10 of the Safest Cars with All-Wheel Drive

2017 Subaru Impreza Sedan 3 4 profile rain ・ Photo by Subaru

For many Americans, a car with all-wheel drive is practically a necessity if you live where the snow falls. Winter can be unforgiving, and having all-wheel drive helps keep you in control so you and your passengers are safe.

But all-wheel drive isn't everything when it comes to auto safety. The latest tech features can also help set your mind at ease, and performance in crash tests can further distinguish which cars are true safety standouts. Here are 10 of the safest cars with all-wheel drive.

2018 Subaru Legacy

The 2018 Subaru Legacy mid-size sedan offers all-wheel drive as standard equipment at every trim level, making it easy to find the model you want. It’s an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick+ and received five stars in every crash test from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Standard safety features include brake assist, traction control, daytime running lights and a rearview camera. Optional safety features include blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, high beam assist and reverse automatic braking. EyeSight, an optional suite of further safety features, includes adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, lane departure warning, sway warning and lane keep assist. Pricing for the base Subaru Legacy 2.5i starts at $22,195 with the top 3.6R Limited priced from $31,945.

Photo by Subaru

2018 Audi A4

The Audi A4 compact sport sedan offers its Quattro all-wheel drive and a choice of either a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission at every trim level. It is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick+ and received five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Standard safety features across the A4 lineup includes pedestrian and vehicle collision warning and braking initiation, rearview camera, cruise control and a system that closes the windows and pretensions seatbelts when a collision is impending. Adaptive cruise control, high beam assist and a parking system with cameras are available. Pricing for all-wheel drive models starts at $40,500.

Photo by Audi

2018 Subaru Impreza

Subaru scores a second spot on our list with the Impreza, which features all-wheel drive as a standard feature across the lineup. The Impreza received five stars in all National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests and is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick+. 

The Impreza is available as a compact sedan or five-door hatchback. Standard safety features include daytime running lights, rear-vision camera, brake assist and tire-pressure monitoring. Reverse automatic braking, high beam assist, blind-spot detection, lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert are all optional. Base prices on the Impreza range from $18,495 to $24,695.

Photo by Subaru

2018 Subaru WRX

Yes, another Subaru makes our list of 10 safest cars with all-wheel drive. This time it’s the sporty 2018 Subaru WRX sedan. It is a Top Safety Pick+ with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety but has not been rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

All-wheel drive is a standard feature on every WRX trim. Standard safety includes traction control, tire pressure monitoring and brake assist, with options for blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and pre-collision braking. Pricing starts at $26,995 for the base WRX while the WRX STI Limited comes in at $40,895.

Photo by Subaru

2018 Genesis G80

Genesis is the new luxury brand from Hyundai, and its G80 large sedan makes our list. It offers all-wheel drive as an optional feature across the lineup and has strong safety ratings. It’s a Top Safety Pick+ with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and received five stars in every crash test conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Every G80 features brake assist, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and driver-attention alert. Front and rear parking sensors are optional. G80 base prices range from $41,750 to $59,950.

Photo by Genesis

2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia

The Alfa Romeo Giulia, a sport sedan that was all new for 2017, is a safety standout. It is rated a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety with a Good rating in all crash tests and a Superior rating for front crash prevention technologies. All-wheel drive is available in the base Giulia priced from $39,995 and in the Giulia Ti, which has a starting price of $41,995. It is not available on the high-performance Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Standard safety features include rear parking sensors, hill start assist, rearview camera and eight airbags. Lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-path detection are also available.

Photo by Alfa Romeo

2018 Volvo S60

Volvo has a reputation for building safe cars, so it should come as no surprise to see the S60 sport sedan on our list. It is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick+ and received five stars in all National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests. There is an all-wheel drive option at every trim level, ranging from the T5 at $36,100 up to the Polestar at $60,000.

The latest in safety technology is found on the S60, with standard low-speed collision avoidance, daytime running lights with a daylight sensor and seatbelt pretensioners. Options include advanced features like distance alert, collision warning with full automatic braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert.

Photo by Volvo

2018 Lincoln Continental

The 2018 Lincoln Continental is a stunning full-size sedan with available all-wheel drive across the model range. It received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and an overall five-star rating in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests.

Standard safety features include forward and reverse sensing systems, a rearview camera and hill start assist. Options on select trims include inflatable outboard rear safety belts, pre-collision assist, active park assist and lane-keep assist. Continental pricing starts at $45,000.

Photo by Lincoln

2018 Buick LaCrosse

The 2018 Buick LaCrosse full-size sedan offers strong safety ratings and all-wheel drive, but only on the top Premium trim level. This means a starting price of $43,425 rather than $29,565 for the base model. It was awarded a Top Safety Pick rating by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, missing out on the very highest rating due to mediocre headlight performance. It received five stars in all National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests.

Since this is the top trim, standard safety features are extensive. This includes a safety alert seat, forward-collision alert and lane-keep assist with lane departure warning. Adaptive cruise control, automatic park assist, forward automatic braking and front pedestrian braking are also available.

Photo by General Motors

2018 Ford Fusion

The 2018 Ford Fusion mid-size sedan received an overall five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. As with many cars that miss that extra “+” for the highest score, the Fusion’s headlights were the issue. It received top marks for crash safety and accident avoidance technology.

All-wheel drive is not available on all models, but is either standard or optional on select trims depending on which you choose. Standard safety features on every Fusion include a rearview camera and seat belt pretensioners. Optional features include inflatable rear safety belts, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams.

Photo by Ford