise. (Having reserved an economy-class car, I was surprised that they would call the Caliber something other than that.) Approaching the car, my wife actually said it was "cute." I was expecting her to hate it, given Dodge itself calls the Caliber "Anything But Cute." I thought she'd much prefer the curvier Jeep Compass (which essentially is Pat to the Caliber's Hans and/or Franz). Fortunately, they didn't have a Jeep Compass on the lot.

There's plenty of shrinky-dink Dodge Magnum in the Caliber's looks, especially evident in the chopped roofline. It's a welcome change from the jellybean-like styling of the Neon. There certainly are plenty of lines to admire, if you're into lines.

The cockpit features pretty plasticky surroundings, which are cool looking in a low-budget, "Battlestar Galactica" kind of way. The center dash is finished in matte silver, which surrounds the stereo, HVAC and a series of cubby holes. The gauges are a gloss white with bright orange needles (an art-deco egg timer springs to mind). It was sort of distracting at first, since it didn't seem to fit with the rest of the design themes. These have an Indiglo light-up look at night, and the cup holders in the front light up like that too. Nice touch.

Be wary of the rear hatch; it goes for the KO every time you open it. I don't know if it was just this car with super powerful door lifters, but the Caliber's got a mean uppercut. The 3.5mm socket in the stereo helps avoid FM adapters while you rock out to Steely Dan on your iPod. The rear seats looked a little cramped, but actually weren't too awful. The 60/40 split is always good if you have a bunch of crap with you, and the Caliber back seats fold completely flat behind the fronts. They also have a tough plastic backing on them, so no fabric to wear down or rip.

This SXT-packaged car I had was equipped with the 2.0 liter four and the CVT transmission. I thought it revved a little too much under normal driving, but it would sit at about 3000 rpm doing 85. It accelerates well enough, but it's not really a blast to drive. It handles competently and feels comfy at highway speed, but that's the problem, comfy is as exciting as it gets. It doesn't beg you to drive it like it's rented. It just sort of goes where you point it and doesn't complain. However, making several trips over highway 80 and the Donner Pass, between Reno and Sacramento, I averaged 30 mpg. I was thinking it would return worse mileage numbers every time I filled up, but I was always wrong.

In the end, I think this is a great rental car, mostly because of things like the utility of the interior, the iPod plug-in and the better than expected gas mileage. If you're looking to buy, I'd say pass it up for a Honda Fit, or wait for the SRT-4 and get your hoon on. [by Tyler]

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Jalopnik Rental-car Reacharound: 2006 Mercury Milan [internal]

Our mild obsession with / jealousy of Australians' access to muscle cars continues with a video from Drive.com.au of the Holden VE Commodore SS-V carving up the Holden test track in Victoria, with one of the company's engineers at the helm. Nine'een inch wheels, big V8, a lotta fun to drive. Roight!

In the hot seat with a Holden test driver [Drive.com.au]

Related:
Herefore Art Thou: First Drive of the Holden Commodore VE SS-V [internal]

What does a billion bucks buy you? If you're GM's Aussie Holden division, it's a kiss on the cheek from the 6.0-liter V8 gods and a rear-drive platform that will affect many more of the General's products. Not enough? It'll also buy into production the Commodore VE SS-V, one of those distinctly Australian muscle cars that does more to get Americans scratching their heads than two seasons of "My Fair Brady." Why, we ask, do we — the freaking muscle-car capital of the world (if we might be so bold) — not get similar machines in the states? Don't give me business-case reasons — give me cars. Aussie Drive lets us know what we're missing.

FIRST DRIVE: Holden Commodore VE SS-V [Drive.com.au]

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The Camaro Is An Aussie Brickhouse: The New 2006 Holden Commodore VE SS [internal]

Our mate Nick Hall points out that anyone and his Uncle Enzo can build a light, fast supercar to challenge those at the top. Building a supercar that won't cause shaken-driver syndrome over anything rougher than 60 grit sandpaper is a bit more involved. That's why at the way top — the mid-six-figure and up, top — carmakers are giving drivers a club-room experience along with their faceful of Gs. One of those is the Ascari KZ1, a car that comes with track time at the company's own raceway in Spain. Who will benefit from the Ascari's attention to every comfort-inducing detail? Hall says:

It's a hard life, well no it isn't, and there are people that genuinely live like this, wafting from society get-together to race circuit, to polo match, the kind of men that have a blonde for the morning and a brunette to end the day. These are the kind of people that will drive a KZ1 and they indeed are the privileged few.

WCF Test Drive: Ascari KZ1

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Test Track Included: The Ascari KZ1 [intternal]

The UK's "Fifth Gear" defies the juggernaut known as the World Cup (a capital offense in many localities) to test drive Audi's new TT in Germany Austria. They found the TT's met a few of Audi's stated, er, goals, such as to make the new model more of a driver's car than the rather aenemic previous version had been, despite its radical design. The new TT also sounds pretty damn good for a four banger. In a couple of words, they deem it, "genuinely entertaining," unlike most of the Cup games, we're afraid.

[via The German Car Blog]

Related:
More on the Audi TT [internal]

Dan Neil's back. Right, he never left physically, but if we're being honest (and we pretty much are), we'd been detecting a slight leak from his characteristic wit of late. If his Muse had left the building, she was only out for lattes (or a Double-Double with extra avocado). Neil's prosiness is back, and it's trained on the Acura MDX SUV, which he says, is "perfectly constructed, elegantly engineered and shamelessly underpriced." Acura's marketing speak-speak, on the other hand, is far less elegantly rendered.

In fact, so smitten am I by this vehicle that I can only conclude I'm exactly the sort of person it was designed for. According to Acura's psychographic buyer's profile, I'm apparently what you call an "urban achiever." I'm edgy, competitive, and I work hard and play hard. During the weekdays I'm entertaining clients and impressing the boss. Weekends I enjoy an active lifestyle of dating, night life and mountain biking.

Right. Just as soon as I can find my pants.

Could this be love? [The Los Angeles Times]

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More Dan Neil [internal]

Approaching the rental lot at the Manchester, NH airport, I was struck by the sheer abundance of Chevy Impalas. Seems the erstwhile Ford Taurus has finally met its match — so much for GM kicking its rental habit. With keys in hand, I set off to sample Chevy's latest full-size offering, a silver LS model with a mere 70 miles of abuse on the odo.

Popping the trunk presents a yawning chasm of space with room for either an entire family of Mafia informants or the bags of three accompanying adults. You'll have to excuse my enthusiasm. I used to own a Mazda Miata; trunk space still excites me.

In the cabin, there's a decidedly mixed bag of fits and finishes. A vast expanse of hard-black plastic unfolds like Arizona creosote. Fake wood trim does nothing for interior ambience, but does offset the liberal use of dark materials. The audio and HVAC control stack is familiar looking, but all the controls are right where you'd expect them to be (take note European carmakers). The seats are unexpectedly good, providing both comfort and decent back support, but offer limited power adjustments. Room in the back is adequate for two adults.

I should note that operating the column shift is a pain. Either I'm out of practice, or hopelessly uncoordinated, but I overshot whatever selection I wanted just about every time I tried. I want "D" it gives me "3."

Navigating our way onto I-93, a muted gasp from a rear passenger betrayed the Impala's driving dynamics on the very first turn (oops). The upshot: a quiet, comfortable and compliant ride with a disconcertingly vague front end and overassisted steering. However, at highway speeds it's a stable and very comfortable cruiser, with very little intrusion from road noise. The engine was a pleasant surprise, offering good low RPM torque, fuel economy and even (gasp) a lack of harshness — provided the revs needle remains shy of 5K. Around town, the 3.5-liter V6 gets the LS off the line with ease, and the cabin provides good visibility (unlike last week's HHR, but that's another story).

The Impala isn't a car of anyone's dreams. It won't inspire passion or jealousy (or pity) from fellow motorists, but it is a capable and roomy transport vehicle. During my working week with the Impala, it became apparent the model is a significant improvement over the previous generation, and light-years ahead of anything similar from Ford (and yes, I know that's damming with faint praise). If GM could work on the tightening up the front end, offer better-quality tires and give the column shifter a good talking to, the Impala would be a family bargain. Sure, depreciation due to rental-car dumping is an issue, but at a street price of around $18K, it's probably one of the better deals on a full size family sedan out there. [by Chris Hofflin]

Related:
Rental-Car Reacharound: Chevrolet HHR [internal]

Our multilingualist friends at Eurocar Blog clued us to AutoBild's test drive of the upcoming Aston Martin Rapide. What do the Germans have to say about it? (phonetics ours):

"Amidzt zee vell known zircular instruuumenz und zee chromed control panel, zee schtart button awaits. Whoeveah prrresses it vill experienz zee elemental powah of zee zix-poin-oh liters V12 engine."

Auto Bild drives the Aston Martin Rapide [Eurocar Blog]

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More on the Aston Martin Rapide [internal]

Imagine you've landed on a tropical island and your first stop after baggage claim is the unnamed, ubiquitous car rental agency. You could go for the convertible Ford Mustang, but the price of admission is out of your league. The Chevrolet Impala is the reasonable choice but its vanilla appearance (and performance) annuls any umbrella-drink fantasies yet to be fulfilled. After exhausting all of the options and the patience of the folks behind you in line, a silver HHR is insured, signed for and piloted onto the H1, the major interstate (yes, interstate) that leads to Honolulu, Hawaii.

First impressions seemed to be lasting ones. Whatever one may say about its distant cousin from the same penman (the Chrysler PT Cruiser), the HHR's exterior is funky enough for a second glance, but bland enough to be categorically ignored throughout the rest of the trip. Threats were made about traveling to a hardware store for wood-grain shelf paper, but that too had already been done by the folks at Chrysler. The interior seemed par for GM, namely cheap plastics, mid-grade switchgear and a gauge cluster reflecting designers' botched attempts at recalling a bygone era.

The driving experience proved equally underwhelming. Power comes on strongly enough when provoked, seemingly a result of deft gearing over engine power. A speed limit of 50 mph is strictly enforced throughout Oahu, leaving few opportunities to stretch the wagon's legs — not that I had any desire to test the limits of adhesion. I didn't expect much in the handling department, and therefore wasn't let down. (Count 'em: disconnected, isolated, disengaged.) There is no single word to properly describe the utter lack of road feeling transmitted (or not) through the wheel. It's as if the steering column's been shoved into a vat of denture cream, and the running gear replaced with marshmallows.

At the end of our journey we unloaded the cruiser and never looked back. The HHR served its intended purpose as people mover, luggage transporter and glorified towel held over a partner who'd changed into swimming attire. Hopefully the underwhelming nature infused into the HHR is exactly what the General and its customers are seeking. Too bad it's been available for several years at your local Chrysler dealership. [by Damon M. Lavrinc]

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Jalopnik Rental-Car Reacharound: Put Down That Yaris! Buy a Used Civic! [internal]

More supercars? Yes, please. Pistonheads winds up the latest in six-figure, carbon-fiber tressed, European-built, 800-hp sex machines, the Lotec Sirius. Oh, look, there's the six-liter Mercedes V12, the six-speed CIMA manual tranny, the sub-four-second zero-to-60 time, the wind-tunnel-tested body shape that toes the good-taste-bad-taste line like a lost Flying Wallenda. It's all there. Do we still care?

Lotec Sirius [Pistonheads]

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Darwin Defiance: Three Supercars That'll Protect the Stupid [internal]

US pop-culture freaks will likely picture the star of "Suddenly Susan" eating a ham-and-cheese burger at Roy Rogers when they hear its name (or maybe it's just us), but the Brooke Double-R is indeed a sports car, and one powered by a Cosworth-tuned Ford Duratec to boot. It's also got a higher power-to-weight than a Lamborghini Murcielago or Porsche GT2, making it a track-day sled of note, despite it looking somewhat like a kit car from the mid-80s. The blokes from Pistonheads got to test it out, and report back on the Double-R's relentless acceleration and "meaty feel." Anyone for a Double-R Bar Burger? Brooke?

Brooke Double-R [Pistonheads]

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UK's Ariel Atom Coming to the US [internal]

In our occasionally - occasional "Rental Car Reacharound" series, we (and our readers) comment on vehicles we've rented. Got a rental car story? Keep it to 500 words (or less, or maybe a couple more) and send it to tips@jalopnik.com. In this installment, Davey G. weighs in on the '05 Honda Civic LX sedan he rented from Enterprise at Oakland Airport over the weekend.

Yes, the last-gen Civic got a bunch of crap for not being fast enough; for being too conservatively-styled. And we have to admit, we hadn't driven one until this past weekend. But you know what it reminded us of once we got behind the wheel? Nothing less than our old, beloved '90 Legend. Sure, it didn't have the silky, snarly 2.7L V6, but it also didn't have the crappy turning circle or torque steer. We also admit we lost the appliance-white car in parking lots a few times. But hot damn if we weren't more sad to see that Civic go than anything we've rented in the last year.

We think the new Civic is super-neat in a techy-gizmo sort of way. We love the '90 Civic hatchback's styling and its tossability. The late '90s Civics had a solid feel to them, but we weren't huge on the headlights. But the last Civic — at least our four-door LX — has everything you'd want in basic transportation without all of the crap you don't need. So don't buy a Yaris. Don't buy a Fit. Don't buy a Versa. And for God's sake, don't go buying a used Corolla. Go find yourself an off-lease Civic if you're in need of a transpo-mobile. Just like Country Dick Montana, you'll be a happy boy. Hubba-hubba-hubba-hubba-hubba!

Related:
Jalopnik Rental-Car Reacharound [Internal]

When Volkswagen's 80-mpg EcoRacer concept debuted at Tokyo's motor show last year, the diesel-powered roadster received the kind of polite, matter-of-fact coverage that would follow, say, the opening of an Albertson's grocery store in Bolivia. The bright-orange prototype, after all, is largely a fancy wrapper for the company's zippy, new 1.5-liter turbodiesel mill coming out this year, and carries all sorts of messages about the new engine by association: It's sporty! It's earth friendly! It's efficient! It smells like fresh-cut petunias not coal tar! Still, it's a matter of dispute whether the company would seriously consider building such a roadster, diesel or not. Nonetheless, an Automobile writer braved the mild winds of the South of France to take the forward-thinking concept 'round a track a few times, for research's sake.

Test Drive: 2006 Volkswagen EcoRacer Concept [Automobile]

Related:
Volkswagen Reveals EcoRacer Concept for Tokyo Show [internal]

We'd imagine driving a supercar in test-mule form might be a bit like eating dough out of the bowl or drinking cabernet straight from the barrel. Considering most journos are never allowed that kind of experience, it would seem Lee Noble surely trusts Jalopnik homeboy Nick Hall with his wife life. Lee let Hall take an in-development Noble M15 prototype for a spin at the company's proving grounds, an experience Hall wrote about for World Car Fans. So which is it, dough or whoa?

Exclusive: WCF Drives Noble M15 Development Mule [World Car Fans]

Related:
Here it Is: Noble Releases Pics of Upcoming M15 [internal]

Our globetrotting, supercar-flogging buddy from Blighty, Nick Hall, tells the story of Arash Farboud's bid to build a better Ferrari. After his attempt to acquire an Enzo was met with a prancing, equinine "SOL, champ," Farboud picked up a more accessable Porsche Carrera GT and used a portion of his family's pharma phortune to launch an improbable car-building project. The result was the Farboud GTS, an Audi-powered prototype that's as rough hewn as it is ready for tail-kicking action. The production product will likely be a different machine — Cosworth Ford powered, for example — but Farboud's already got plans to bring his creation to the US. And that's more than we can say for Lee Noble's hardware. What say you, Nick?

WCF Test Drive [Farboud GTS]

Related:
Here it Is: Noble Releases Pics of Upcoming M15 [internal]

The stable of tellers over at The Truth About Cars is expanding like an automotive CEO's golden parachute in a cyclical downturn. Now, they're among the first to have gotten their hands on a Saturn Sky, which in base form — not the turbocharged Redline (above), unveiled at the New York show last week — may be exactly what GM promised. That is, a fun, just-a-bit-more-stylish cousin to the Pontiac Solstice. More than that, though, may be too much to ask.

Saturn Sky [The Truth About Cars]

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Turbo Lover: GM Reveals Saturn Sky Redline [internal]

This week, Dan Neil takes on hybrid doubters with a love letter to the Lexus GS450h, and a quick lesson on speaking in physics. Lest that intro sound as if we're challenging his objectivity, we ain't. Still, his usual gallons 'o prose does make us want to put foot to pedal.

The GS450h is the neon-skinned, freeway-ventilating electric eel of midrange torque. Put the Wellie to this car at 80 mph and, before you can say, "Galvani, Volta, Faraday and Tesla," the Electro-Lex is humming along at 100 mph, shoved into crass illegality by its 197-horsepower monster-magnet motor. ... The GS450h has a direct linkage between the go pedal and the rear wheels. Nail the throttle and the car surges forward on electron-greased rails while the needle on the cool-metallic "kilowatt" gauge swings to over 250kW (max output of gas and electric power is 339 horsepower). Next stop, D sseldorf.

The well-bred hybrid [Los Angeles Times]

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More Dan Neil [internal]

The Times UK's resident ten-foot-tall car reviewer, Jeremy Clarkson, turned his Fi Fi Fo Fum on the Alfa Romeo 159, a stunning take on the sports sedan that had us head-over-digicam at the Geneva show two years running. Alfa's latest, he says, is the Christopher Walken to the BMW 3-Series's Tom Cruise of sports sedans: a non-obvious star that's capable of a one-in-a-million performance. Of course, what would an Alfa be without at least one example of engineering lunacy:

...In most cars, the cruise control "off" button is clearly visible and easy to use in a hurry. Not in the Alfa it isn't. It looks like one of the pieces from a game of Risk and it's mounted on a stalk just below and slightly behind the indicator.

So when the traffic ground to a halt on the M40 I bet the chap behind me was keen to know why I didn't slow at all and then, for no obvious reason, suddenly indicated left.

Alfa Romeo 159 — Jeremy Clarkson [The Times UK]

Related:
More on the Alfa Romeo 159 [internal]