All-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles offer several benefits to owners, including improved traction, handling, and stability. These qualities are critical for vehicles being driven on broken tarmac, rain, snow, or ice. Such vehicles come with a high degree of body control, especially in extreme weather and in off-road driving zones. To achieve this control, the best all-wheel drive vehicles come with a tough and versatile drivetrain. For people seeking all-weather driving vehicles, various options are available.
1) Subaru Forester
The Forester comes standard-fitted with AWD across its model range. Some highlights of this compact SUV include a well-built, feature-rich cabin with solid sound insulation to isolate occupants from road noises and undulations, a bolstered 75 cubic feet of maximum cargo capacity, and the vehicle’s steady driving dynamics.
The Forester’s long list of standard features includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, remote keyless entry, and dual-zone automatic climate control.
2) Kia K5
SUVs are not the only option for individuals looking to buy solid and reliable all-season driving vehicles. The best AWD sedans are nimbler to drive than SUVs. Furthermore, they have better urban mobility, which makes commutes more effortless. In addition to that, the best AWD sedans can be driven across various surfaces. The latest Kia K5 is one such sedan model that features design flourishes that enhance its visual appeal. The powerful AWD sedan also received a more potent base engine and a larger standard touchscreen in the model’s latest update.
Unlike the Forester, AWD is unavailable across all models in the K5 range. The K5 comes in 4 trims, but only its GT-Line variant is available with optional AWD. Choosing this feature adds $1,600 to the car’s ex-showroom price. In addition to AWD, the trim comes with GPS navigation, wireless device charging, and heated front seats.
3) Nissan Kicks
The standard version of the Kicks comes with front-wheel drive, but buyers can pay an additional $1,500 and $1,650 (depending on the trim) to upgrade their subcompact SUV to AWD. The Kicks is priced competitively (starting prices are around $22,000) and comes with several standard features such as a 7-inch touchscreen, forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and safety equipment to keep its occupants protected, entertained, and comfortable even during long journeys. A key safety feature includes Zero Gravity seats designed to improve comfort and lower fatigue during long drives.
4) Hyundai Tucson
Among luxury all-season driving vehicles, the Tucson is hard to beat due to its comfortable cabin, its enormous list of features, and Hyundai’s reliable after-sales customer service record.
Some of the features included in the latest Tucson models are wireless smartphone integration, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and driver-attention monitoring. Among the safety attributes, lane-keeping assist stands out by alerting the driver in case of unintentional lane departure and gently steering the vehicle back into its lane.
5) Mercedes-Benz E-Class
The presence of a luxury Mercedes sedan on a list of tough, rugged, all-wheel driving, all-weather vehicles may seem odd. However, Mercedes offers all-wheel-drive functionality on many of its E-Class sedans. These vehicles can handle various challenging road surfaces. Besides the powerful drivetrain that lends versatility on various road surfaces, another key highlight of this sedan includes its plush, deeply comfy cabin, its smooth 6-cylinder engine, and the various sophisticated and smart technology features available in its plush cabin.
In typical Mercedes-Benz fashion, the price of an E-Class sedan is extravagant, too. Its non-AMG model range is priced between $60,000 and $80,000.
6) Tesla Model 3
The Model 3 matches the luxury stakes of the AWD E-Class. This electric-powered car offers rapid acceleration that is unique for a family sedan. Besides its impressive speed, this vehicle helps owners reduce their carbon footprint while providing plenty of driving range at a single charge. True to its AWD credentials, the Model 3 can also traverse tough terrains such as snowy roads and marshy lands. Some of its quality features include a large touchscreen to help occupants manage several of the vehicle’s features and functionality, as well as the sedan’s revolutionary autopilot feature.
7) Toyota 4Runner
The carmaker’s legendary off-roading credentials are reflected in this beautiful urban SUV. The 4Runner has a chassis and AWD system that makes it unbeatable on off-road surfaces such as snowy streets, mountain roads, watery terrain, and sandy zones. This SUV comes with a powerful 4.0-liter V6 engine that is fuel-efficient. Some of the best features of this SUV include a power-retractable rear window, climate control, and stability control.
8) Buick Enclave
The latest variant of the Enclave retains its reputation as a large and tough SUV that is built to last forever and traverse a range of terrain.
The latest variant of this SUV comes with a finely tuned engine that offers good fuel efficiency, a host of technological features, and increased interior space for occupants. Some of the most advanced features in this SUV include automatic emergency braking (AEB), forward-collision warning systems on certain models, and full-speed AEB (this is available only on the high-end trim level, Avenir).
In addition to these vehicles, some other powerful AWD vehicles include the Honda CR-V AWD, the Ford Escape AWD, the Volvo XC60, the Chevrolet Tahoe, the Hyundai Ioniq 6, the BMW 3-Series AWD, and the Genesis G80.