Rental cars

2009 Volvo C70 T5 convertible hard top, rented from Alamo.

I've driven it almost 900 miles in 7 days in Colorado in all kinds of weather from tornado (passing just a few miles away near Greeley!) with a torrential downpour (good windshield wipers!) to snow in the mountains (Loveland Pass) to 80F in Boulder to being pelted with hail in Denver.

Convertible top) Push-button operation with ballet-like up/down animation, awesome to watch from outside. The car is very quiet with the top up and there are no undue noises with the top down. Doesn't leak at all even in a truly biblical deluge I've encountered near Greeley, CO.

+) Big trunk for a convertible: holds a 26" roller, 2 smaller backpacks, camera bag, laptop bag, with room to spare! Comfy interior for 2 (rear seat for kids only) in elegant white leather with bazillions of air bags and curtains; good dual A/C; great in-door storage (some with lids/flaps!) good center console storage and plenty of cup holders; Bluetooth with phone control; USB port in the center console; starts with an electronic key; lots of info displayed about the vehicle; seat/settings memory for 3 drivers. Peppy engine with lots of great passing power even at altitude (12 000 ft.) All these features are "very Volvo..."

-) Not very economical (21 mpg); no satellite radio (HD radio built-in); transmission typically "Volvo", a bit on the old-man-driving side (but you can always floor it...); fiddly A/C control dial; unimaginative, drab display screens.

Fun quotient) 10/10, perfect vehicle for you and your SO!
Would rent again?) Yes! It’s a naked Volvo, damn it, I'd buy it!!!

Photo credit: Copyright © 2009 Michael Liczbanski