Talking Cars Tuesday Wants an AWD Car

Submitted by XM - Mt 1822 on March 26th, 2024 at 7:25 AM

Mates,

With a nod to the Prince of Talking Cars Tuesday, our Mgofriend Jeepin Ben, OT season is here.  I also note that it looks like its Tuesday all day long, so away we go.  

For decades I have driven 1 ton 4x4 diesel trucks.  We have a herd of them and they are necessary equipment on the farm and living up north.  But lately I've had an inkling to get possibly get a car, an AWD car of one sort or another.  A random internet search turned up this list for 2023:

  1. 2023 Audi A5 | MT Score: 9.2
  2. 2023 Audi A7 | MT Score: 8.9
  3. 2023 Genesis G90 | MT Score: 8.8
  4. 2023 BMW 2 Series | MT Score: 8.8
  5. 2023 Toyota GR Corolla | MT Score: 8.7
  6. 2023 Audi A4 | MT Score: 8.7
  7. 2023 Audi A6 | MT Score: 8.6
  8. 2023 BMW i4 | MT Score: 8.6
  9. 2023 Subaru Legacy | MT Score: 8.5
  10. 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet | MT Score: 8.5
  11. 2023 Genesis G80 Electric | MT Score: 8.4
  12. 2023 Kia Stinger | MT Score: 8.3
  13. 2023 Dodge Challenger | MT Score: 8.3
  14. 2023 Audi A3 | MT Score: 8.2
  15. 2023 Mazda3 | MT Score: 8.1

There are some even bigger/fancier AWD vehicles such as Cadillac, Lexus and the Audi A8.  I also believe that most (all?) EV's are AWD as each wheel has it's own electric motor.   If I ever did get a car, I'd do my usual auction purchase of a semi-thrashed unit (pennies on the dollar) and fix it up, but I'd guess that most of you city mice have bigger pocketbooks and no desire to buy a used car.  In any case, today's Talking Cars Tuesday questions are these:

`1.  Do you have any desire to own/drive an AWD car, and if so, what make and model(s) would it be? 

 2.  Putting aside any requirement of AWD, do you have an eye, an inkling, a dream, or even an order right now for a new car?  If so, please dish on the details. 

Have a great Tuesday,

XM 

MGoBoard
Other

maquih

March 26th, 2024 at 2:05 PM ^

Idk awd doesn't do anything for me. I drive FWD and never had an issue that awd would have helped.  Main thing is sliding while braking in the snow and awd doesn't do anything for that so im not sure the point if youre not offroading.

Joined: 11/04/2010

MGoPoints: 1825

hfhmilkman

March 26th, 2024 at 3:06 PM ^

A few comments from a truck family.  My wife wanted a car with better mileage for some anticipated long term driving.  We purchased a Chevy Trailblazer.  It works fine and gets great mileage.  It has AWD.  However, when we had snow last Friday we still prefer to drive trucks.  You cannot beat the higher clearance, real 4WD, and truck tires.  My diesel throws mud on the roof.  Its a dirty truck.  But goes through everything.  

EV's in my opinion are still too new.  I have multiple friends who have them.  When they break they are out for weeks if not months, especially Tesla's.  And the costs are insane.  I have my favorite local garages and if there is extensive work to do, I go up north.  One of my friends mentioned having to recharge twice to get from AA to Joilet Illinois when it got cold.  I can't imagine waiting around at a charging station in 0 F weather when a five minute stop at gas station drives me crazy.  My truck can handle the TRUCK nozzles.  If I fill up at a truck stop I can be done in 20 seconds.  

The biggest thing for me is still cost.  I am in a GM family.  We got a nice AWD car for 27.8.  I am easily getting 30 mpg.  At 4 dollars a gallon, 100K miles costs 13.3K.  I'm not really saving any money.  I do have to pay more for fluids.  But other than that and belts I don't have to do very much with my trucks.  Most of my car repairs have nothing to do with the engine or drive train.  Tires, brakes, struts, and shocks are what have to be replaced.  Michigan potholes especially on rural gravel roads will do that.

 

 

 

Joined: 04/15/2009

MGoPoints: 781

Don

March 26th, 2024 at 3:37 PM ^

XM, this may not be what you're looking for in a vehicle, but I drive an '07 4Runner with a V8. It's got just short of 200K on it so it's sort of a beater, but it's perfect for my uses.

The interesting thing about the 4Runner V8s of that vintage is that they are full-time 4WD. As you can imagine, the gas mileage isn't great, but I don't drive all that much so it's not really a concern. I bought mine with 167K seven years ago so I haven't been putting hard mileage on it.

The 4.7L V8 is generally regarded as one of Toyota's most reliable engines, and it's not uncommon at all to see them running for well over 200K miles.

It's not as big as the behemoth SUVs commonly driven these days, but with the rear seats folded down you can put a decent quantity of stuff back there. Plus it has a dashboard-operable power rear window, so you that can put lumber, Xmas trees, or whatever long stuff you have inside the car and have it project out through the open window, with the rear door still being shut. 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 148480

MGoBluegrass

March 26th, 2024 at 8:10 PM ^

Drove my '03 V8 4Runner to 300k miles until the master cylinder went out and couldn't find a replacement part during covid without waiting indefinitely. Loved that truck. After driving a sedan for a couple years, bought a used GX460 and absolutely love it. Miss the rear window though.

Joined: 08/09/2016

MGoPoints: 235

LBSS

March 26th, 2024 at 4:46 PM ^

1. Yes because my wife and I like camping, climbing, and skiing and it'd be nice to have something that can can do light off-road duty and handle snow. But - see below - I'm a car noob and so I'm not even sure how necessary AWD is for those purposes.

2. We are in our late 30s and lifelong city people, neither of us has ever owned a car. (I had a long-term rental when I lived in Pakistan for a few years, a Toyota Vitz that mostly took me from home to work but also up into the mountains a couple of times - barely/terrifyingly. Do not try to drive a Vitz up any kind of steep hill with four people in it.) But we are trying to have a kid and also getting sick of borrowing/renting cars for weekend trips, so for the first time in our lives we're looking to buy one.

I'm drawn to cars that are open-bodied because, at least in my mind, they are easier to load gear into than a sedan, especially odd-sized stuff. We live in the city so having a truck would be a stupid impracticality, even if I wanted one. Budget is ~$40k but we could spend more if we really wanted to. Mixed city/highway driving, with, as I said above, some dirt/gravel-type stuff. Any suggestions?

Joined: 11/21/2009

MGoPoints: 9641

Abe Froman

March 26th, 2024 at 6:35 PM ^

I drive a 2015 Ford Police Inceptor sedan (Taurus). Has the V6 coyote motor from the mustang and a few other bits from the SHO. It’s AWD. 
 

It’s a former umich police vehicle and I got it on auction for yeah, pennies on the dollar. Picked it up with 36k miles on it. Drives like a treat. Keep in mind you can get them with a normal interior (no police bits, markings, lights, etc). 
 

The other cars on you list are awesome. But if you want something super durable, drives like a tank, well built, and AWD - consider the Ford Taurus PI. 

Joined: 09/20/2010

MGoPoints: 2389