10 Most Efficient All-Wheel Drive Vehicles For Wet Weather

You can get the stability and traction of all-wheel drive without completely killing your fuel economy. It'll just cost you up front.
By Jason Notte ,

All-wheel drive comes in just as handy during a particularly snowy winter as it does in parts of the country where it rains for weeks at a time. That doesn't make it particularly efficient. 

Fleet-wide fuel efficiency in the U.S. is inching toward the 54.5 miles per gallon that the Environmental Protection Agency has mandated by 2025, but right now the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute puts average mileage at roughly 25.3 mpg. We've finally reached a point where multiple all-wheel drive vehicles can leap that hurdle, but there are only about a dozen that can eclipse 30 miles per gallon combined. That's a shame, since all-wheel drive vehicles can provide an extra layer of safety between a driver and terrible road conditions.

According to the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, wet roads account for roughly 1.13 million crashes each year, 75% of all weather-related crashes and 18% of vehicle crashes overall. That number shrinks only somewhat to 707,000 crashes, or 47% of weather-related crashes and 11% of all crashes, when you narrow wet-pavement incidents down to just rain.

Still, those crashes in rainy conditions injure more than 330,000 people each year and kill 3,300. That's roughly 50% of all weather-related injuries and deaths. To put that into perspective, that makes rain more dangerous to U.S. drivers than snow, ice and fog combined.

Even if you make it through the worst rainstorms unscathed, they're more than enough to impact your commute severely. Light rain reduces traffic flow 2% to 13% in light rain, while heavier rain slows things down 6% to 17%.

For drivers who desperately want all-wheel drive's traction but who don't want to pay for it in trips to the pump, here are ten suggestions for all-wheel drive vehicles that won't leave you feeling drained:

10. 2015 Lexus RX 450h

Starting price: $47,620

Miles per gallon: 30 city, 28 highway, 29 combined

Even without the all-wheel drive, this elephant of a vehicle is performing a small miracle by getting this kind of mileage. Despite a 3.5-liter V6 engine that generates a whopping 295 horsepower, this still, somehow, manages to get 30 miles per gallon in the city.

It's 11 miles per gallon more efficient than a base, gas-only RX 350, it puts out 20 horsepower more and has the same 80.3 cubic inches of cargo space with the seats folded. Yes, it's roughly $7,500 more, but the mileage and features including a power rear door, parking sensors, rear camera, heated seats, rear entertainment system and Lexus Enform app system more than make up for it.

9. 2016 Audi A6/A7 quattro

MSRP: $60,425 and $71,325

Miles per gallon: 25 city, 38 highway, 29.5 combined

They're just different sizes of the same diesel-driven car, but each has sport-program all-wheel drive for hugging corners. Both vehicles also get the access to the same features, including the Style package (xenon headlights and 18-inch wheels), the Innovation package (includes head-up display and night vision assistant), the Cold Weather package (heated front and rear seats and heated steering wheel), the Sport package (adds a sport-tuned suspension, a sport steering wheel, shift paddles and either 19-inch wheels with all-season tires or 20-inch wheels with summer tires), the Driver Assistance package (top-view camera system with front and rear corner views, adaptive cruise control, active lane assist and the Audi Pre-Sense Plus collision mitigation system) and the Black Optic package (available with the Sport package, and adds 20-inch wheels, summer tires and high-gloss black trim).

That 240-horsepower six-cylinder engine is a little underpowered for vehicles that have the option of going with a 333-horsepower gasoline version instead, but this is the price you pay for cutting fuel costs while cutting time out of your cornering.

8. 2016 Acura RLX hybrid

Starting price: $59,950

Miles per gallon: 28 city, 32 highway, 30 combined

Do not call this a fancy Honda. At 377 horsepower with the guts of Acura's NSX dream car trapped in a commuter body; this is a deceptive dream machine.

That sedan frame means there's a ton of legroom in the back seats, the AcuraLink app for navigation and diagnostic information, GPS linked climate control (so the car knows which side is in the sun and, thus, which side to cool), a 14-speaker sound system, voice controls, voice texting, Bluetooth, leather heated and ventilated seats, adaptive cruise control and lane assistance. Oh, and you can drive to work without being challenged at every light or pulled over every time you go 0.5 miles over the speed limit.

7. 2016 BMW 535d xDrive

MSRP: $59,650

Miles per gallon: 29 city, 34 highway, 31.5 combined

BMW diesel is getting closer scrutiny, but not here in the U.S. The 535 just received its diesel version in 2014, but BMW loaded it up with a standard navigation system, leather upholstery, adjustable driving settings (which alter suspension, steering, throttle and automatic transmission response), adaptive bi-xenon headlights, automatic wipers, heated mirrors, a sunroof, auto-dimming mirrors and keyless ignition/entry.

There's also dual-zone automatic climate control, dark wood trim, ambient lighting, ten-way power front seats, driver memory functions, split-folding rear seats, BMW Assist emergency communications system and the iDrive electronics interface (with smartphone app integration). A Premium upgrade includes includes a hands-free power trunk lid that opens or closes automatically when you swipe your foot under the rear bumper while holding the remote, keyless access to all doors and satellite radio. At 255-horsepower, it isn't the punchiest Bimmer out there, but that xDrive all-wheel drive makes it a whole lot more stable.

6. 2016 Lexus NX 300h

Starting price: $41,310

Miles per gallon: 33 city, 30 highway, 31.5 combined

A luxurious, hybrid version of the Toyota RAV4 seemed like a great idea at the time. Almost 18 cubic feet of cargo space, 36 inches of legroom in the back, a smartphone charger, LED lighting a remote touchpad to control your information and entertainment options also sounded fairly pleasant. However the NX 300h is fairly fortunate that its mileage is near the top of its class right now, even with all-wheel drive. Skeptics have noticed that there isn't a lot of hybrid competition for it in the luxury sector.

5. 2016 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Starting price: $25,995

Miles per gallon: 30 city, 34 highway, 32 combined

Subaru's first stab at a hybrid was incredibly effective, especially considering that every car it makes comes in all-wheel drive.

This mini-crossover is a throwback to the Subaru Outback's earliest days as a wagon, but with 40 inches of driver headroom, the 43 inches of legroom and combined 52 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats down. The standard multi-function display, Starlink touchscreen communications and entertainment package and rearview camera are all fine perks for Subaru's smallest crossover. But are they worth an extra $4,500 for mileage that's only two miles per gallon better than the all-gas version?For our purposes, it is.

4. 2016 Subaru Impreza

Starting price: $18,295

Miles per gallon: 28 city, 37 highway, 32.5 combined

The Subaru Outback was once simply a Subaru Legacy wagon. The Subaru Forester was basically just a very tall version of a wagon in its earliest days. The Crosstrek XV wants to say it's a crossover, but it basically looks like a wagon.

That makes the fuel-sipping stretched version of the Impreza the last true wagon being sold by a company that was basically built on them. It also makes both the sedan and wagon the most-efficient vehicles that all-wheel-drive-loving Subaru produces. This isn't surprising, considering the Impreza is Subaru's small car and is just all it's other vehicles' features shoved into a sporty little package, but it has to be comforting to people who didn't pay nearly $7,000 extra for a hybrid that still doesn't match this vehicle's mileage.

3. 2016 Mercedes Benz E250 Bluetec 4matic

MSRP: $55,150

Miles per gallon: 27 city, 38 highway, 32.5 combined

Feeling insecure about the diesel engine? An emergency monitoring service, a driver-fatigue monitor, pre-collision automatic braking, blind-spot detection and a lane-departure warning system should make you feel a bit safer, as should the knowledge that Mercedes-Benz diesels haven't faced the same scrutiny as some of their counterparts.

That Mercedes engine and handling make the driver feel more like a racer than a chauffeur. Meanwhile the four-seater's COMAND entertainment, navigation and communication system, dual-zone automatic climate control, ventilated seats and rear DVD entertainment system should keep everyone else sated while their driver's at play.

2. 2016 BMW 328d xdrive

MSRP: $41,850

Miles per gallon: 32 city, 45 highway, 37 combined

Take the sedan, take the wagon -- it doesn't matter. Any of the 328d xDrive models will get you this mileage.

Packed with great features including a heads-up display projected onto the windshield, blind-spot detectors in the rearview mirrors and a freestanding iDrive screen for communication, navigation, entertainment and apps, the 3 series doesn't exactly come up short on perks. In fact, it piles them on with features including a pushbutton starter that shuts the engine off when idling, a 180-horsepower engine, adaptive all-wheel drive and hands-free trunk access. Those are a lot of perks packed into an “entry level” BMW.

1. 2015 Tesla Model S 85D

Starting price: $67,500 with incentives

Miles per gallon equivalent: 106 city, 95 highway, 100.5 combined

Yes, it comes in all-wheel drive and actually costs about $5,000 less without it. However, those who want the traction still get the 376-horsepower motor, 4.2-second 0-60 and 155 mph top speed all add up to more performance than any other electric vehicle can manage. Meanwhile, while not as efficient as some other EVs, the Tesla's 270-mile range, supercharger and eight-year, unlimited mile warranty are unmatched. Tack a little more sturdiness onto that package and you get a vehicle that gives its driver plenty of confidence even if Consumer Reports durability tests don't.

This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held TK positions in the stocks mentioned.

Loading ...