10 Most Reliable Cars with AWD

Many vehicles offer all-wheel-drive technology these days, but the most reliable cars with AWD bring a little more to the table. Even though they avoid slippery situations with their superior traction, these cars also avoid constant downtime based on outstanding dependability.

So, there are some fairly affordable choices here, including a number of vehicles priced under $30,000—though we haven’t skipped the premium entries, either. That means we have plenty of options for drivers who prefer the benefits of AWD but don’t need the extra size that comes with a crossover or sport-utility vehicle.

Most reliable cars with AWD provide it as an extra-cost option, which gives the 2017 Subaru Impreza a notable advantage. Despite a high-value MSRP—set at $18,395 for the sedan body style and $18,895 for the hatch—the Impreza comes standard with Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive system. That's not the only upscale feature that is standard on this mainstream compact: A Starlink infotainment system with a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, and a rearview camera are standard, too. And although the 2017 Impreza is all new, past generations lay a solid foundation for continued dependability. After all, according to Subaru, which based its analysis on IHS Markit data, the 2017 Subaru Impreza is the longest-lasting vehicle in its class.

And the Impreza’s strong dependability ratings are complemented by those of the brand’s midsize sedan, the 2017 Subaru Legacy. For deliveries made in the past decade, the automaker reports that 98 percent of Legacy models sold are still on the road today. All of them, of course, also have their version of symmetrical all-wheel drive. As for the current Legacy, it's distinguished by standard Starlink infotainment technology, complete with a 6.2-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, a rear-vision camera, and an interface for select mobile apps. The Legacy matches the Impreza’s EyeSight package of driver-assistance technologies as well, and unlike some of the most reliable cars with AWD, both Subaru vehicles have earned Top Safety Pick+ recognition from the IIHS.

The high-quality mainstream midsize sedans like the Subaru Legacy are often known for their family-friendly dependability. However, only a few can be ordered with all-wheel drive. In fact, the only other high-volume midsize vehicle on our list of most reliable cars with AWD is the 2017 Ford Fusion. More specifically, the Fusion can be configured with an intelligent all-wheel-drive system engineered for both enhanced handling and maximum traction. In the Fusion SE, Titanium, and Platinum trims, the setup is available with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine that makes a robust 245 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft. of torque; Additionally, all-wheel drive is standard for the Fusion Sport, which showcases a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, 325 horsepower, and 380 lb.-ft. of torque.

The 2017 Buick LaCrosse is another all-new model without a storied history of dependability, but with a long track record of reliability in past generations. The redesigned LaCrosse offers a new twin-clutch all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring; this technology can send power to the individual wheel with the best grip, for enhanced traction. The sleek and luxurious LaCrosse also serves up some of Buick’s top infotainment and driver-assistance technologies, from automatic front braking and pedestrian detection to a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot and Android Auto/Apple CarPlay smartphone integration. As a result, we have no qualms about including the new LaCrosse with our most reliable cars with AWD.

The Jaguar brand has put considerable focus on improving the dependability into its latest products, and the company is certainly confident in its progress: It backs up those quality-improvement efforts with extensive warranty coverage for vehicles such as the 2017 Jaguar XE, creating a nice advantage over most reliable cars with AWD. In fact, the Jaguar EliteCare program furnishes a best-in-class five-year/60,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty, complimentary routine maintenance, and complimentary 24/7 roadside assistance. The XE compact sport sedan also stands out from its rivals by incorporating Jaguar’s “Intelligent Driveline Dynamics” technology with its available all-wheel-drive system. This technology, per the automaker, “is predictive, not reactive,” and it “pre-emptively” adjusts wheel torque for optimum grip.

Following a second-place finish last year, Porsche moved into a first-place tie—with Lexus—in the 2017 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability, explaining why we’ve also moved the 2017 Porsche Panamera onto our roster of the most reliable cars with AWD. As for the Panamera itself, that can move from 0-60 in as few as 3.4 seconds. All you need to do is order the Sport Chrono package for the Panamera Turbo since that allows drivers to take full advantage of the car’s 4.0-liter turbocharged V8. This engine, for the curious, can dial up a steep 550 horsepower and 567 lb.-ft. of torque—and enable a top track speed of 190 mph with a standard eight-speed automatic transmission.

Searching for the most dependable cars with all-wheel drive will turn up a wide range of vehicles from the premium German brands, and the 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a particularly intriguing choice. The C300 4MATIC combines all the reliability of the C-Class sedan with the brand’s all-wheel-drive technology, then adds in a fully automatic, multi-layer soft-top that can be opened or closed in about 20 seconds—even with the car moving at speeds of up to 31 mph. When you also consider that the C300 supplies a standard wind-deflection mechanism—and a neck-level heating system known as the AIRSCARF—it’s easy to understand why Mercedes-Benz calls this a convertible for every day of the year.
 

The Audi brand does well in terms of general reliability. It has received impressive recognition across the industry and, for the 2017 Audi A6, it’s also the chief reason that we picked the sedan as one of our most reliable cars with AWD. An obvious second factor is an available “Quattro” all-wheel drive for the A6. Nor does the rest of the car’s powertrain hurt, since the standard engine here is a responsive 2.0-liter turbo that makes 252 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque—enough to propel Audi’s midsize sports sedan from 0-60 in about 6.7 seconds.

The 2017 Lexus GS comes from the same brand that also tied with Porsche to lead this year’s J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study. Moreover, it was the 2014 GS that was the highest-ranked midsize premium car in the study (which analyzes reliability after three years of operation). Bolstered by those kinds of survey results, today’s GS meets our AWD criteria with a setup that can vary torque from a 30/70 rearward bias to a full 50/50 split for optimum traction.

We got things started by saying that the most reliable cars with AWD provide a more right-sized approach to driving than SUVs with the same footprint. Well, the 2017 BMW 3 Series can turn that idea on its head. Configured with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive technology, the 330i Sports Wagon has a spacious 27.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind its rear seats and 61.5 cubic feet with its back seats folded. In other words, not only do Sports Wagon drivers get more storage space in both configurations than in a Jeep Cherokee, they also enjoy a turbocharged TwinPower engine that enables 0-60 acceleration in a mere 5.7 seconds.