The Best All-Wheel-Drive Cars of 2025

All-wheel drive adds extra security in nasty weather like snow and ice — four driven wheels are better than two when it comes to traction, after all. Some of the best all-wheel-drive cars also offer off-road benefits for those who like to get outside off the beaten path. And if your commute involves a twisty road or two, high-tech all-wheel-drive systems can improve cornering performance too. As a result, it isn't hard to find a new car that comes with AWD. In fact, there are so many options it can be daunting to look for a new or used car with AWD. We've rounded up a few of the best all-wheel-drive cars on the market today, divided into sedan, hatchback, station wagon and van segments. We've also included a selection of the best used all-wheel-drive cars to consider.

The best AWD sedans

2025 Toyota Crown

Our list kicks off with a relatively new entrant: the Toyota Crown. It's only been around for a few years, but the Crown is a charmer. The sedan rides a little taller than most, adding to the practicality of its standard all-wheel-drive system. Every Crown is a hybrid, which means the typical fuel economy penalty paid in exchange for AWD grip is negated. We're also fans of the big sedan's comfy ride, which, combined with all-wheel drive and an efficient hybrid powertrain, makes the sedan an excellent all-season commuter.

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Read our 2025 Toyota Crown review

2025 Mazda 3

The Mazda 3 nails the budget luxury car phenotype. Thanks to both sedan and hatchback body styles, it also offers you a choice in styles. No matter the body style, the 3 is great to drive. The Mazda 3's interior is another highlight, and the leather and other materials in the cabin are top-notch for its price point. The 2025 model year saw a few changes, including a built-in Alexa voice assistant and over-the-air updates for the navigation system. All-wheel drive isn't standard, but it can be paired with either the standard 2.5-liter engine or the 3's most powerful turbocharged engine, making for a zippy, luxurious sedan (or hatch) with all-wheel drive.

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Read our 2025 Mazda 3 review

Best used AWD sedan: Audi A3 (2022)

The used market abounds with all-wheel-drive sedans, but the Audi A3 is a real standout. We love the peppy, turbocharged engine, excellent dual-clutch automatic transmission, and sporty handling. The Audi still feels current and has excellent in-car tech, as well as a comfortable interior that doesn't feel dated. Be sure the A3 you're looking at has all-wheel drive, as it isn't standard in the lineup.

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Read our 2022 Audi A3 review

The best AWD hatchbacks

2025 Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is a hatchback but it doesn't boast a massive storage area. Still, the ultra-fuel-efficient hybrid is so good that it's worth including. We enjoy the Prius' simple, easy-to-use infotainment system and its helpful (and plentiful) driver aids. Unlike the funky models of the past, the latest Prius is now a stylish option, and it feels genuinely quick thanks to its new engines. The days of wondering whether the small hybrid will be able to merge onto the highway before the car behind catches up are over. Like the Crown, the Toyota Prius is one of the best all-wheel-drive hybrid cars.

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Read our 2025 Toyota Prius review

2025 Subaru Impreza

Subaru, like Audi, is known for its all-wheel-drive cars, born in part from a long history in racing. The Impreza is the archetypal Subaru, offering all-wheel drive and hatchback practicality at an affordable price point. A refresh in 2024 brought changes that included a sporty new RS trim with more power, and an 11.6-inch screen improved the tech situation. The Impreza also offers a slew of impressive driver aids, most of which are, like the all-wheel-drive system, standard.

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Read our 2025 Subaru Impreza review

The best used AWD hatchback: 2022 Volkswagen Golf R

The Volkswagen Golf R isn't as special as competitors like the Honda Civic Type R and Acura Integra Type S, but it excels at being good at everything. Paired with all-wheel-drive capability, it also has a distinct leg up on those other two competitors in terms of traction. The latest Golf R honed the formula further, creating a faster, more powerful all-wheel-drive performance car with all the practicality of a hatchback and the latest tech, like a torque-vectoring AWD system. There's also a Drift mode for the system that pushes torque to the outermost wheel and allows the hot hatch to get sideways. Along with new looks and a clever all-wheel-drive system, 2022's updates also brought 27 more horsepower to the hatch, bringing output to 315 horses.

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Read our 2022 Volkswagen Golf R review

The best AWD minivans

2025 Toyota Sienna

The Sienna's hybrid powertrain means it gets excellent fuel economy in spite of its available all-wheel-drive system, though you'll pay a bit extra for it. The Sienna is also a wall of glass, which means the large minivan is easy to see out of and maneuver. (There's also an available surround-view camera system to help out.) Toyota's suite of driver aids likewise enhances the Sienna's safety, and there's a new, larger touchscreen for 2025 along with the introduction of a new rear occupant detection system that alerts the driver when it detects that a passenger is in the back after the driver has shut off and exited the vehicle.

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Read our 2025 Toyota Sienna review

Volkswagen ID. Buzz

The new Volkswagen ID. Buzz is part novelty and nostalgia — a throwback to a bygone era full of flowers and Hendrix. But it's also a genuinely useful family hauler. Throw in all-wheel drive and a whisper-quiet and powerful electric drivetrain and the Buzz is a real winner. It's also impressively comfortable, even with all seven passengers present, and the cargo area is so large that you could drive an old bus into the back of this new bus like it's a Russian nesting doll.

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Read our 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz review

The best used AWD minivan: Chrysler Pacifica

The Chrysler Pacifica is an old hand in the minivan segment but still a useful one thanks largely to its clever Stow 'N Go seating, which lets you fold the second-row seats down into the floor to create a truly massive cargo area. The Pacifica is available with all-wheel drive as well. Other highlights include excellent visibility and an upscale interior with nice materials like leather. Models from 2022 even come with integrated Amazon Fire TV.

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Read our 2022 Chrysler Pacifica review

The best AWD wagons

2025 Volvo V60 Cross Country

The Volvo V60 Cross Country is an all-wheel-drive off-road-capable wagon. But unlike the segment-defining Outback (more on that down below), it does so with a luxury twist. The V60 has a beautiful design and features high-end materials in and out, and its wagon body style promises uncompromised cargo capacity in addition to comfort. The Cross Country model receives a slightly higher ride height than standard V60 models, which promises some off-road capability to go with the luxury interior, practicality and Scandinavian looks.

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Read our 2025 Volvo V60 Cross Country review

2025 Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback is an all-wheel-drive staple that toes the line between station wagon and SUV. It boasts wagon-like practicality and comfort combined with the ground clearance and all-weather capability of a high-riding SUV. It's the best of both worlds, and the Outback's Wilderness trim offers serious off-road capability thanks to increased ground clearance and all-terrain tires. There's also Subaru's X-Mode AWD software, which helps by modifying the engine, transmission, and all-wheel-drive system to help enhance grip on surfaces like snow, dirt and gravel. Of course, every Outback in the lineup comes with all-wheel drive included, as dictated by long-running Subaru tradition. Due to its good ground clearance and standard all-wheel drive, the Outback is one of the best all-wheel-drive cars for snow.

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Read our 2025 Subaru Outback review

The best used AWD wagon: Audi A6 Allroad

The Audi A6 Allroad occupies the same niche as the V60 Cross Country, only with a larger footprint. The A6 offers tons of room for both people and cargo, alongside slightly enhanced off-road capability as a result of its increased ride height. It's not the serious off-roader the Outback is, but the Audi's luxurious interior, great driver aids and premium feel help make up for that.

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Read our 2022 Audi A6 Allroad review

If you're looking for an all-wheel-drive SUV, click here for our article on the best AWD sport-utility vehicles.