I recently found myself needing to rent a vehicle for a trip to pick up my son at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. With a last minute's notice, I walked into an Avis Car Rental location and announced that I needed a car immediately. I was willing to take anything they had available, as long as it would carry me, my elderly father and a 6'1", 215 pound Marine.

The rental agent gave me a grimaced smile and said, "Well, the only thing I have right now is an SUV". I explained that I truly didn't care what it was as long as it was roomy and had four wheels. I handed her my Visa card and in return, she handed me the keys to what she described as "the white one in parking spot 3".

Imagine the look on my face when I approached the oddest looking vehicle that I had seen in years --- a 2001 Pontiac Aztec. At first glance, it appeared to be a freak of engineering ... a mini van that had morphed into an odd looking sport vehicle. I had no choice but to climb in and begin my drive from Ohio to North Carolina.

What I discovered was that, although the exterior was an oddity, the interior was spacious and comfortable. I truly enjoyed the feel of this vehicle. The seats were perfectly suited to me and my often aching back. They supported my lower back and allowed for the leg room I required. My 76 year old father found the same comfort in the front passenger seat. Believe it or not, he said he liked the Aztec better than the Cadillac that we had rented several months earlier.

I loved the feel of the steering wheel that seemed to be ergonomically designed for comfort and control. I loved that the seats put me high above the other vehicles on the road and made it easy to view the traffic as I sped on my way to the East Coast.

Everytime we stopped for gasoline or a potty break, we encountered puzzled looks from others. There were comments that ranged from "Oh, how cute!" to "What is it?" to "Hmmmmm.... an Aztec?" When I pulled up in front of my son's quarters, his fellow Marines all pointed and made comments. I will admit that some laughed at the design while others just said, "Hey, cool ..." My son piled his bags into the very roomy rear compartment and climbed into the back seat. He stretched out and soon fell asleep as I began our 11 hour trek back to Ohio.

I could not have been happier with any other vehicle. I spent a total of 22 straight hours in the Aztec, driving the round trip from Ohio to North Carolina and back again. I have never felt more comfortable on any of my previous trips.

I was concerned when I read the warning on the sun visor that said the Aztec had a higher risk for roll over. Despite this warning, I did not have a single problem with operating this odd looking vehicle. I told the rental agent at Avis that I would gladly rent an Aztec for any future trips. The particular Aztec that I rented did not have the camping options that can be purchased, so basically we had the stripped down version.

With a going price of $21,000+ , I would not hesitate to purchase this vehicle. I have checked the Pontiac web site and found that, with additional options added, the cost can go as high as $27,000+. All in all, I think this would still be a bargain for a "nice ride" and great conversation piece.
Amount Paid (US$): 29.00/day
Condition: New
Model Year: 2001
Model and Options: automatic, 4 door, hatch