The Honda full-size equivalent is in the Acura lineup in the US. I don't think I have ever seen an Acura at a car rental place though.
One time I had the option in the lot between a Malibu and Impala, and figuring out which one was "better" in person was pretty tough. The overall length difference per Chevy is 7 inches, which seemed largely irrelevant in person. I guess if it all went to the back seat leg room then you have a distinction for a certain market.
For reference, Sonic can be up to 35 inches shorter than a Malibu (depending on style).