Car "Reviews" from a Road Warrior

Traveling as much as I have been in recent months has also meant that I've driven a rather large number of different rental cars. This has been a bit of helpful research actually -- when I finally do move back out of Manhattan and into a world where a car is once again a necessity, I will have had tons of hands on experience to tell me what cars to avoid completely and which ones may be worth further consideration.

While my reviews (if you can even call them that) are certainly not of the calibre (or usefulness) of those found in leading automotive magazines and web sites (such a shame considering my previous tenure at a leading automotive magazine publisher), perhaps some of my random and quirky observations will at least entertain you, even if they don't prove useful in any sort of car-buying decision-making process. (I am probably just an "influencer" only in my own mind.)

Here are some of my recent rides:

Hyundai Santa Fe: This smallish SUV was a surprisingly pleasant ride -- I picked it up at the San Francisco airport and drove it down to Silicon Valley on the 101 and noticed how smooth the ride was and how responsive the vehicle was overall. I have generally been more of a sports car girl in the past, but lately, I'm finding myself attracted to smaller SUV's and cross-overs -- which, I guess, makes some sense since these versions are generally sportier and more nimble than their full-size cousins.

Hyundai Elantra: I wasn't as happy with the Elantra as I was with the Santa Fe, but it's still a pretty decent car. My very first car in high school was a little Hyundai Excel, and while I loved it and drove it until it wouldn't drive any more, Hyundai has made HUGE strides in their quality over the past 10 - 15 years. I'd still pick the Santa Fe over the Elantra (the Elantra felt a bit cramped in the interior), but the Elantra did have XM radio which was key driving from San Diego to Orange County where radio stations from both San Diego and LA are too fuzzy to listen to as you make your way through the barren Camp Pendleton area. Note to self: Get XM radio with next vehicle. (Personally, I like the Flight 26 channel.)

Mitsubishi Eclipse: What's not to love, especially when it's pumpkin orange in color? Considering my soft spot for sporty rides, it was a treat to get behind the wheel of this car and take it out of Manhattan, through New Jersey and into Pennsylvania. Good pick-up and just fun to drive. (I mean, come on, consider what kinds of cars you normally get when you rent. Ford Taurus, anyone??)

Chevy HHR: This is a very utilitarian vehicle and while it definitely got me from A to B without a problem, I would never buy this vehicle. It's deceptively small and cramped inside (as we found out when we tried to cram five people inside to go to lunch) and the blind spots created by the B and C pillars are ridiculous. I just had to put my blinker on to change lanes and pray because shoulder-checking didn't do a heck of a lot to ensure safe passage into the next lane to the right.

Toyota Prius: Loved driving this car once I (a.) figured out how to start it, (b.) stopped thinking that it had stalled at every red light, and (c.) saw that it only cost me $3.00 to fill it up with gas before I returned it. Seriously, has Toyota ever made a bad vehicle?

VW Beetle: (and a convertible at that, thank you very much!) Ok, this one is not a true review because I didn't get to actually drive the thing ultimately. It was a bit of a false start at the Avis at the San Diego airport. I showed up around 11:30 pm at the counter after flying in from who-knows-where and the rental agent said "I can upgrade you to a Beetle for the same price if you want -- and it's a convertible." Having never had the chance to drive a new Beetle before and knowing that I was going to be in Southern California for about five days, I figured that this was a great idea. I signed the paperwork and and headed out to the lot.

I popped the trunk so I could load my bags and my enthusiasm for this fun little convertible was immediately doused when I saw that the opening for the trunk was no bigger than a mail slot and there was NO way my rollerboard suitcase was going to fit since it was bigger than an 11x14 envelope. Still somewhat enamoured with the thought of having a convertible for five sunny days, I attempted to jam my suitcase into the front seat floor area. No dice. I cussed under my breath (or maybe out loud -- it was close to midnight after all), marched back into the rental office and traded my bright blue bug for a Hyundai Elantra (see second entry above).

I think the bug is perhaps the most impractical car ever invented and I'd rather have a MINI.