Most Affordable New 4WD Cars for 2012

Most Affordable New 4WD Cars for 2012

Harry Lloyd

4WD on a budget

Having 4wd cars can certainly come in handy sometimes. That extra bit of traction and control can be a life saver when road conditions get a little hairy.

Many different kinds of vehicles can come equipped with 4WD. The most common vehicles to have this option are new 4x4 trucks or SUVs, but there are also several sedans, hatchbacks and even vans that can be AWD as well.

Usually getting this option can hike the price up for the vehicle, but there are still affordable options in each class. You have a wide selection open to you to find the right four wheel drive cars, so check out some of the better options for each vehicle segment to see which suits you best.

4x4 pickup trucks

Pickup trucks are, in general, the strongest and most versatile vehicles on the road. It makes sense that every one of them would be available with 4x4 capability; they stand to gain the most from the extra strength. Whether you want to use it to tow your camper or to go off-roading, there are affordable pickup truck options with 4WD.

2012 4WD Truck	4WD MSRP	4WD City / Hwy MPG

Ford F-150	$28,140	15 / 21

Chevy Silverado	$25,635	15 / 21

Ram 1500	$33,810	14 / 19

Toyota Tacoma	$23,750	18 / 21

4WD SUVs

Most new crossover and full size SUVs can also come equipped with four wheel drive. Aside from pickup trucks, these are arguably the most capable and versatile vehicles around. They are surprisingly efficient as well; some 4x4 crossover SUVs are some of the best gas mileage 4WD cars around. The extra benefits of 4WD can make your SUV into a stronger vehicle that fears no road or weather conditions.

2012 4WD SUV	4WD MSRP	4WD City / Hwy MPG

Ford Escape	$23,190	20 / 26

Chevy Equinox	$25,280	20 / 29

Toyota RAV4	$24,050	21 / 27

Honda CR-V	$23,745	22 / 30

Cars with AWD

Most sedans or hatchbacks that can come equipped with AWD are high end luxury sedans, but there are several options for very cheap AWD cars. Not only are they the lowest priced vehicles you can get all wheel drive on, they are also among the most fuel efficient.

2012 4WD Cars	4WD MSRP	4WD City / Hwy MPG

Suzuki SX4	$16,999	23 / 29

Subaru Impreza	$17,495	25 / 33

Mitsubishi Lancer	$20,195	23 / 30

Subaru Legacy	$19,995	19 / 27

Vans with 4WD

Last but not least, there are also AWD vans for sale as well. If you are considering buying a van, you probably have a lot of people or cargo to move around. There is only one minivan with this capability, but there are two full size vans that do as well.