Auto123 takes a look at the current market and chooses the top 10 all-wheel-drive vehicles that will help consumers take on the coming winter
Like it or not, winter is on the horizon and approaching fact. In many parts of Canada, roads will be blanketed in snow within the next few weeks.
Those who are currently in the market for a new vehicle offering all-wheel traction are faced with a happy problem: there has never been more choice available when it comes to finding the right AWD car, SUV or truck.
And so at Auto123 we made like a car buyer to find the best picks, across a variety of segments and vehicle formats.
Populated with everything from affordable compact SUVs and big 4X4 pickups and standard-issue sedans, this list consists of 10 all-new or recently updated models that represent good choices as the cold season approaches. Note that we intentionally stuck to mass-market brands, leaving out the luxury marques.
1 — Ford Escape
The Ford Escape is comprehensively new for 2020, and we have to hand it to the Blue Oval manufacturer, which did a remarkable job refreshing, upgrading and modernizing its compact SUV. To the point where if we were a potential buyer, we would have it on our short list for a lease. Why lease? Because only time will tell if with this version Ford has resolved the long-term reliability issues that bedeviled the model in its early years.
For the rest, the new edition is well-balanced and features a perfectly competent all-wheel-drive system.
From our review:
“For 2020, the Ford Escape arrives with more space, less weight, more technology and – huzzah for you hybridists out there – a hybrid model for the first time since 2005. Oh, and there’s also a 1.5L three-cylinder turbo version with cylinder deactivation tech, which is an industry first.”
Our review of the 2020 Ford Escape