It will be a good drill but you can get equal power and longetivity by a
modern and cheaper Ryobi.

Umm... No. At least, certainly not in my experience. My 12V NiCad
Panasonic has at LEAST comparable power and greater longevity than my
dad's 18V Ryobi. And my brother-in-law's 18V Skil? Not even close.
That's not even comparing the chuck, the clutch, or the overall "feel"
of the tool - there is definitely a difference between the tools'
power.
I understand that in theory they all have the same TYPE of batteries,
but the technology or the application of the technology is certainly
not the same in reality.
That doesn't mean that nobody should every buy a Ryobi - if the tool's
not going to be put to frequent, hard use, or if the buyer doesn't
have a very significant tool budget, inexpensive tools can fill the
needs of many (if not most) DIYers. Since my priorities and budget
and wife agree that a $95 Panasonic drill is a worthwhile purchase,
that's what I got.
All that to say, Ryobi might be a viable option, but it's not
equivalent to a Panasonic.
Andy