Best Fuel Economy of the New AWD Vehicles

AWD Cars with the Best Gas Mileage

Amanda Hart

Power and efficiency

Getting better fuel economy is always a major concern for both car buyers and car manufacturers alike. It isn’t enough to offer fuel efficient vehicles alone; drivers need every vehicle segment to get better gas mileage. People who need the power and versatility that all wheel drive offers will be looking for the AWD cars with the best gas mileage.

All wheel drive inherently takes more gas to power all four wheels, but advancements have been made to make these drivetrains better than they used to be. Case in point would be 4x4 trucks. Many full size trucks have seen big increases in fuel economy over the past few years, so we know it’s possible. Check out the new car deals on fuel efficient AWD cars:

New 2012 AWD Cars with the Best Gas Mileage

	Model Name	Starting MSRP	Max City / Hwy MPG
	Subaru Impreza	$17,495	27 / 36
	Suzuki SX4 Crossover	$16,999	22 / 30
	Suzuki Kizashi	$22,349	22 / 29
	Mitsubishi Lancer	$20,195	22 / 29
	Ford Escape Hybrid	$30,570	30 / 27
	Chevy Equinox	$25,280	20 / 29
	Kia Sportage	$22,300	21 / 28

Subaru claims that its Impreza is the most fuel efficient AWD vehicle, but the Ford Escape Hybrid may have something to say about that. The Impreza beats it by a slim margin, with its 27 city / 36 hwy mpg to the Escape Hybrid’s 30 city / 27 hwy mpg. The Impreza does come at a much smaller price tag at $17,495 compared to the Escape Hybrid’s hefty $30,570, but the Escape is a crossover SUV with much more passenger and cargo space.

If you want a cheap AWD car, you’re best served by choosing from the various compact cars shown here. The Impreza, Suzuki Kizashi and Mitsubishi Lancer all provide affordable ways to get all wheel drive.

If you want some more versatility along with your fuel efficient AWD, check out some of the more fuel sipping crossover SUVs like the Kia Sportage and Chevy Equinox. They are not very far behind the smaller compact cars in terms of efficiency, but offer much more versatility and capability along with it.

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