2007 VOLVO XC70

Go for it!

Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 3

I bought this car with 99,600 miles on it and paid $9,995, capitalizing on its fairly low resale value. Since then, I've put over 31,000 miles on it in just a year. While my fuel economy has not been impressive, especially coming from a 2011 Outback, I have been impressed with what the XC70 has to offer. Mid-way through the first year I was hit with some high repair costs, as a rear wheel bearing, front ball joint and a tie rod needed to be replaced. I was initially upset, but once I got the car back all of the things that annoyed me driving it had been fixed! Sometimes ignorance is not bliss. Who knew? This past summer I was living/working in Montana, and took this thing on countless miles of forest service backroads. It handled things I honestly thought it wouldn't be able too, including an accidental trip on a 4WD only road. If you're looking at this year range for an Outback or XC70, I would recommend the Volvo. You can get a lot more for your money in terms of packaging, material quality and comfort. However, be ready to spend more time as the gas station using premium and the potential for higher maintenance. That being said, I have had no real issues in a year and a lot of the maintenance is easy enough to do on your own and save tons of money.