Yaris versus Corvette

[Idahotom]

I was up in Montana and needed to rent a car, on short notice. As there was a big rodeo in town I was initially told none were available, a few more calls and I found one. All along I had stressed I wanted a cheap econobox, the one I found, and that Hertz gave me for the econo price, 40 bucks a day, was a 2008 Yellow and black Corvette! They have my future rental car business, forever.

A couple impressions: The Yaris is much easier to get out and into, has better visibility, turns tighter, and doesn't draw the attention of law enforcement. The Corvette was noisier, especially when floored, and it seemed to out perform the Yaris in acceleration I briefly got it up to 90, and quickly backed off, a 1/4 mile later a state trooper came into view so I narrowly missed a ticket. I have a CDL so extra bad deal if I get one.

After that brief high speed run, the rest of my time was in Yaris mode, going 60 on a hwy posted at 65, and getting passed by everyone going 70 and better. I started to notice I was getting funny looks, nobody could figure a Corvette driver going slower then everyone else. The cornering was phenomonal, no body lean at all, so better then the Yaris again
According to the dash display, it got 25 mpg at about 60, at 1200 rpm with that big torquey engine. It was odd to drive, I felt like a geek, and as I am as far from as a typical Corvette guy as you can get, I'm sure others wondered what the hell. At one point two good old boys in a pickup pullup alongside at a light. They eyeball me through the open window (me looking like them, old pickup material), I laughed and told them "it's a rental". They immediately also laughed and then said "well hell, let's see what it can do". The light turned green, I eyeballed for cops, and then floored it. The g force pulls your face back it's so quick, and the sound, oh man.

I was super paranoid driving it, and the rest of the time I drove it the way I drive my Yaris, light duty hyper miling, watching the lights, coasting and generally old ladying it. I did romp on it a few more times, but briefly, so at least I wouldn't get a speeding ticket. 0 to 35 was maybe a second....

A one time thing, but I sure had fun. A satisfied Yaris driver being forced to drive a Corvette, hell that's funny right there. I topped it off before dropping it off: 2.5 gallons total, not bad. Driven normally (real hard to do), it could get 25 to 35 mpg average from what I saw, go figure.