Whether you live in a cold climate that gets lots of snow, or you just want to be able to drive down a dirt road with confidence, all-wheel drive offers a lot of benefits, and therefore it’s become popular in recent years, appearing on everything from full-size family SUVs to compact sedans. Here we’ll list seven of our favorite used AWD cars for a budget of $10,000 or less.
2010-2014 Subaru Outback
This list should probably start with a Subaru, as the company has made its mark on the industry thanks in part to its “symmetrical AWD” system, which is standard throughout its lineup, except for on the performance-oriented BRZ coupe. Perhaps the most notable and practical of all Subarus is the Outback, which offers a blend of SUV like practicality with car like sensibilities. The Outback shares a platform with the basic Legacy sedan, but adds a spacious station wagon body style, increased ride height, rugged-looking body cladding and clever roof rails that hide retractable crossbars. The Outback is offered with two engine options: a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder and a larger, thirstier, more powerful 3.6-liter V6. We recommend the 4-cylinder, as it will offer more overall value to buyers on a budget. Currently on Autotrader, there are over 270 2010-2014 Subaru Outbacks listed for around $10,000 or less, most of which come with the 4-cylinder engine. Find a Subaru Outback for sale
2003-2011 Honda Element
The Honda Element is a boxy, spacious, car-based SUV offered for just one generation, basically unchanged from 2003 to 2011. Buyers love the Element for its quirky design, which includes rear-hinged half-doors behind the primary front and passenger doors, along with a unique composite rubber interior floor, which is much easier to clean up than carpet. This is great given the Element’s intended use as a practical, efficient utility vehicle, make it ideal for pet owners, mountain bikers and small businesses alike. The Element even features a split rear hatch — the glass is hinged at the top, while a traditional tailgate is hinged at the bottom — that, once down, forms a great platform for any number of tasks. Overall, the Element is one-of-a-kind, and no matter how old it gets, it still offers immense utility, making it a highly desirable used vehicle. It also offers available AWD, and there are currently around 250 AWD-equipped Elements listed on Autotrader for $10,000 or less. Find a Honda Element for sale
2007-2011 Subaru Impreza
The Impreza is Subaru’s compact sedan, and as far as simple, used AWD cars go, it pretty much sets the standard. Offered in both sedan and hatchback body styles, the Impreza has long offered a good mix of efficiency and practicality, along with the obvious benefits of AWD. It is a Subaru after all. Right now on Autotrader, buyers have over 350 2007-2011 Imprezas to choose from, any of which will offer added confidence over a comparable Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla when a snowy day comes along, thanks to its standard 4-wheel traction. If you’re willing to be patient, you’re likely to eventually find a newer, 2012-2016 model year Impreza for around $10,000 as well, but these are more difficult to come by, and there are currently only around 100 listed on Autotrader at this price point, most of which have around 100,000 miles or more on the odometer. Find a Subaru Impreza for sale
2011-2015 Nissan Juke
The Juke is a weird one. Introduced in 2011, it kind of looks like a sports coupe, crossed with a 4-door subcompact SUV, crossed with a praying mantis. Needless to say, the Juke is one of a kind, and the uniqueness goes beyond just its looks. Standard is a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder putting out a healthy 188 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque paired with a continuously variable transmission. Handling is athletic, with suspension tuning intended to make the Juke fun to drive, and agile in the corners. Right now on Autotrader, there are right around 200 2011-2015 Nissan Jukes for sale for around $10,000 or less. Find a Nissan Juke for sale
2010-2012 Ford Fusion
Perhaps surprisingly, the Ford Fusion was has long been offered with AWD, making it one of few family sedans to do so. Introduced in 2008, the AWD Fusion can be had with both 4-cylinder and V6 engines. We recommend targeting a 2010-or-newer model, which received updates inside and out. All-wheel drive Fusions tend to hold their value quite well, so you won’t find as many listed for under $10,000 as you will regular, front-wheel-drive Fusions, but they’re out there. Currently, there are around 150 listed on Autotrader that fit the bill. Find a Ford Fusion for sale
2008-2013 Toyota Highlander
The spacious Highlander offers room for the whole family thanks to its offering of three rows of seats and other family friendly features, like a variety of cup holders and storage compartments. The second-generation model, introduced for 2008 and sold through 2013, came with either a 187-hp 2.7-liter 4-cylinder or a 270-hp 3.5-liter V6. Additionally, a hybrid model was offered that returned around 26 mpg in combined driving, which was decent for the era. Right now on Autotrader, there are around 115 AWD equipped 2008-2013 Highlanders listed for around $10,000 or less, 30 of which offer the hybrid powertrain. Find a Toyota Highlander for sale
2010-2011 Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is one of the most popular compact SUVs on the market, and buyers can now find AWD examples from the 2010 to 2012 model years for around $10,000, and there are currently over 200 listed on Autotrader for around this sum. For your money, you’ll get a spacious, reliable, well-built 5-passenger SUV powered by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine putting out 166 hp and 161 lb-ft of torque. One of the CR-V’s unique features is a gear shifter mounted at the base of the dashboard center-stack, rather than on the center console, which frees up significant space for cup holder and other storage compartments, adding to the vehicle’s great practicality. Find a Honda CR-V for sale
