Best used all-wheel-drive cars… which aren’t SUVs

Want that extra capability but don’t want to buy an SUV? Here are some great used options.

There’s been an immense rise in the popularity of SUVs over recent years as drivers learn to love sitting a little higher up. In fact, SUVs make up a large proportion of the cars sold each year, which reflects how well these models have gone down with drivers.

These high-riding cars bring a lot of positives, including that aforementioned commanding driving position as well as the extra capability that comes with the four-wheel-drive system that you’ll find is fitted to a lot of SUVs. But what if you want that extra traction but don’t want an SUV? Here, we’re going to take a look at some of the best all-wheel-drive cars that don’t enter into the SUV category.

Audi A3

Audi’s quattro system is one of the most famous all-wheel-drive setups around and this German firm has been installing it in its cars for decades. You’ll find it in its high-riding SUVs and even some of its supercars, but this traction-boosting setup can also be found in its practical A3 hatchback.

As one of Audi’s best-selling models, the A3 is a common sight on the used market, but one of the best versions to opt for is the third-generation car, built between 2013 and 2020. On cars fitted with an 181bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine, you’ll get quattro as standard, helping this A3 to feel even more secure and controlled in wet and slippery weather. On top of this, the A3 is practical, well made and comfortable. You’ll be looking at around £10,000 for a 2014 A3 quattro with around 100,000 miles on the clock.

Subaru Impreza

Subaru is a brand that almost exclusively sells all-wheel-drive cars, and has done for some years, whether that be on SUVs, saloons and hatchbacks. And perhaps the best all-wheel-drive icon from this Japanese firm is the Impreza.

Subaru showed the effectiveness of its all-wheel-drive Impreza in rallying, where the model had a huge amount of success and it continues to have a very loyal following, even if it’s no longer produced. Prices are even on the up these days, but you can find a tidy and usable WRX example from around £7,000. It’s worth having a mechanical check carried out on one of these specialist models, too.

Subaru is a brand which has a heritage in rallying, which is a motorsport reliant upon all-wheel-drive technology. Much of this learning has filtered through to the firm’s road cars and one of its most well-known models is the Impreza.

The Impreza is a car that has a great reputation for reliability, though we’d always advise having a full mechanical check conducted on any car you’re looking at. Prices for Impreza models always remain strong, so expect to pay around £7,000 for a usable WRX version with all-wheel-drive.

BMW 3 Series

You might traditionally think that a BMW favours rear-wheel-drive and while this setup is found on a lot of this German manufacturer’s cars, it has been known to use all-wheel-drive from time to time. These include the 3 Series, which arrived with all-wheel-drive capability in 2013.

There are both petrol and diesel versions available with BMW’s all-wheel-drive system - which it calls xDrive - with the latter being our top choice due to the extra efficiency they bring. The 3 Series of this age is great to drive and well-appointed inside. Expect to pay around £6,599 for a high-mileage example, or closer to £10,000 for a smarter, lower-mileage version.

Volvo XC70

If you want the SUV capability but without the SUV looks, it’s worth looking at an off-road-focused estate car. Volvo has long been a leader in this area, with its XC70 proving a hit with those that like outdoor pursuits.

Essentially a jacked-up version of Volvo’s V70 wagon, it brings a raised ride height, chunkier styling and impressive levels of capability. The build quality is also excellent, while they’re impressively comfortable. Used XC70s are impressively good value for money too, starting from just a few thousand pounds.

If you think of an estate car, we’d imagine you’re already dreaming up a picture of a Volvo. This Swedish firm is best-known for its strongly made load-luggers and while it may not produce any new estate cars in the UK anymore, there’s great availability in the used market and many are available with all-wheel-drive.

Our pick of the bunch is the XC70, which is essentially a more go-anywhere, higher-riding version of the standard V70 estate. As well as a chunkier design, the all-wheel-drive system gives it great capability when things get a bit sticky. They have crept up in price lately, but still represent great value-for-money - you can still find a decent example for a few thousand pounds, though newer versions will be closer to the £10,000 mark.

Jaguar F-Type

If you’re after a sports car then there’s no reason why you have to sacrifice that all-wheel-drive traction, something that the Jaguar F-Type shows off brilliantly. It’s a car which has been around since 2013 but has always delivered an exciting experience for whoever is lucky enough to be behind the wheel.

Though early versions of the F-Type were rear-wheel-drive, later examples brought all-wheel-drive into the mix giving it improved traction while making it easier to drive in poor conditions. With its glamorous design and drive-focused interior, the F-Type is a true British sports car and one which is readily available on the used market. Prices for the all-wheel-drive version start from around £22,750 but, as with any high-end sports car, we’d recommend having a warranty in place in case anything goes wrong.

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack

Volkswagen is another firm that also sells rugged estate cars, and it’s the Passat Alltrack that is our highlight here. Based on the brilliantly practical and sensible Passat Estate, these rugged models bring chunkier looks, standard-fit 4Motion four-wheel-drive and raised suspension.

Efficient diesel engines and standard equipment levels are further appealing factors to the Alltrack, while this Passat’s relative rarity is a plus point. Thanks to the 4Motion system, the Alltrack can tow up to two tonnes – 200kg more than a regular Passat. Prices for a car with 100,000 miles on the clock start from around £8,500.

It’s not just Volvo that makes rugged estate cars - Volkswagen also has some expertise in this area. It’s the Passat Alltrack that we’re focusing on here, it’s got a great foundation created by the standard - and very practical - Passat Estate, but adds in chunkier looks and standard-fit four-wheel-drive, which Volkswagen calls 4Motion.

Raised suspension means it’s got some extra ground clearance to get over obstacles, while the 4Motion system also raises the Alltrack’s towing capacity to two tonnes - 200kg more than the regular Passat. Look to pay around £7,495 for a Passat Alltrack with around 100,000 miles on the clock.

SsangYong Turismo

The SsangYong Tursimo may not have the charm and elegance of a car like the Jaguar F-Type, but it delivers in of the key areas you’d want a family-friendly car like this to. As a spacious MPV it’s got loads of interior room to offer with enough space for seven people and a decent amount of luggage.

When kitted out with the 2.2-litre diesel option, the Turismo also gets selectable four-wheel-drive which can help this spacious model to go a little further afield than you might expect. You’ll pay from around £10,000 for a five-year-old model and there’s great value-for-money on offer here thanks to great levels of standard equipment.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate is one of the most practical and spacious cars of this type, with its boot measuring a huge 640 litres. It’s ideal for those needing a vast cargo space, or that have several large dogs, for example.

The latest generation of the E-Class Estate, which arrived in 2016, was also the first to be fitted with Mercedes-Benz’ 4Matic four-wheel-drive system, offering greater traction than the regular rear-wheel-drive car. Available on the E220d diesel model, Mercedes-Benz says it can return more than 60mpg. Prices start from around £24,000 for a car with 50,000 miles on the clock.

If outright boot space is what you’re after, then the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate should be on your radar. It’s got a huge 640-litre load area to offer, meaning it’s a sure-fire choice for drivers who often take lots of luggage or have several large dogs.

Cars made from 2016 were some of the first to get Mercedes-Benz’s 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, too, which turns this already useful car into something of a true all-rounder. This all-wheel-drive system is available on the efficient E220d model, too, and you could get up to 60mpg in this guise. Prices start from around £18,999 for a car with 71,000 miles on the clock.

Suzuki Swift

You might not think that a compact supermini like the Suzuki Swift would be available with all-wheel-drive - but you’d be wrong. This Vauxhall Corsa-rivalling car is available with Suzuki’s clever ‘AllGrip’ system which provides extra traction without making the Swift too heavy. In doing so, it’s still just as nippy and easy-to-drive as the ‘regular’ Swift but gives it better traction in poor conditions.

The Swift also has a superb reputation for reliability, so it shouldn’t cause too many mechanical headaches down the line. Prices for Suzuki Swift models equipped with AllGrip technology will start at around £3,990.

Skoda Superb

Skoda’s Superb is a car which more than lives up to its name. It’s spacious, comfortable and brilliantly well-suited to long journeys. It’s also available with all-wheel-drive and while they’re not as commonplace as the front-wheel-drive versions, they’re well worth searching out if you’re after a Superb with better traction.

Available in both hatchback and estate layouts, the Superb is roomy irrespective of which version you go for. Both setups are also available with all-wheel-drive and, in the latest generation car - which first went on sale in 2015 - you’re getting a smart interior with lots of standard equipment too. Prices for this age of four-wheel-drive Superb start from around £16,000.

Prices correct at time of publication [03/2024].