AWD wagons: Help me make a decision

[RobRed]

I would probably go Subaru. If its going to be a transportation device and not an enthusiast ride. The Allroad is almost a cult car now and it requires a lot of TLC. Having owned a 2002 from new as well as operating the web site allroadfaq.com I can tell you first hand. Once you have an Allroad they are hard to give up... Like a sexy mistress that knows where all your buttons are


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[Stroverlander]

I test drove a used Allroad before purchasing my second awd Astro van. The Allroad didn't really suit my size requirements but it's a car I've always wanted to own though the van was more bang for the buck - newer, half the miles and simpler for sure. Unlike my Astro awd, I probably still wouldn't have the Allroad six years later.

I am impressed with my mom's 2010 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport for a 20k car, nothing fancy inside or out but solid and capable, cheap carpet excepted.

[NothingClever]

Subaru family from Colorado and Colombia here. Wife has an Outback and I'll be buying her another one again. When I get tired of futzing around with the endless pursuit of the perfect truck and pop-up camper configuration for "The Big Trip" down sputh, I find relief in knowing I could throw a Maggiolina on top of Mom's little bread sled and make it to Portillo and Punta Arenas with some skis and a couple of Long Haul kayaks in the back without ever breaking a sweat.

Good luck with the endeavors. Sounds like you have a clear definition of needs and wants.

[Flounder]

Here's another idea:

jeepmoab.jpg

We spent the better part of all last fall looking for a new ride. It had to get good mileage, behave well on the road, serve as a daily driver, and do well enough offroad to get us to remote campsites on our various adventures. Many people bemoan the lack of a low range in many of these smaller wagons and crossovers. The Freedom Drive II on our Patriot is pretty amazing for what it is.

7000 miles later, we couldn't be happier.

[Cee-Jay]

A Mitsubishi Endeavor may meet your needs and can be had for much, much less than 10k... probably more like 5k. It’s a crossover built on a car-based platform with an optional AWD system that splits power 50/50 between the front and back by default. Also, a traction control system was an available option on the Limited model. It comes with independent suspension all around and a SOHC V6 (same engine that’s in the Monteros I believe).

For the dirt roads the Endeavor gives you 8.3” of ground clearance, a 38.4 ft turning circle and approach and departure angles of 24 and 23 degrees, respectively.

On the pavement, the Endeavor was praised for its sporty acceleration (0-60 in the low 7s) and solid handling which exhibited little of the body lean that plagued many competitors. Upon its release, the Endeavor placed first in Motor Trend’s braking test and tied the BMW X5 for first in the slalom course. Reviewers also liked the aggressive styling, roomy interior and simply better than average capabilities across the board.

Reviewers took issue with the lack of a 3rd seat, the build quality (solid, but not as good as Honda or Toyota), premium fuel and the use of a 4-speed semi-automatic transmission (since most competitors offered at least a 5-speed at that time). Some critics felt that the rear suspension might snag on rocks and branches in rough terrain, yet other reviews noted that it performed surprisingly well on dirt roads.

I’m sure many of the wagons you are looking at will offer a far superior on pavement experience, but the early Endeavor’s were pretty darn good in comparison with other crossovers and the added ground clearance gives you more options when it comes to off-pavement excursions. Also, because these vehicles did not sell well, you can get them used for peanuts.

Mitsubishi-Endeavor_2004_800x600_wallpaper_03.jpg112_0312_suvyt_13z+2004_mitsubishi_endeavor_suv+rear.jpg

PS: There is ZERO aftermarket for these things so don’t buy it if you’re looking to make this a project vehicle at some point.

[??????? Kilkelly]

Bump...
The end result of all this was that I ended up with a 2006 a4 avant quattro (with a 3.2l engine). The reasoning? I could get financing on the a4, and the rest were private sales, or weren't quite what I wanted. Of course, this can still handle the dirt roads it will inevitably end up on, and should get me to the trailhead without too much trouble. Also, the wife loves it, the kid loves it, and it's beautiful on the highway. Definitely not an RTW vehicle, but it'll get me across north america and back, I think

[??????? Kilkelly]

Also: I'd like to thank everyone for their help. For the record- I liked the Outbacks I drove, but the handling and road manners were a little quirky (this is coming from small sedans and rental cars). My wife pointed out that the h6 outback felt like a 2012 wrangler.. which we also drove, loved and decided not to buy because the payments would have been too high for us to be able to actually use it for anything. The Allroad, 325 XIt, and the xc70 were all great, and I would have gone with the Volvo, but the price was a little high. This was a good mix of all of them, and will make a decent DD and highway/byway machine. I also have some spare budget for mods now

[bentonrover]

Congrats and good luck