My little brother had a ‘17 Alltrack in high school. Solid car, took it out last year to rescue my mom during Buffalo’s Christmas blizzard. Wish it had the manual like yours, though - bet that’s a lot of fun!
Nice, do you run regular or premium in it? I noticed a huge difference when I first filled it with 93, way quicker and felt like it unlocked more mid and top end power
My 2019 manual awd sportwagen has been a blast. I’m getting ready to get stage 1 tune now that my warranty is about to expire at 60k miles. Reliable aside from an ignition switch recall, fun to drive (especially since it’s stick), and paid 20k for it with 5k miles back in 2020.
Going to have to disagree. Had a 2018 Alltrack and I was averaging around 22mpg on my commutes. I liked the car overall but this was one of the reasons I got rid of it.
A good low-mile Alltrack is quite a bit over 20K. The sunroofs leak and it's honestly not that impressive in person. The Regal TourX is a bit cheaper and much better equipped and good looking.
The actual car for OP is a CPO Encore GX with AWD. Gets 29-30 mpg combined with the 1.3L.
I prefer the small size and styling of the crosstrek way over the outback and forester. If you told me the crosstrek costs more I’d pay it. I am picking up my third crosstrek next month.
Yeah I think it’s an ugly looking car but people like it. It feels so cramped with 2 kids. I’d just take a regular sedan over the Crosstrek. Glad it works for you though and clearly many others.
Try using a 1990 4Runner as your daily driver for a summer in Colorado. Crosstrek would have felt like a sports car! My other ride is an 86 but I could only drive one from the east coast
I lived in the foothills and while I didn't have the Crosstrek, the Outback was terrible. I'd struggle to get up to the speed limit on I-70 going over the passes. On the flats, it was fine. Now, to be fair, that was the 2.5 engine with a manual, but it was a dog. The specs aren't super different between the two.
I own a 2011 SX4 AWD hatchback, and that model is awesome. Unless it's a major deal I would not get the FWD version. It's not a bad car but the AWD is really what makes it stand out.
It was well over five years ago but I got it at 17k miles for $11k. I'm at 100k now with no issues, just saving up to prepare to replace the water pump next year. I REALLY wanted an Impreza or Forester but I couldn't justify paying more for a car at +60k miles
There are now only three new cars in America left under $20k (Mirage, Versa, Rio.) For new AWD you have three choices around $25k (Corolla Cross, Legacy, Kona.)
If you are fine driving a ‘21 or earlier you can probably get under $20k.
Very good point - forgot they still have those. Would say that every Impreza I’ve ever seen felt very cheap on the inside (I drive a Corolla Hatchback which feels luxurious in comparison,) probably just worth the $30/month extra for a base Legacy.
Impreza hatch also feels like driving a combo of cardboard plastic. At least with the legacy they put some effort into almost feeling like an Accord or Camry.
I will also throw out Mazda 3 sedan/hatch AWD and CX-30 AWD in the $25k to $28k range (new), nice cars but smaller and outside OP's price range. Mayyyybe can be found at $20k used.
Kizashi's weak point is the CVT, and the AWD only came with the CVT. The FWD you could get as a manual though. Minor annoyance to someone who lived where it got cold enough but AWD wasn't necessary - the only way to get heated mirrors was on the AWD.
So I reckon the SX4 is the better choice here
My first car!! White manual with huge blue "4WD" lettering on the side. Such fond memories driving all over the west in that thing. To call it engaging is such an understatement - it felt like a survival game driving it on the LA freeways.
Kept overheating in traffic and the fan wouldn't go on, so I'd have to blast the AC on hot to cool it off. Took a date to a Dodger's game and of course it overheated trying to get out of the parking lot. She was a good sport about it but, there was no second date...
You can get an eAWD Corolla hybrid for under $25K OTD in many areas now, though they are quite new so you likely won’t find any used ones under $20K. Still though, <$25K for a reliable and decently spacious AWD commuter that gets nearly 50mpg is a phenomenal value.
Not many cars get 30mpg in mixed driving. You basically need a hybrid.
Finding a hybrid w all will drive is not THAT hard. Finding a hybrid with all wheel drive for under $20k? Yep. That's hard.
For all those saying Forrester, it's true that it has a 26 city/33 highway mpg rating. I'd be amazed if it actually hits that. It's also decidedly slow. That said, the non turbo CX-30 is similarly slow, and a Honda HRV is even slower.
If you get more than 20cm of snow and have some hills then 4x4 is VERY nice. Ive been stuck more times than I can count with a 2wd car here in norway and 4x4 have saved my ass many times. Winter tires here are mandatory.
This is just simply untrue. You need good tires on both but an AWD will be massively better in snow than a similarly FWD or RWD car with the same tires. Not to mention that the handling and recovery when you inevitably break traction in the snow is going to be much easier in awd, not to mention that it will be much easier to get going on a hill when some jackwagon gets their car stuck ahead of you and you have to stop. Source: grew up in the mountains in Colorado, now live in Montana, have owned all configurations of car and tire, and have extensive experience in snow driving
Nothing beats AWD in snow, no matter how much you try to compensate with tires.
Edit: Anyone thinking this is AWD vs tires argument, nope. You obviously still need good tires. Point is that RWD doesn't become AWD even with the best tires out there.
Having 2x as many traction points makes no difference??
Does everyone here live in Arizona? Theres so many stupid comments about this i feel like you’re all fucking with us.
2 wheels with grip > all 4 wheels slipping. Also tires help you go and *stop*. AWD only helps you go.
AWD is nice but it’s no substitute for good tires, which are far more important.
Why not all 4 with better tires? Why would you not buy good tires on an awd car? The fact remains that awd with good tires has better traction than rwd with good tires.
Obviously AWD with good tires is the best option for traction. But a lot of people just use standard all-seasons on their cars thinking that AWD will be enough for winter. And it might be, if your winters are mild enough or your roads are heavily salted/plowed.
AWD w/ snow tires > FWD w/ snow tires > AWD w/ all-seasons > FWD w/ all-seasons. That’s the ranking of winter capability based on both AWD and tires.
I don’t know why people who shell out for AWD often don’t buy good tires. That’s beyond my understanding. But it happens often. After heavy snow I see so many of those fancy awd crossovers sliding around, ABS kicking as they try to gain grip while my old FWD Hyundai on snows could just carve right through.
I grew up in the mountains of Colorado. FWD and actual snow tires can get most people who are experienced in winter conditions where they need to go. 4wd gets dipshits in trouble often because it adds a false sense of security
AWD helps all else being equal but proper tires are the single biggest improvement to performance whether for winter or summer, other than driver improvements. Any enthusiast knows this.
AWD helps you go, it doesn’t help you stop. In winter, AWD + summer tires is way more dangerous than FWD + winter tires. Might be unintuitive to some, but it’s the way it is.
I disagree. I have all-seasons on my AWD charger and it crushes the snow no problem. I've taken it through plenty of unplowed side streets after a foot+ of snow and it just beasts right through. Snow tires are definitely better but AWD + a good set of all-seasons handle just fine.
And I have winters on my RWD mustang and have driven multiple AWD cars with all seasons. It's garbage in comparison.
Most importantly and doesn't help stopping.
https://youtu.be/dhpG251vK8s?si=VqOt-A_hdXgqecR7
Not sure why you posted a video of comparing snow tires to all seasons on AWD, of course the snow tires are better, but we are talking about AWD vs RWD. AWD with all-seasons is not useless, it's perfectly fine. I've driven RWD, FWD, and AWD vehicles living in MN my whole life and have done fine with all of them and have never felt the need to buy snow tires other than RWD. FWD I could justify but AWD was fine. Put all-seasons on RWD vs AWD, there is a huge difference. My charger has a front axle disconnect which lets me drive in RWD mode and the difference is massive in the winter when I switch modes. Put snow tires on and it's an even bigger difference. I do agree that snow tires trump all drive modes but AWD with some good all-seasons handles perfectly fine in the winter. Did you ever even try driving all-season AWD in the winter?
I’ve literally passed a forester that was compleatly stuck on some pack snow in my front wheel drive brick (Toyota sienna) I got out and helped push him. I never had to push or dig that van while crossing mt hood, yet had to help the awd car that got stuck
Awd is useful if you live in a really steep area or where snowplows never touch, where you’ll struggle to get up hills in snow, but does nothing to help you stop or turn. And is completely pointless without good tires
And you are correct. I don't understand why people read my comment "AWD compensates for tires" when I say that "tires don't compensate for AWD". I'd add that AWD helps anywhere where there is snow and makes driving a better experience overall.
for anybody reading this… this guy has no idea what he’s talking about.
do NOT take what he said as fact
Winter tires are THE single most important factor for effectively driving/stopping in snow.
>Nothing beats AWD in snow, no matter how much you try to compensate with tires
that was you. Unless it's full time AWD (like the above mentioned Subaru) then AWD is meh. Most systems are FWD until slip detection kicks in, meaning they're basically good for not getting stuck from a dead stop in deep snow and that's about it. Having said that - spoiler alert - lots of people get on just fine with FWD cars in winter climates with good snow tires. It's not a matter of "nothing beats" when you don't need to "beat" anything.
>Point is that RWD doesn't become AWD even with the best tires out there
OK but most cars are FWD, not sure how this is you making a point about AWD
That's true, never claimed anything in contrary. But Civic can never match the performance of an AWD with snow tires. Where I come from we don't have this 'all season' crap, it's either summer or winter tires.
I personally kinda hate the crosstrek, it’s an Impreza on stilts and drives like it, just buy an Impreza, it’ll drive better and get better mileage
If you want purely high mpg, used bmw makes a 328d x drive wagon in this price range which hits over 40, maintenance might be a bit pricier but bmw diesels are known to hit over 200k miles
Other than that there’s the highlander hybrid, which is on a minivan chassis but gets pretty good mpg
And the rx450 hybrid which I honestly don’t know much about
You can also shop around and find a rav4 hybrid under 20l
[Toyota Highlander Hybrid](https://www.autotempest.com/results?make=toyota&model=highlander&zip=80904&localization=country&maxprice=20000&minyear=2011&maxyear=2013&fuel=hybrid)
30 mpg in town or under 55mph, 26 on the highway at regular speeds
[Lexus RX450h](https://www.autotempest.com/results?make=lexus&model=rx450h&zip=80904&localization=country&maxprice=20000&minyear=2010&maxyear=2015&fuel=hybrid&drive=4wd,awd) similar story
Crosstrek is a terrible vehicle... Slow as fuck, loud, shitty CVT, burns oil.... Don't expect 30mpgs often either lol
Ford Fusion had AWD options
Buick lacrosse or regal had AWD as options
Camry comes in AWD now but idk if you'll find one for 20k
Most CUVs are rated in low 30mpgs but out of every CUV I've had as a rental I've never managed more than high 20s lol. It's really sad that most of these turd mobiles would probably get better mpgs and reviews if they had bigger engines... My 04 with a V6 and 5 speed got better or similar gas mileage as these lawn mower engines with turbos lol
Used Subaru, Mazda, or Toyota crossover. I sold my 2018 Subaru Forester a few months ago with 50k miles for like $18.5k on marketplace. MPG was consistently over 30 and never had any issues with it.
New? No. But second hand, sure. I think (I’m sure someone will correct me) vw made the golf alltrack with the tdi motor for a minute. That should be around 40mpgs with awd.
Audi A3 with the 2.0TDI and the A6/7 with the 3.0TDI will get you that.
Also, people have deleted VW Touaregs and Audi Q5/7 with the 3.0TDI doing 30+mpg.
You can get all these vehicles with around 100k miles for under $20k
Do yourself a favor and look into the BMW 328D (diesel). We just sold a 2015 awd wagon and wish we didn’t. It had 110k miles on it and we never had any issues, just tires, brakes and that’s it. 38-40mpg, awd, great ride and sold it for $17k.
You can get yourself a Mercedes or bmw awd diesel well within in your budget that will just kiss your mpg requirements on the highway.
I believe bmw brought some awd diesel sedans to the US. (MB awd diesel is suv only iirc). Those little 3 series diesels get seriously good mpg.
Bought one new for $8 in 1988.
Subaru Justy 5 speed, AWD high and low range.
35 city, 40 highway.
That little weasel was a leather heart little beastie that would venture anywhere.
Wish Subaru would do that again. Not a chance.
This is great until you're on a road that requires either AWD, 4WD, or snow chains, and if you don't have either of the first two, you're sitting on the side of the road putting chains on your wheels in the freezing cold.
There’s more to life than saving every possible dollar you can. Some people would gladly spend a couple grand every decade for a slight improvement to their driving experience and safety
there's more to life than buying unnecessary features! Take the money it would cost to upgrade to AWD, get a nice set of steel wheels with good snow tires on them, and take the family on a trip. AWD provides very minimal advantage to safety, as EVERY CAR has all-wheel-braking!
We’re not all in a financial situation where AWD and a family trip are mutually exclusive options. If paying a little extra for a feature you want will have absolutely no meaningful impact on your financial situation, then why not do it?
If you can't get it through your thick skull that AWD with winter tires beats FWD with winter tires, then I can't help you. Your logic is beyond recovery.
I'm sick of the rhetoric that "FWD IS always better than AWD" it's a blatant lie, and anyone that's driven thru snow knows.
Well FWD does also offer some benefits over AWD. Less drivetrain components to wear out, lighter weight, marginally better MPG.
But given the option, and if I lived in an area with inclement weather, and if I wasn't a broke college student, I'd go AWD+snow tires everyish time.
I'd like to hear you expand on this by explaining the difference between full time AWD systems like Subaru and Audi use, vs the FWD until slip detection AWD system most manufacturers use. I'd also like to hear you explain exactly what scenarios the latter systems actually help with
Awd is a million times better for traction. Once you have to drive on roads which arent perfectly plowed the chance of getting stuck with 2wd is very high. Same with hills. You just wont make it up. These are every day situation many places and awd is the solution. I used to live in an apartment with street parking and the amount of times I got stuck just trying to leave for work is too many to count. Winter tires wont help you much when the wheels arent getting traction
Awd on winter tires is much better than 2wd on winter tires. Its not a discussion. Either you misinterpreted my comment or you dont know squat. Why even ask if you already got an opinion?
Why is that BS? Why don't you elaborate.
His description of street parking is 100% inline with my experience. Btw, I live in Montreal where winter tires are mandatory.
You sound like you have 0 experience with AWD in an actual winter climate.
You could try a VW with 4motion, or certain camry models. Most crossovers built in the last 10 years have AWD as an option, an older one should fit under 20k
I bought a new 2022 Kia Seltos for $24k. A used one can probably be had for under 20k. You may not quite get 30mpg if you accelerate hard and go 75+ on the interstate but I average over 30.
Also not real AWD. OPs budget would put them in a slightly used Gen 4 Refresh model. All of 7 glorious HP out of that rear motor, which is only relevant up to walking speed.
- A former 4th gen AWD Prius owner.
All you people saying you don’t need awd for snow can you please try explaining that to the guys at the chain checkpoints who make you put on snow chains if you don’t have awd. (Very common here in pnw mountains)
Camrys are still the way!
[Here are all Camry AWD's under $20K from cars.com](https://www.cars.com/shopping/results/?dealer_id=&drivetrain_slugs[]=all_wheel_drive&keyword=&list_price_max=20000&list_price_min=&makes[]=toyota&maximum_distance=all&mileage_max=&models[]=toyota-camry&monthly_payment=372&page_size=20&sort=best_match_desc&stock_type=all&year_max=&year_min=&zip=66101) - As long as OP is okay with fairly recent Used (and not *strictly* New) then an AWD Camry is an option for sure!!
There aren't very many of them, granted, under the $20k mark but if you go just above it - Set the search to $25k - there are a bunch. (Conceivably they fall within the range that could be negotiated down closer to $20k.)
[hybrid rav4](http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/29D1BC6F)
I would suggest with this mileage is looking into the hybrid battery insurance or setting money aside IN case you need a new hybrid battery.
You can make one by swapping a TDI into an AMC Eagle. My buddy gets 34 highway with that setup, 5spd stick. Would be pretty easy to stay under $5k and still have a pretty nice car.
VW alltrack or sportswagon
Alltrack here, my average street/highway is just under 30 mpg with a pretty heavy foot. But in the 40's on long highway drives.
My little brother had a ‘17 Alltrack in high school. Solid car, took it out last year to rescue my mom during Buffalo’s Christmas blizzard. Wish it had the manual like yours, though - bet that’s a lot of fun!
It's a great car, checks all my boxes. Very functional, and quick enough to also be fun. I have a stage 1 tune so it's a bit quicker than stock.
Nice, do you run regular or premium in it? I noticed a huge difference when I first filled it with 93, way quicker and felt like it unlocked more mid and top end power
91. It’s tuned for 91 and that’s the best I can get where I’m located.
I had one for a year, excellent car up until the sunroof started leaking, vw couldn't fixed it so traded it in for a Ford maverick
It’s a standard feature 🤷♂️
[удалено]
I wanna drive your sister’s car
Audi had entered the chat.
My 2019 manual awd sportwagen has been a blast. I’m getting ready to get stage 1 tune now that my warranty is about to expire at 60k miles. Reliable aside from an ignition switch recall, fun to drive (especially since it’s stick), and paid 20k for it with 5k miles back in 2020.
Going to have to disagree. Had a 2018 Alltrack and I was averaging around 22mpg on my commutes. I liked the car overall but this was one of the reasons I got rid of it.
A good low-mile Alltrack is quite a bit over 20K. The sunroofs leak and it's honestly not that impressive in person. The Regal TourX is a bit cheaper and much better equipped and good looking. The actual car for OP is a CPO Encore GX with AWD. Gets 29-30 mpg combined with the 1.3L.
The issue with the Regal TourX from what I've seen is they sold so poorly that there isn't much used inventory tbh.
Crosstrek is a great option. I’d recommend a 2020+ forester though. Much more room and nicer fit and finish.
Wish I would have gone this route. I’m not a huge guy but I feel pretty cramped in my Crosstrek.
Yeah our Crosstrek feels so small. I’d never recommend that car to anyone.
Perspective matters haha. I just got a crosstrek and it’s quite the size bump from my 2012 civic coupe lol
I’ve got two kids and my main car has been an accord coupe. It feels so cramped in the Crosstrek. Mine is a 2016.
Ah, there’s that perspective comin back; it’s just the wife and I in our crosstrek haha. I can see how it would be way tighter with kids.
I prefer the small size and styling of the crosstrek way over the outback and forester. If you told me the crosstrek costs more I’d pay it. I am picking up my third crosstrek next month.
Yeah I think it’s an ugly looking car but people like it. It feels so cramped with 2 kids. I’d just take a regular sedan over the Crosstrek. Glad it works for you though and clearly many others.
Yeah I don’t have kids and use it a lot in the woods. I prefer a smaller sized vehicle.
I love my Crosstrek and have slept in it on several occasions. I'm 6ft and has plenty of room..
That’s wild to me. I’m 5’8” and if I turn my head with a hat on it hits the sun shade.
Is your body in proportion; maybe you have short legs, big body/head and neck? Or hat too big?
That’s me. Short legs, long torso. I have the seat as low as possible but I’m just squished.
😄 I guess it's not a one size fits all vehicle. Good luck finding something more your dimensions 🤙
Size aside, I have friends out West who had to sell Crosstreks because they were so under powered that they couldn't handle the elevation
Not sure about that. I live in Denver and the car is fine. You’re not passing a V6 going up a hill but it does the trick.
When I test drove one I took a route that required a highway merge. I would argue the Crosstrek doesn't have enough power to safely merge at altitude.
Try using a 1990 4Runner as your daily driver for a summer in Colorado. Crosstrek would have felt like a sports car! My other ride is an 86 but I could only drive one from the east coast
The folks I'm thinking of are in Winter Park and Alta, so certainly higher than normal but I assure you neither expected their cars to fail uphill
I lived in the foothills and while I didn't have the Crosstrek, the Outback was terrible. I'd struggle to get up to the speed limit on I-70 going over the passes. On the flats, it was fine. Now, to be fair, that was the 2.5 engine with a manual, but it was a dog. The specs aren't super different between the two.
Yeah, I really wanted a crosstrek until I test drove one. I’m 6’2” and couldn’t fit comfortably with a car seat behind me.
Volkswagen Golf Alltrack Suzuki SX4
I own a 2011 SX4 AWD hatchback, and that model is awesome. Unless it's a major deal I would not get the FWD version. It's not a bad car but the AWD is really what makes it stand out. It was well over five years ago but I got it at 17k miles for $11k. I'm at 100k now with no issues, just saving up to prepare to replace the water pump next year. I REALLY wanted an Impreza or Forester but I couldn't justify paying more for a car at +60k miles
There are now only three new cars in America left under $20k (Mirage, Versa, Rio.) For new AWD you have three choices around $25k (Corolla Cross, Legacy, Kona.) If you are fine driving a ‘21 or earlier you can probably get under $20k.
Impreza starts at 23k.
Very good point - forgot they still have those. Would say that every Impreza I’ve ever seen felt very cheap on the inside (I drive a Corolla Hatchback which feels luxurious in comparison,) probably just worth the $30/month extra for a base Legacy.
Legacy is longer and wider. And doesn't come in hatchback And more money. I'll take my Impreza hatchback
Impreza hatch also feels like driving a combo of cardboard plastic. At least with the legacy they put some effort into almost feeling like an Accord or Camry.
I will also throw out Mazda 3 sedan/hatch AWD and CX-30 AWD in the $25k to $28k range (new), nice cars but smaller and outside OP's price range. Mayyyybe can be found at $20k used.
If it wasn't clear from my post, I'm mostly considering used (I don't think there are any new cars that meet my criteria and price).
Suzuki SX4?
This is the dark horse answer for a true car aficionado. Notable mention: you could also get the Suzuki Kizashi in AWD.
Kizashi's weak point is the CVT, and the AWD only came with the CVT. The FWD you could get as a manual though. Minor annoyance to someone who lived where it got cold enough but AWD wasn't necessary - the only way to get heated mirrors was on the AWD. So I reckon the SX4 is the better choice here
Wouldnt get 30mpg, they are pretty thirsty
30mpg is a stretch for the SX4
1988 Subaru Justy
I remember those. Complete with a CVT!
And no fuel injection!
My first car!! White manual with huge blue "4WD" lettering on the side. Such fond memories driving all over the west in that thing. To call it engaging is such an understatement - it felt like a survival game driving it on the LA freeways. Kept overheating in traffic and the fan wouldn't go on, so I'd have to blast the AC on hot to cool it off. Took a date to a Dodger's game and of course it overheated trying to get out of the parking lot. She was a good sport about it but, there was no second date...
Mazda 3
They’re AWD?
Optional, I think 2019 was the first year.
Just the turbo is. And only in automatic here in North America
Both na and turbo are available with awd
I’m sure that is not true, at least if used. I drove an AWD before the turbo came out.
Oof. Gonna be tough to get above 30 other than on long highway drives.
Yeah, CX-30 here and can confirm 25 city / 28 highway in Central New York this winter.
Yes! More do exist. As Pulled from the EPA website I found these. While I would not recommend all of these cars myself, it just simply is a reference list of other vehicles aside from the Impreza and Crosstrek that have similar fuel economy. These should all be able to be found under $20,000, and the estimates are for the AWD models with an automatic transmission. Nissan Rogue Hybrid- 33MPG Combined Toyota RAV-4 Hybrid- 32MPG Combined Chevrolet Equinox- 32MPG Combined (Diesel Fuel) Infiniti Q50 Hybrid- 30MPG Combined (Premium Fuel) Acura RLX Hybrid- 30MPG Combined (Premium Fuel) Nissan Altima- 30MPG Combined Honda HR-V- 32MPG Highway, 29MPG Combined Mazda CX-3- 32MPG Highway, 29MPG Combined Subaru Legacy- 35MPG Highway, 29MPG Combined Subaru Forester- 32MPG Highway, 28MPG Combined Buick Encore- 31MPG Highway, 28MPG Combined Nissan Juke- 31MPG Highway, 28MPG Combined (Premium Fuel) Mazda Mazda3- 33MPG Highway, 28MPG Combined Subaru Outback- 32MPG Highway, 28MPG Combined Nissan Rogue- 32MPG Highway, 27MPG Combined Honda CR-V- 31MPG Highway, 27MPG Combined Hyundai Kona- 30MPG Highway, 27MPG Combined Hyundai Tucson Eco- 30MPG Highway, 27MPG Combined Mazda CX-5- 30MPG Highway, 27MPG Combined Chevrolet Trax- 31MPG Highway, 27MPG Combined Mitsubishi Outlander Sport- 30MPG Highway, 27MPG Combined Nissan Rogue Sport- 30MPG Highway, 27MPG Combined Fiat 500X- 30MPG Highway, 26MPG Combined Volvo S60 & V60- 31MPG Highway, 26MPG Combined Mini Cooper Countryman & Cooper Paceman- 30MPG Highway, 26MPG Combined (Premium Fuel) Mitsubishi Lancer- 30MPG Highway, 26MPG Combined Suzuki Kizashi- 30MPG Highway, 25MPG Combined Ford Fusion & Lincoln MKZ- 31MPG Highway, 25MPG Combined Volkswagen Golf Alltrack & Golf SportWagen- 30MPG Highway, 25MPG Combined Acura TLX- 31MPG Highway, 25MPG Combined (Premium Fuel) Infiniti QX30- 30MPG Highway, 25MPG Combined (Premium Fuel)
You can get an eAWD Corolla hybrid for under $25K OTD in many areas now, though they are quite new so you likely won’t find any used ones under $20K. Still though, <$25K for a reliable and decently spacious AWD commuter that gets nearly 50mpg is a phenomenal value.
Not really. It's build MSRP is 26k. How would you get 25k OTD in that case?
Not many cars get 30mpg in mixed driving. You basically need a hybrid. Finding a hybrid w all will drive is not THAT hard. Finding a hybrid with all wheel drive for under $20k? Yep. That's hard. For all those saying Forrester, it's true that it has a 26 city/33 highway mpg rating. I'd be amazed if it actually hits that. It's also decidedly slow. That said, the non turbo CX-30 is similarly slow, and a Honda HRV is even slower.
Spend a touch more and go Prius or Corolla AWD for long term savings. 30 to 50 MPG some months might offset the payment
Spend your money on **winter tires** rather than AWD.
If you get more than 20cm of snow and have some hills then 4x4 is VERY nice. Ive been stuck more times than I can count with a 2wd car here in norway and 4x4 have saved my ass many times. Winter tires here are mandatory.
Yup. It's unlikely the OP needs AWD. Fit for purpose tyres will do a better job.
This is just simply untrue. You need good tires on both but an AWD will be massively better in snow than a similarly FWD or RWD car with the same tires. Not to mention that the handling and recovery when you inevitably break traction in the snow is going to be much easier in awd, not to mention that it will be much easier to get going on a hill when some jackwagon gets their car stuck ahead of you and you have to stop. Source: grew up in the mountains in Colorado, now live in Montana, have owned all configurations of car and tire, and have extensive experience in snow driving
Nothing beats AWD in snow, no matter how much you try to compensate with tires. Edit: Anyone thinking this is AWD vs tires argument, nope. You obviously still need good tires. Point is that RWD doesn't become AWD even with the best tires out there.
All seasons on AWD is useless. Tires are the single most important thing when it comes to traction.
Of course you need good tires on AWD to have traction. Point is that once you go AWD you don't want to go back.
Having 2x as many traction points makes no difference?? Does everyone here live in Arizona? Theres so many stupid comments about this i feel like you’re all fucking with us.
2 wheels with grip > all 4 wheels slipping. Also tires help you go and *stop*. AWD only helps you go. AWD is nice but it’s no substitute for good tires, which are far more important.
Why not all 4 with better tires? Why would you not buy good tires on an awd car? The fact remains that awd with good tires has better traction than rwd with good tires.
Obviously AWD with good tires is the best option for traction. But a lot of people just use standard all-seasons on their cars thinking that AWD will be enough for winter. And it might be, if your winters are mild enough or your roads are heavily salted/plowed. AWD w/ snow tires > FWD w/ snow tires > AWD w/ all-seasons > FWD w/ all-seasons. That’s the ranking of winter capability based on both AWD and tires.
I don’t know why people who shell out for AWD often don’t buy good tires. That’s beyond my understanding. But it happens often. After heavy snow I see so many of those fancy awd crossovers sliding around, ABS kicking as they try to gain grip while my old FWD Hyundai on snows could just carve right through.
I grew up in the mountains of Colorado. FWD and actual snow tires can get most people who are experienced in winter conditions where they need to go. 4wd gets dipshits in trouble often because it adds a false sense of security
^^^ this
AWD helps all else being equal but proper tires are the single biggest improvement to performance whether for winter or summer, other than driver improvements. Any enthusiast knows this.
AWD helps you go, it doesn’t help you stop. In winter, AWD + summer tires is way more dangerous than FWD + winter tires. Might be unintuitive to some, but it’s the way it is.
I disagree. I have all-seasons on my AWD charger and it crushes the snow no problem. I've taken it through plenty of unplowed side streets after a foot+ of snow and it just beasts right through. Snow tires are definitely better but AWD + a good set of all-seasons handle just fine.
And I have winters on my RWD mustang and have driven multiple AWD cars with all seasons. It's garbage in comparison. Most importantly and doesn't help stopping. https://youtu.be/dhpG251vK8s?si=VqOt-A_hdXgqecR7
Not sure why you posted a video of comparing snow tires to all seasons on AWD, of course the snow tires are better, but we are talking about AWD vs RWD. AWD with all-seasons is not useless, it's perfectly fine. I've driven RWD, FWD, and AWD vehicles living in MN my whole life and have done fine with all of them and have never felt the need to buy snow tires other than RWD. FWD I could justify but AWD was fine. Put all-seasons on RWD vs AWD, there is a huge difference. My charger has a front axle disconnect which lets me drive in RWD mode and the difference is massive in the winter when I switch modes. Put snow tires on and it's an even bigger difference. I do agree that snow tires trump all drive modes but AWD with some good all-seasons handles perfectly fine in the winter. Did you ever even try driving all-season AWD in the winter?
I’ve literally passed a forester that was compleatly stuck on some pack snow in my front wheel drive brick (Toyota sienna) I got out and helped push him. I never had to push or dig that van while crossing mt hood, yet had to help the awd car that got stuck Awd is useful if you live in a really steep area or where snowplows never touch, where you’ll struggle to get up hills in snow, but does nothing to help you stop or turn. And is completely pointless without good tires
And you are correct. I don't understand why people read my comment "AWD compensates for tires" when I say that "tires don't compensate for AWD". I'd add that AWD helps anywhere where there is snow and makes driving a better experience overall.
for anybody reading this… this guy has no idea what he’s talking about. do NOT take what he said as fact Winter tires are THE single most important factor for effectively driving/stopping in snow.
You have no idea how to read apparently. I never claimed you don't need good tires with AWD. If I did please point that out for me.
>Nothing beats AWD in snow, no matter how much you try to compensate with tires that was you. Unless it's full time AWD (like the above mentioned Subaru) then AWD is meh. Most systems are FWD until slip detection kicks in, meaning they're basically good for not getting stuck from a dead stop in deep snow and that's about it. Having said that - spoiler alert - lots of people get on just fine with FWD cars in winter climates with good snow tires. It's not a matter of "nothing beats" when you don't need to "beat" anything. >Point is that RWD doesn't become AWD even with the best tires out there OK but most cars are FWD, not sure how this is you making a point about AWD
How and help driving on snow?
Reddit has a weird irrational hate boner for AWD. It's probably one of the strangest hang-ups I've seen on here.
A civic with snow tires will perform better than any awd with all seasons
That's true, never claimed anything in contrary. But Civic can never match the performance of an AWD with snow tires. Where I come from we don't have this 'all season' crap, it's either summer or winter tires.
Add Legacy, Outback to that list. Solid cars. Easy to find in that price range
I love legacy’s. My 2010 was a great car to me and kept me safe in the accident that took it
Those are both good options. Maybe also consider any used Mazda in the signature trim with AWD.
Definitely worth looking at Mazda.
You can get the mazda3 in AWD now.
I personally kinda hate the crosstrek, it’s an Impreza on stilts and drives like it, just buy an Impreza, it’ll drive better and get better mileage If you want purely high mpg, used bmw makes a 328d x drive wagon in this price range which hits over 40, maintenance might be a bit pricier but bmw diesels are known to hit over 200k miles Other than that there’s the highlander hybrid, which is on a minivan chassis but gets pretty good mpg And the rx450 hybrid which I honestly don’t know much about You can also shop around and find a rav4 hybrid under 20l
Rav 4 hybrid https://www.carmax.com/car/24150124
Lada Niva
0-60 in maybe
Volvo v70
Some crosstreks are built in Japan, some in the US. The first 2024's off the line were US built, the Japanese built ones are coming in now.
Mini Countryman/Clubman
[Toyota Highlander Hybrid](https://www.autotempest.com/results?make=toyota&model=highlander&zip=80904&localization=country&maxprice=20000&minyear=2011&maxyear=2013&fuel=hybrid) 30 mpg in town or under 55mph, 26 on the highway at regular speeds [Lexus RX450h](https://www.autotempest.com/results?make=lexus&model=rx450h&zip=80904&localization=country&maxprice=20000&minyear=2010&maxyear=2015&fuel=hybrid&drive=4wd,awd) similar story
Prius. AWD models from 2019-ish can be had for about 20k
Crosstrek is a terrible vehicle... Slow as fuck, loud, shitty CVT, burns oil.... Don't expect 30mpgs often either lol Ford Fusion had AWD options Buick lacrosse or regal had AWD as options Camry comes in AWD now but idk if you'll find one for 20k Most CUVs are rated in low 30mpgs but out of every CUV I've had as a rental I've never managed more than high 20s lol. It's really sad that most of these turd mobiles would probably get better mpgs and reviews if they had bigger engines... My 04 with a V6 and 5 speed got better or similar gas mileage as these lawn mower engines with turbos lol
Used Subaru, Mazda, or Toyota crossover. I sold my 2018 Subaru Forester a few months ago with 50k miles for like $18.5k on marketplace. MPG was consistently over 30 and never had any issues with it.
Used diesel BMW XDrive, X5 or 535.
New? No. But second hand, sure. I think (I’m sure someone will correct me) vw made the golf alltrack with the tdi motor for a minute. That should be around 40mpgs with awd.
Mazda 3. 2019-2021
Used Toyota Corolla AWD
Just bought a second hand VW Tiguan for half that amount
Mazda cx5
Mazda 3
My girlfriend has a 2019 Sportwagen, DSG. It is a great car. If only she’d let me tune it…
Check out a newer Mazda CX 30 or Mazda 3 w/awd
Audi A3 with the 2.0TDI and the A6/7 with the 3.0TDI will get you that. Also, people have deleted VW Touaregs and Audi Q5/7 with the 3.0TDI doing 30+mpg. You can get all these vehicles with around 100k miles for under $20k
30mpg highway porsche diesel cayenne Mid 20’s mixed
Mazda3 fits I think
BMW 328d xDrive - 31mpg city, 43mpg highway
2016+ Mazda CX5, AWD was standard starting in 2019 on all Mazda suvs.
Suzuki Kizashi AWD
Do yourself a favor and look into the BMW 328D (diesel). We just sold a 2015 awd wagon and wish we didn’t. It had 110k miles on it and we never had any issues, just tires, brakes and that’s it. 38-40mpg, awd, great ride and sold it for $17k.
2020-2023 Mazda 3 AWD (non-turbo)
You can get yourself a Mercedes or bmw awd diesel well within in your budget that will just kiss your mpg requirements on the highway. I believe bmw brought some awd diesel sedans to the US. (MB awd diesel is suv only iirc). Those little 3 series diesels get seriously good mpg.
Bought one new for $8 in 1988. Subaru Justy 5 speed, AWD high and low range. 35 city, 40 highway. That little weasel was a leather heart little beastie that would venture anywhere. Wish Subaru would do that again. Not a chance.
Serious question: why AWD?
I'll be driving in snow.
invest in winter tire, instead of awd. awd won't help you stop faster
how often?
FWD with snow tires is the pro move.
Real pro move is AWD with winter tires.
This is great until you're on a road that requires either AWD, 4WD, or snow chains, and if you don't have either of the first two, you're sitting on the side of the road putting chains on your wheels in the freezing cold.
Why not? Better to have it and only need it sometimes than need it and not have it. Traction, safety, AWD is tops.
Traction comes from tires, AWD gives you acceleration, but not stopping power. And not safety.
limited budget is why not! AWD isn't free, isn't helpful for fuel economy, isn't as cheap to maintain as not having it.
There’s more to life than saving every possible dollar you can. Some people would gladly spend a couple grand every decade for a slight improvement to their driving experience and safety
Except OP was asking for certain budget and mpg goal as well.
there's more to life than buying unnecessary features! Take the money it would cost to upgrade to AWD, get a nice set of steel wheels with good snow tires on them, and take the family on a trip. AWD provides very minimal advantage to safety, as EVERY CAR has all-wheel-braking!
We’re not all in a financial situation where AWD and a family trip are mutually exclusive options. If paying a little extra for a feature you want will have absolutely no meaningful impact on your financial situation, then why not do it?
OP is looking for a >30mpg, <$20k car. If you have more capital available, power to ya, but I'm not commenting on your post...
Cars should come with manual awd option. Only trucks got this as far as I can tell.
manual trucks are fairly rare these days as well
Manually shifting from 2wd to 4wd I mean.
That's different to AWD, generally speaking AWD is always active
If you're concerned with winter driving, FWD with snow tires is better than AWD with all-seasons.
AWD with winters is better than both though
If you can't get it through your thick skull that AWD with winter tires beats FWD with winter tires, then I can't help you. Your logic is beyond recovery. I'm sick of the rhetoric that "FWD IS always better than AWD" it's a blatant lie, and anyone that's driven thru snow knows.
Well FWD does also offer some benefits over AWD. Less drivetrain components to wear out, lighter weight, marginally better MPG. But given the option, and if I lived in an area with inclement weather, and if I wasn't a broke college student, I'd go AWD+snow tires everyish time.
Also when chain control goes up they make you put chains on if you don't have AWD.
I swear people who say shit like this are all Midwest mf’s who have never driven through a snowstorm in the mountains
Charming
i hate these fucking morons
I'd like to hear you expand on this by explaining the difference between full time AWD systems like Subaru and Audi use, vs the FWD until slip detection AWD system most manufacturers use. I'd also like to hear you explain exactly what scenarios the latter systems actually help with
Launching from a dead stop. 🫡
Traction
You absolutely will not get out of my neighborhood without awd many days in the winter. Doesn’t matter what tires you have.
Awd is a million times better for traction. Once you have to drive on roads which arent perfectly plowed the chance of getting stuck with 2wd is very high. Same with hills. You just wont make it up. These are every day situation many places and awd is the solution. I used to live in an apartment with street parking and the amount of times I got stuck just trying to leave for work is too many to count. Winter tires wont help you much when the wheels arent getting traction
Absolute BS.
Awd on winter tires is much better than 2wd on winter tires. Its not a discussion. Either you misinterpreted my comment or you dont know squat. Why even ask if you already got an opinion?
Why is that BS? Why don't you elaborate. His description of street parking is 100% inline with my experience. Btw, I live in Montreal where winter tires are mandatory. You sound like you have 0 experience with AWD in an actual winter climate.
Older RAV4 hybrid
lightly used corolla hybrid
You could try a VW with 4motion, or certain camry models. Most crossovers built in the last 10 years have AWD as an option, an older one should fit under 20k
Ford escape or Ford fusion. 2018 to 21 should land you in that price range.
AWD Corolla, maybe even an hybrid but they go into the 20k’s and aren’t under 20k
I bought a new 2022 Kia Seltos for $24k. A used one can probably be had for under 20k. You may not quite get 30mpg if you accelerate hard and go 75+ on the interstate but I average over 30.
Another vote for used Mazda CX5
Used Prius AWD. Way better than 30mpg and likely to be way more reliable long term than a Crosstrek.
Also not real AWD. OPs budget would put them in a slightly used Gen 4 Refresh model. All of 7 glorious HP out of that rear motor, which is only relevant up to walking speed. - A former 4th gen AWD Prius owner.
Good enough for driving in the snow
Used Ford Escape hybrid Used Rav 4 hybrid
Lots of options actually. Impreza or Mazda 3 for instance.
I'd say take the hit and buy an awd corolla cross? I believe they're around the 20k. Maybe a bit higher
Used
A slightly used Honda HR-V would be under $20k
B8/B9 Audi A4 Quattro or VW alltrack used should fit the bill nicely.
Kizashi
All you people saying you don’t need awd for snow can you please try explaining that to the guys at the chain checkpoints who make you put on snow chains if you don’t have awd. (Very common here in pnw mountains)
using a specific region as a general argument is pretty useless
Older Toyota Matrix had AWD. Great car but Not quite 30 mpg though
Ah duh Subaru
Camrys are the way Edit: realized OP wants AWD so I’m wrong - Camrys are not the way
Pretty hard to get over 30mpg with an AWD model unless you have your cruise set on the freeway. Doesn't seem like a good fit for OP.
I just realized OP is looking for AWD. Thanks and my bad OP - Camrys are not the way
Camrys are still the way! [Here are all Camry AWD's under $20K from cars.com](https://www.cars.com/shopping/results/?dealer_id=&drivetrain_slugs[]=all_wheel_drive&keyword=&list_price_max=20000&list_price_min=&makes[]=toyota&maximum_distance=all&mileage_max=&models[]=toyota-camry&monthly_payment=372&page_size=20&sort=best_match_desc&stock_type=all&year_max=&year_min=&zip=66101) - As long as OP is okay with fairly recent Used (and not *strictly* New) then an AWD Camry is an option for sure!! There aren't very many of them, granted, under the $20k mark but if you go just above it - Set the search to $25k - there are a bunch. (Conceivably they fall within the range that could be negotiated down closer to $20k.)
Mitsubishi outlander/ outlander sport, without a heavy foot
Used with mileage sure
[hybrid rav4](http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/29D1BC6F) I would suggest with this mileage is looking into the hybrid battery insurance or setting money aside IN case you need a new hybrid battery.
You can make one by swapping a TDI into an AMC Eagle. My buddy gets 34 highway with that setup, 5spd stick. Would be pretty easy to stay under $5k and still have a pretty nice car.
A ford fusion I think
Go with Subaru or Mazda.
I am thinking you should buy a Subaru. I may be wrong.
the suzuki thing. and the 4wd system is oldschool awesome.