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Top 10 Lists

Top 10 AWD/4WD Vehicles for 2005
By Warren Clarke
Date Posted 01-25-2005
If snow, rain or ice is a frequent companion on your daily slog, you'll want to consider a ride with all-wheel or four-wheel-drive capability. These vehicles have what it takes to tackle the elements, and can hold their own on slippery roads without missing a beat. With rough-weather functionality in mind, we've compiled a list of our 10 favorite AWD/4WD vehicles.



Land Rover LR3: Land Rovers are known for their ability to hang tough, and the new LR3 is no exception. Combine that with handsome looks and a sumptuous interior, and it's easy to see why we love being behind the wheel of this 'ute when the weather turns icky.


Subaru Legacy: Subaru's value-packed Legacy is a bargain from any angle. Its lengthy standard equipment list and impressive build and materials quality belie its reasonable price. And best of all, you don't have to pay extra for all-wheel drive.


Audi A6: The A6's available all-wheel drive makes sharp handling a reality in all kinds of weather. And we can't think of a better perch from which to watch the snow (or rain, or sleet) come down than its opulent cabin.


Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution: The prodigiously gifted Lancer Evo was born to hug roads — slick or otherwise. Blessed with an all-wheel-drive system that boosts performance to dizzying heights, this pocket rocket will keep you grinning whether skies are cloudy or clear.


Volvo V50: It's no surprise that a Volvo offering would make our list of vehicles to choose when conditions turn ugly. The eye-catching V50 sport wagon is just the thing for a young family, with loads of safety features, consistently nimble handling and style to burn.


Ford Freestyle: Speaking of Volvos, Ford's latest shares its all-wheel-drive technology with the Swedish brand. The Freestyle brings to the table a couple of unique selling points of its own, though — such as an incredibly spacious interior, with comfortable seating for six passengers.


Cadillac STS: This wide-bodied full-size sedan looks too bulky to be a billy goat on the road, but trust us, it is. With available all-wheel drive, the STS has what it takes to smack down rain and snow.


Saturn Relay: With its tall stance and squared-off nose, Saturn's Relay looks more like an SUV than a minivan. Sure and steady, it handles like an SUV, too, especially when equipped with available all-wheel drive.


Acura RL: The RL's unique all-wheel-drive system (called SH-AWD for Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) allows the car to split power between its rear wheels, and is even capable of diverting most of the rear wheels' available power to just one wheel. The end result is a vehicle that handles like you wouldn't believe.


Dodge Magnum: This Dodge wagon looks rough and tough, and it is. When decked out with all-wheel drive, the beefy Magnum has the goods to grip even snow-packed roads.

 

im surprised to see the g35x is not on the list or maybe it's not that great after all.

 

I was thinking the same thing!

 

no WRX STI?

 

No...this list is primarily for foul-weather AWD vehicles. The WRX, STi, and Evo are not well suited for slippery or snowy conditions in spite of their AWD....I have to disagree with the Evo being on the list. They are relatively high-powered, have wide, low-profile, high-performance summer tires that are almost worthless in winter, have very quick steering which is oversteer skid-prone (even with stability systems), and low ground clearance, especially with the aero trim kits. In addition, the Evo has its turbo intercooler very low in front under the bumper where it can get packed with snow and slush. Yes, putting winter rubber on will help some, but even so these cars are just not well-suited for winter driving.

I would rank the 2005 Legacy / Outback first....they have it second. I have posted many times on this AWD car and what a fine product it is.......I won't repeat the whole thing here. Yes, the first-place Land Rover is unstoppable off-road or in slippery conditions, but it is expensive, heavy, unreliable, and gas-guzzling.

 

It's nice to see a list with more cars than SUVs.

I saw that the sales of the AWD Magnum is "soft".

 

Please ... the Relay and all its various derivatives available w/ the same AWD tech. So why not the Buick Terraza AWD, the Chevy Uplander AWD, and the Pontiac Montana SV6 AWD along with the "new" Relay?

And can somebody please tell me why GM had to modify the platform into this hideous "SUV" front just to get mediocre crash-test scores? And why is GM still selling that sh%t van in its unmodified "deathtrap/road-coffin" form?

Chevy Venture (40 mph offset front impact - from IIHS.org):


The Ford Freestar seems like a much better wagon for the money.
Ford Freestar (40 mph offset front impact - from IIHS.org):


M.

 

You are correct that the Ford Freestar is a better vehicle for the money. That's because it has more all-new engineering in it (in spite of the similiarity of the body shape to the former Windstar) than the GM minivans do. The Terraza, Montana, and Relay are essentially 7-8 year old designs with reworked front ends.

An even BETTER minivan for the money (and a great bargain) is the Kia Sedona.....which shares the Freestar's high safety rating at a $19,000 base price.

Anyhow, back to topic......AWD products.

 

For the first time in a very long time (read that as in over 15 years), I drove a vehicle with a sophisticated AWD drivetrain - an Infiniti QX4 two weekends ago in very bad weather. I went to the NAIAS in Detriot.

Coming back to Canada, the roads were icy with lots of blowing snow and packed ice on the 401. Nothing stopped that Infiniti! Absolutely nothing that we encountered was a problem for it.

We were going at about 60 MPH (the speed limit in Canada) and the truck felt absolutely safe - no slipping or sliding whatsoever! We were passing everyone on the highway though. We just set the AWD to auto mode and that thing was unstoppable. Literally!

I was so impressed, that I am pretty sure when my wife's Maxima needs to be replaced we will get a car or SUV with some sort of AWD. I would prefer a car - so perhaps the Subaru Legacy would be the best choice.

The QX4 I drove did not even have winter tires. I can't imagine how much better it would have been if it had winter tires. It was that good! I am now a believer in AWD systems and their usefullness in snowy/ice/winter driving conditions.

 

60 MPH on snow and ice? You were living on the edge, bro.
True, AWD will get you going on slick surfaces better than RWD or FWD, but it makes NO difference in stopping ability....with or without ABS. If you had to make a quick stop you would have been up S - - - creek.

 

The truck was begging to go faster. I wasn't brave enough!
Absolutely true. But then even if the roads are dry and you are flying along on a dry road at 100 MPH and have to stop suddenly, you can end up in s*** creek too.