How2Day: The Best Rated AWD Crossovers

Adverse weather is no longer an obstacle with versatile AWD crossover vehicles. Charles Maraia/Photodisc/Getty Images
The modern automobile has brought a number of safety advances. All-wheel drive (AWD) has lended drivers the security of knowing that their tires are working in concert to keep them on the road in adverse conditions. While once relegated to specific brands of vehicle and larger SUVs, AWD has now found a new home, in many crossover vehicles, cars and small SUVs that allow for more versatility and better mileage.

Audi is one of the leading car manufacturers when it comes to all-wheel drive systems. Over the past several years the company has expanded a product line that was focused mostly on compact performance cars to produce several larger, crossover and SUV category vehicles. The Audi Q5 brings performance, style and comfort to the crossover vehicle area. The Q5 is a downsized version of their popular Q7 and boasts a 3.2 liter V6 with 270 horsepower. The Q5 is based on the Audi Quattro all-wheel drive system and, according to Consumer Reports, the crossover provides some of the best handling and agility for an SUV.

You're going to have to pay for the luxury that you'll find in the Audi Q5. If you're looking to get in to a crossover AWD vehicle that falls in to a more economic price scale, you might want to check out the Ford Escape, one of the cars.com best-rated crossover AWD vehicles at a price that won't break the bank. The Escape is one of the more fuel efficient crossovers out there with an estimated 24 mpg on the highway. The package comes with optional all-wheel drive and you can also get it in a hybrid, for even better gas mileage.

GMC Acadia, rated in the top 5 of medium-sized SUVs by US News, offers three rows of comfortable seating for up to eight passengers along with the best fuel economy in its class. The engine is on par with what Audi offers and comes in a 3.6 liter package. You can also up the luxury by getting the Denali version of the vehicles, which comes with additional comforts like chrome wheels and pipes, Xenon headlamps and a rear camera.

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