10 Best American Cars with AWD

2017 Buick Regal AWD in snow front view ・ Photo by General Motors

All-wheel drive is a boon in rain and snow, and it ups the fun factor when the weather is dry by increasing a car’s grip on the pavement. Here, in alphabetical order, are 10 American-branded cars that offer all-wheel drive as an option.

Buick LaCrosse

The LaCrosse has been freshly redesigned for 2017, and it’s a very different car than the one it replaces: Longer, leaner, lighter, and far more athletic. Most LaCrosse models employ front-wheel drive, but the top-of-the-line Premium model offers optional all-wheel drive, paired with the same 310-horsepower V6 engine and 8-speed automatic as the front-drive version. We like the new LaCrosse’s elegant and roomy interior, and Buick’s IntelliLink infotainment system is among the best in the business. The LaCrosse is every bit as quiet and comfortable as you would expect a big Buick to be, but point it towards a twisty road and it will surprise you—it’s agile and surprisingly rewarding to drive, with the added grip of all-wheel drive upping the interest factor significantly.

Photo by Buick

Buick Regal

The Buick Regal is like a hole-in-the-wall restaurant—the kind of place that no one looks at twice, and yet it has some of the best food in town. The Regal’s secret? Despite the all-American name on the trunk lid, it’s actually a German car. The Regal was designed as the Opel Insignia, General Motors’ Euro-market family sedan, and the American version isn’t that much different from the one you would buy in Dusseldorf. As an added bonus, all-wheel drive versions of the Regal get the 259-horsepower turbocharged engine formerly reserved for the hot-rod GS model. The Regal’s design is getting a bit long in the tooth, which is reflected in the interior, but it’s still a heck of a good car to drive, good enough to change your opinion of the Buick brand.

Photo by General Motors

Cadillac ATS

For some reason, the baby Cadillac just doesn’t seem to have taken off the way GM hoped, and there really is no good reason that we can see—it’s a wonderful car with sharp styling and great road manners. Sure, the back seat is tight and the trunk is a little small, but these are sins in which the ATS’ European competitors indulge every bit as gratuitously. Cadillac pairs the optional all-wheel drive system with their energetic 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, and you can get this powertrain in both the 4-door sedan and the slick-looking 2-door coupe. The world may be passing the ATS by, but we think you should stop and give it a look.

Photo by Cadillac

Cadillac CT6

The CT6 is Cadillac’s newest and largest car, and one that is well worth getting excited about: This understated sedan drives every bit as well as its German competition, if not better. All-wheel drive comes standard with both of the CT6’s V6 engines, the 335-horsepower 3.6 and the Caddy-exclusive 404-horsepower twin-turbo 3.0-liter. And while we’ll happily spend the day extolling the virtues of the 3.6, it’s the twin-turbo mill that really gets our heart a-pumpin’—Cadillac spent a lot of time and effort taking weight out of the CT6, and when you open the taps the it feels as if it’s going to blast off clear into the stratosphere. If we have one complaint about the CT6, it’s the bland exterior styling. Set it next to the competition from Mercedes and BMW and it fades into the background. But put them together on a curvy road, and the CT6 rockets off into the distance. Test drive one and prepare to be impressed.

Photo by Cadillac

Chrysler 200

The Chrysler 200 has not been a strong seller, perhaps because of a lack of back-seat space compared to the competition’s midsize sedans. We can’t argue, but we’d still make a case for the 200, which has a beautifully detailed interior that is a huge change from Chryslers of just a few years ago. Chrysler makes two distinct versions of the 200; some models are oriented towards luxury and others towards sport. We’re particularly fond of the athletic 200S, which has a Sport mode that biases more of the engine’s drive power to the rear axle to give the car a more agile feel. The 200 is not your best bet if you have a family to haul, but if it’s just you (and maybe a partner), the 200 is a good value and a great car.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Chrysler 300

The 300 was the car that brought V8 power and rear-wheel drive back to the Chrysler lineup, but that combination makes it a dicey proposition for folks who live where the snow flies. Good news, Chrysler fans: There’s an all-wheel drive version of the 300 on offer. Actually, there are several, as Chrysler offers AWD in every trim level. AWD comes paired only with the smallest engine—Chrysler’s 3.6 liter Pentastar V6—but with 292 horsepower on tap and an 8-speed automatic transmission to distribute it through the speed range, the 6-cylinder 300 is hardly wanting for urge. Chrysler’s all-wheel drive system features a unique fuel-saving feature that disconnects the drive hardware to the front axle when it’s not needed—though we have to take Chrysler’s word for it that the system even exists, because it works automatically and completely seamlessly.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Dodge Charger

Much of what we just said about the Chrysler 300 applies to its cousin, the Dodge Charger; under the skin, the two cars are largely similar, but where the 300 is cultured and elegant, the Charger is raw and aggressive. Dodge limits all-wheel drive to the two base trim levels, the SE and the SXT, as the big V8 engines in the R/T, SRT and Hellcat models come exclusively with rear-drive—but we say that the 292-horsepower V6 offers up plenty of action, if not the rip-snorting soundtrack of the V8s. Buy yourself a Charger SXT with a couple of option bundles—we recommend the AWD Premium and Rallye packages—and you’ll have yourself a mean-looking, leather-lined, family-size cruiser that can get you where you’re going when Mother Nature turns mean.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Ford Fusion

Like the Buick Regal, the Fusion has its roots in Europe—it was designed largely by Ford’s European division, but the size was dictated largely by American needs, which means the Fusion has a big trunk and lots of stretch-out space for back seat passengers. Ford offers all-wheel drive on mid- and high-trim models, and it comes paired with their eager 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, which provides lots of power but can drink a lot of gas if you let it have its head. Ford is just about to take the wraps off a new-for-2017 variant called the Fusion Sport, which pairs Ford’s 325-horsepower EcoBoost V6 with all-wheel drive. We haven’t driven it yet, but having experienced some of Ford’s other sporty rides, we have no doubt the Fusion Sport will be a hoot and a half.

Photo by Ford

Ford Taurus

Some of us are old enough to remember when the original Taurus made its debut in 1986, and the world was stunned that America could make a car so advanced and so good. The current Taurus isn’t quite that much of a revelation, but it is a solid fullsize sedan, and while it lacks the back seat space of some of its fullsize competitors, it’s got a trunk big enough to use as an apartment. Ford offers all-wheel drive with their 288-horsepower 3.5-liter V6; if that’s not enough power for you, the 365-horsepower Taurus SHO, powered by Ford’s much-vaunted (and deservedly so) 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, comes with all-wheel drive as standard.

Photo by Ford

Lincoln MKZ

The MKZ is a close relative of the Ford Fusion, not that you’d know from looking at it; actually, if you’re looking at the freshly-updated 2017 MKZ, you might think it’s more closely related to a Jaguar. We’re still trying to decide if we like the new styling—call us sentimental, but we were rather fond of the waterfall grille on the previous-generation MKZ—but we do like what Lincoln has done with the interior. And while we know the 245-horsepwoer 2.0-liter turbo four is a proven performer, we’re downright giddy about the MKZ’s new engine: A twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that puts out 400 horsepower and delivers it to all four wheels. Yowza!

Photo by Lincoln