rented one in the southwest for 10 days, here are some observations.
Lovely engine, especially in manumatic mode without the cylinder deactivation.
5sp auto is livable. It's no manual, but hey.
The interior is excellent for 5, although in a car this size, I'd rather see a front foldable bench for seating 6 in a pinch...
The suspension seems a bit underdamped, and the 18 inch wheels bang over bumps. 17s may be better?
The plastichrome trim is poor, and unnecessarily blingy, as is the blue led lighting. Blue seems a poor choice for night driving...
The nav unit GUI is typically clunky and slow, and the screen is tn panel type, so poor viewing angles, and poorly lit. Bluetooth connection to my Nexus4 was about 9/10 tries...
The seats are supportive, and comfortable even on an 8 hour trip.
Overall, I'd much prefer this car in the same drivetrain, with basic amenities. Solid drivetrain and good ergonomics, but not a believable 'premium' car.
In reply to mrybczyn:
So, you'd like the Charger version then?
Vigo
UberDork
8/28/13 5:09 p.m.
I didnt know you could still get a 5spd in 2013. I thought all the v6s were 8spd now.
In reply to Vigo:
The Hemi V8 is still the 5-speed.
In reply to Javelin:
yes, next time I'll try the charger, although I'm sure the v6 will be a slug in one of these 4500lb beasts. i have not seen the v8 charger available for rent...
mndsm
PowerDork
8/28/13 5:59 p.m.
They're handing out hemis as rental cars?
mndsm wrote:
They're handing out hemis as rental cars?
If you pay an extra 500 bucks... I always wanted to try one, so I treated myself on vacation. I lived for 5 years near the factory in Brampton, Ontario. Nice to scratch that itch...
The v6 has around 300 hp - not-a-slug.
Vigo
UberDork
8/28/13 9:03 p.m.
Yeah, losing 50 horsepower but almost doubling the gears means it's not exactly slow.
I used to work part-time at rental car company.... the cars are meant for the urbane but all that ever rented them were the "urban"... before he even walked in we could spot the guy in the parking lot who was coming in for a 300 or a charger to impress his posse during the trip to whatever rap concert was in town, it made us laugh every time.
cough, Heisenberg, cough . . . 
