Best AWD SUVs for 2025
These are the best AWD SUVs based on iSeeCars' analysis of each vehicle’s reliability, resale value and safety.
Many lists ranking awd SUVs may already exist, but those depend mostly on subjective editorial criteria. iSeeCars' Best AWD SUVs are ranked using a data-driven and objective methodology. By applying data science to over 330 million vehicles, iSeeCars analyzes each car to understand its reliability and how long-lasting it is, its safety, and how well it holds its value over time. Each awd SUV is compared to others within its own category, and the best one in a given category is the model with the best ratings across these three key areas, summarized by the iSeeCars Quality Score. Here are the top models in each awd SUV category:
The best awd subcompact SUV is the Mazda CX-3 (8.2 quality rating), with the Honda CR-V being the best awd small and compact SUV (8.9 quality rating). The Honda Passport ranks #1 for the best awd midsize SUVs (8.9 quality rating).
The best awd large SUV is the Toyota Land Cruiser (9.1 quality rating) and the best awd crossover SUV is the Honda CR-V (8.9 quality rating). Topping the list for the best awd three-row SUVs is the Toyota Land Cruiser (9.1 quality rating), while the Toyota Highlander Hybrid ranks first for the best awd hybrid SUVs (9.2 quality rating).
The best awd plug-in hybrid SUV (PHEV) is the Subaru Crosstrek (Plug-in Hybrid) (7.8 quality rating), with the Tesla Model X being the best awd electric SUV (8.4 quality rating).
The popularity of SUVs has been driven by many factors, including their elevated ride height, increased ground clearance, roomy first- and second-row seating, and flexible cargo space. But perhaps the most common feature people associate with today’s SUVs is their increased confidence in a variety of driving conditions. This comes from the availability of all-wheel drive on nearly every crossover and SUV sold today.
iSeeCars has identified the best all-wheel drive SUVs across every size and price category below. The SUVs are ranked by their iSeeCars quality score, which takes reliability, resale value, and safety into consideration. While some of the SUVs on this page come with all-wheel-drive systems as standard equipment, most of them require adding it as an option or by purchasing a higher trim level.
SUV buyers will likely encounter four-wheel-drive SUVs in their shopping process, and it’s important to understand the difference between these two systems. Four-wheel drive (also known as four-by-four, or 4x4) is almost exclusively reserved for trucks and body-on-frame SUVs that focus more on off-road capabilities rather than the all-weather traction benefits associated with all-wheel drive. Four-wheel-drive models are also usually based on rear-wheel drive powertrains while all-wheel drive SUVs almost always start out as front-wheel drive models.
Remember that all-wheel drive (and four-wheel drive) systems have a negative impact on fuel economy, though today’s drivetrain technology reduces the hit to only 1-2 mpg in most cases. The use of smaller, four-cylinder engines leveraging turbo technology has improved the fuel efficiency of every SUV in recent years, though buyers seeking larger V8 or V6 engine options can still find them.
Beyond drivetrain options every SUV buyer needs to consider size, seating capacity, and of course price in their shopping process. An increasing number of SUVs offer a third row that can be folded down when not in use, often doubling the cargo area’s available cubic feet. Technology and connectivity elements, including the availability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with the infotainment system’s control interface and touchscreen screen size, are also important.
SUV safety features and ratings are as critical as practicality, and should also be compared across models. Today’s new cars provide a wealth of advanced safety systems, with driver-assist technology like blind spot monitoring and smart cruise control becoming increasingly common in recent model years.
Convenience items such as massaging front seats, heated rear seats, power-operated hatchbacks, and paddle-shifted automatic transmissions are also widely available today, and not just on luxury models. The Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Kia Telluride offer these features at prices substantially lower than comparable luxury models. Finally, buyers seeking nimble handling should experience driver-oriented models like the Mazda CX-5 or Mazda CX-30, two compact SUVs with sports-car-like steering and handling.
All-wheel drive, and the benefits it offers, is among many important components to consider when shopping for your next SUV.
How We Rank These Cars
The best AWD cars rank vehicles by iSeeCars Score which is based on our proprietary assessment of a vehicle’s reliability, resale value and safety (based on ratings from IIHS and NHTSA).
The iSeeCars Score is an analysis of three factors: reliability, resale value and safety. It is calculated based on the latest research and analysis by our data science team. The data analysis comes from over 12 million new and used vehicles in our Longest-Lasting Cars and 5-Year Depreciation Studies, combined with NHTSA and IIHS Safety Ratings.
Vehicles are scored in three categories:
Reliability
The reliability score represents an analysis of iSeeCars' proprietary research on the longest-lasting vehicles.
Value Retention
The value retention score is based on our data science team's statistical analysis and prediction of 5-year depreciation from MSRP to determine which cars hold their value best, using US Bureau of Labor Statistics data to adjust for inflation.
Safety
The safety score is calculated based on the last five years of crash test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and incorporates the latest Top Safety Pick information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
