How to find all new car models with AWD/4WD?

Factual Questions
1

That’s pretty much it.

I’m starting to look for a new car/truck. I haven’t bought a new vehicle in years and have really no clue about any manufacturer’s current product lines. Hell, I’m not even sure which brands still exist or who really owns them anymore, much less the recent additions.

I don’t know what sort of vehicle I want, other than it MUST be 4WD or AWD. I might end up with a pickup, I might end up with an SUV, or I might end up with a luxo sport sedan, or even a Kia econo-box.

Since AWD/4WD is far from universal and is my only 100% requriement, I thought I’d use that as a first cut to limit my detailed research to maybe 10-20 models. Sounds OK, right?

But I’m not having much luck. I’ve looked at several car info sites and they all seem the same: tell them what make or genre of vehicle you want and they’ll list the models & prices & main features. That’s no help to me; the make or genre are exactly the two facts I don’t have.

I want someplace that will search all makes, all models, all prices, for certain feaures from an extensive list of choices.

Anybody got any ideas? I’d even appreciate suggestions for car buyer messageboards who might in turn have sugestions on how to search the product space this way.

2

Never mind …

A little more digging at autoweb.com & they have just the ticket.

Daay-um! There are a lot of 4WD / AWD cars these days; some 176 models in each of 2005 & 2006 to choose from. That won’t limit my research very much at all.

3

I suggest getting a 2nd requirement, like price range, or type of car/truck. Are you really saying you are considering a Subaru Impresa and a Hummer?

4

Sorta.

I’m saying I haven’t thought about it enough yet to narrow the field. I like my current truck ('92 big Bronco I bought new), but it’s getting reeeaaaalllll long in the tooth. The car I drove before that was a Porsche 911 I bought new. I’m sorta omnivorous when it comes to vehicles.

I’m willing to pay up to ~$80K for a ride, but if nothing lights my fire I’d as soon buy a cheapo (or better yet buy used) & wait 2 or 3 years for the next model series to come out. If I do spend heavy money, it’s for my benefit, not for how it looks to somebody else; status symbol my a**. When I do buy new, I plan to keep it until it’s depreciated to next-to-nothing.

OTOH, gas consumption is not on my radar at all. If I can steal a Hummer that might be just the ticket. A big enough discount can offset a lot of gas.

Part of me wants a sports car; I miss the 911 rush. Part of me really likes the ride height, all weather capability, towing capability & hauling space of the truck. Part of me wants the civilized luxo feaures of something like a BMW 5xx or Audi A6 or Lexus. I HATE cold & really really want heated seats.

If I had a 6-car garage & a much bigger budget I might get a Diesel F250, a 'Vette, and the A8/740i. Maybe in 5 years, but not now.

SUVs that are really just tall station wagons for soccer moms do ZERO for me, but I don’t really want a pickup either, at least not as a daily driver. The Bronco was the perfect crossover design for me (so naturally they killed it!)

I could just keep the Bronco and buy the sports car / luxo sedan, but I really don’t want to lose the 3rd garage space to keeping the Bronc, and neither do I want any vehicle sitting out in the driveway all the time.

So yeah, I’m all over the map on this one so far. I was hoping the AWD thing would reduce the list to 2 or 3 sedans, one sport crossover & a bunch of SUVs. Then I could try them all and see which one(s) lit my fire. No such luck; time for more deciding on what type I really want most.

5

Well trucks have become SUV’s which have become SMV’s (soccer mom vehicles). If this is not what you are looking for then at least it’s a start, and would elimiate about 80% of the 4/AWD vehicles out there. Unfortunatly there is no easy way to search for SMV’s

6

To give my interpretation of what you said above, it seems like you have one hard requirement (four- or all-wheel drive), but beyond that you are looking for inspiration to pick your next vehicle.

Why not wander over to Edmunds.com and browse their new vehicles until you see something you like. The process can be sped up for you with the following steps:

  1. Browse their Editors’ Picks and Consumers’ Picks to see what other people find satisfying.
  2. Look at comparison test winners
  3. Based on reading reviews of the most popular vehicles in each segment, you should get a better idea of which segment appeals to you the most - if the segment winner doesn’t inspire you, chances are good that the also-rans won’t be appealing either.

Maybe once you’ve narrowed down what kind of vehicle you imagine yourself in, it would be possible for other Dopers to suggest something. For example, if you discover in your heart of hearts that you can’t drive a “wagon,” then it won’t matter how many people sing the praises of an Audi S4 Avant. Likewise, if an extra-large SUV won’t fit in your garage, then there’s no need to wonder whether a Suburban is better than an Expedition, or whether it makes sense to step up to the luxury versions of either of those. Hope this helps, and good luck in your research.

7

Okay, if you want a sports car, but need AWD, have you considered a Subaru WRX Sti?

If you want cargo hauling capability, you consider something like a Subaru Legacy wagon, or a Subaru Outback sport. All have all-time AWD, probably the best on the market, a turbocharged high output engine, great handling, and supreme practicality. Our car, a Saab 9-2x Aero, is a rebadged WRX wagon, with some Saab improvements. It’s got everything you say you want - AWD, heated seats, 61 Cu Ft of cargo capacity wtih the back seats down, and it’ll do 0-60 in under 6 seconds. It’s an absolutely great car. Faster than most ‘sports cars’, but supremely practical.

8

One other thought - since you say you like your Bronco, maybe spend a few thou to get it fixed up. This is well within your stated budget, and pretty low risk as you already know that this vehicle fits your current needs.

Even if this just tides you over for a couple of years, it could really make some sense.

Otherwise, I’d be interested in hearing what vehicle segment you decide might fit your needs. Thanks.