New car- To AWD or not to AWD

[TheCougar]

My wife is getting a new minivan. Don’t judge me. I have 4 young kids and it’s what my wife wants! We are considering getting an AWD minivan. We are currently in Texas, but when I get paroled from the military in 2 years, the plan is to move back to the mountains. We are considering a host of places including CDA, Pocatello, Bozeman/Billings, Boise, Laramie, Northern Utah, and the Front Range (Divide, Woodland Park, or further up the mountain - someplace away from the city). Do we need AWD? How is the reliability and cost of AWD compared to FWD? Are AWD systems finicky with tires, alignment, etc? Does the AWD require extra maintenance or care and feeding? What should I consider - I know very little about the subject? We are looking at a Sienna, and the AWD version doesn’t have a spare and comes with exceptionally crappy run flats, so I would swap those out for normal tires and just carry a repair kit and compressor in the van, since by all accounts the run flats are terrible. The other option is just go with the FWD version and make sure I have good snow tires, if we move to a place that needs them. I’d like to hear your recommendations and thoughts. Thanks

 

[Vek]

AWD is less forgiving of oddball tire wear, and I'd argue that most AWD systems aren't particularly effective. Some, like Subarus with auto transmissions, are downright dangerous: traction control will pull power and prevent you from clearing out of an intersection if slip is sensed. Here comes the T-bone. Not so with Subaru manual transmissions - that's an AWD worth owning. We had a MT forester with good snow tires and it was fantastic, but not leap years better than the manual trans accord or corolla with snow tires.

We got around Anchorage just fine in the winter with good snow tires on FWD vehicles. No problems.

 

[Bubblehide]

Yes, less forgiving of odd tire wear. But dangerous, no. I have a new Subaru Outback (2019) with the Asymetrical all wheel drive and constant velocity automatic transmission. There is No issue with power pulling.

However, due to the asymetrical all wheel drive, it us highly recommend to change all tires at the same time. So tire rotation is important. And, if you blow one tire, it is recommended to change the all.

Mine will remain under warranty for several more years. My plan is to replace it while it still has a factory warranty. So I do not forsee any additional maintenance costs other than normal maintenance. But, since I can be a bit of a lead foot, I go through brakes faster than the norm.

As for icy road conditions, my Subaru is far better than my Ford F250 4x4. However, despite taking the Subaru on some rough dirt roads, I would never take it on the jeep trails I take my ford.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Sienna

 

[DAOutfitters208]

If you can afford it, it is better to have that not to have. Get a Toyota and your wife and kids will get to their destination no matter the road conditions. Yes cars with traction control will pull power to the tires when they sense slipping, but just turn it off if you dont want that to happen.

 

[Guy]

We've been in snow country for the past 25 years. All wheel drive & four-wheel drive sure make it easier to get around when conditions are bad.

Still need good tires, and of course a good driver is the best way to winter safety.

Most of the vehicles my wife and I and our sons have had over the past decades have been AWD or four wheel drive, and it's been a good choice for us. Sure there's a bit more maintenance, there's more joints to wear.

All that said, a good front wheel drive car with good tires does really well too.

Guy

 

[cuttiebrownbow]

No matter what put snow tires on them. I drive my Subaru over top of a dedicated 4wd SUV all winter for road travel.


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[Terrapin]

We have had many awd vehicles (Subaru Legacy, Outback, Tribeca, Forrester; Toyota Sienna, Highlander, and Sequoia)... and a few more that escape my memory. My family drives a ridiculous number of miles in inclement weather in the winter due to travel hockey (and other general stupidity). The Subaru Tribeca was the absolute best, followed closely by the Sienna. My oldest drives the Forrester, and it does real well, it feels like a go-cart. All of the AWD vehicles do better than my 4WD trucks in all but the deepest snow and slush. We buy aggressive snow tires, then have them studded. That combo works well for our driving in Montana, Idaho, Washington and BC. Granted most families don’t put on ~60k miles per winter late at night and early in the morning to remote towns, but we are rarely delayed by road conditions.

The AWD Sienna probably saved my wife’s life. Full T-Bone at 50 mph directly on the driver’s side door. She got three stitches on her pinky and a bruise from the seatbelt (and a new car).


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[EastMT]

Had the issue with the traction control on a Toyota AWD that didn’t shut off with a touch. Hold the traction button down 3+ sec until it flashes on dash, no more traction control. My new truck is this way also, I believe traction/stability control is now a requirement like TPMS etc, universal shut off directions. There could be odd car out, but I’m batting 100% so far. RAV4 on the Forest service roads to Dads house, balls out required on last hill in winter. Traction control meant sliding backwards twice before I figured it out the first time.

 

[tdot]

I drive all over BC, chasing snow storms in a rear wheel drive van. Only wished for AWD once or twice, but both time was thru mountain passes that they closed within minutes after I passed and I still made it.

But it is nice to have awd the further you get away from the major cities/roads and snowplows. It can be the difference of getting up that last unplowed road or into town a day earlier before all the roads are cleared.

As mentioned previously snow tires are important. Maybe more important then AWD.

If you and your wife have never driven in the snow, you might consider going and getting some lessons. Even if it's just for the kids sake.

 

[seldomseensmith]

We are completely full up of RWD cowboys with Texas plates trying their spin spinny best to get up the ski road over here. It’s a damn epidemic. Do us all a favor please.


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[BadDogPSD]

If snow & mountains are in the future, AWD or 4WD is the way to go. Chaining up on the side of a highway or freeway isn't much fun.

 

[Guy]

That's a great point. Often the highway restriction is "all wheel drive or chains only"

 

[PNWGATOR]

Meh. It’s a minivan and you’re probably gonna live someplace relatively well maintained. Get a front wheel drive and run the right tires on your wife’s rig.

 

[LandYacht]

We have a Honda Odyssey and use Nokkian Hakkpeliitta snow tires. Live in the mountains of Colorado and see more snow than just about anywhere in the lower 48. We much preferred the Honda to the Toyota when we test drove them. I would test drive all of the vans you’re interested in and let the one you like best be your guide. The only thing that limits our van is clearance and you’d have the same issue with an AWD.




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[hodgeman]

We ran an AWD Sienna for years...run flat Blizzaks. Easily the best snow rig I've ever driven.

 

[colersu22]

Not exactly a minivan but me and my wife bought an awd GMC Acadia and it did great in the little snow we get in Wa, haven’t taken it up to the passes yet since the 11 month old is pretty terrible in the car.

 

[rob86jeep]

AWD and FWD are pretty similar in the snow. 4WD sucks when on a snowy road (unless conditions are so bad you shouldn't be on the road anyways).

I think you should buy the vehicle you prefer and not weigh in if it's AWD or FWD.

 

[TheCougar]

We have a Honda Odyssey and use Nokkian Hakkpeliitta snow tires. Live in the mountains of Colorado and see more snow than just about anywhere in the lower 48. We much preferred the Honda to the Toyota when we test drove them. I would test drive all of the vans you’re interested in and let the one you like best be your guide. The only thing that limits our van is clearance and you’d have the same issue with an AWD.




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It’s the Toyota reliability that draws me. We have a 2010 Honda Odyssey and it’s a POS. Front steering and suspension is crap, transmission is shot at 140k, and it has loads of other small problems I am always chasing. I drive in a hundred Ubers a year, and without fail the Toyota’s are always in the best shape past 100k. The Honda’s are MUCH nicer, no doubt, but I don’t think they are made the way they used to be.

 

[Quin]

My wife drives an AWD SUV. It is very good in the snow... but we live in a city so the AWD is only "needed" maybe 3 to 5 times a winter. The rest of the year we are taking a 2-3 mpg hit vs the FWD model, in addition to the $2500 or whatever the option cost up front.

The other thing to consider is what is your 2nd vehicle? I have a 4wd truck so if its really bad, we can just take that. I'm not sure I'd go AWD again... unless there wasn't a significant cost or I was sure I was going to be driving snow covered roads for a significant portion of the winter (ie in the mountains).