This is the most important thing in this article: a front-wheel-drive car on winter tires will outperform an AWD car on all-season tires in nearly every winter driving scenario. AWD helps you accelerate on slippery surfaces. It does nothing for braking or cornering — which is where accidents actually happen. If your budget is tight, buy a FWD car and spend $800 on a set of winter tires and steel wheels. You'll be safer than 90% of the SUVs around you.
AWD earns its keep in three scenarios: unplowed roads (you're the first one out after 6+ inches of snow), steep driveways or hilly terrain, and mixed conditions where you transition between cleared highways and snowy side streets. If you deal with these regularly, AWD is worth it. Subaru's symmetrical AWD system is the gold standard — it's standard on every model and has decades of proven winter performance.
The Subaru Forester is purpose-built for this: standard AWD, 8.7 inches of ground clearance (enough for unplowed suburban streets), excellent visibility from the driver's seat, and Subaru's EyeSight safety suite. The Toyota RAV4 with AWD is the volume alternative — slightly less ground clearance but better fuel economy and Toyota's reliability advantage. The Subaru Outback splits the difference between an SUV and a wagon with 8.7 inches of clearance and a longer cargo area for ski gear. The Honda CR-V Hybrid rounds it out with AWD and the best fuel economy of the bunch.
Heated seats and a heated steering wheel aren't luxury features in Minnesota — they're quality-of-life necessities. Remote start (to warm the cabin before you get in) is worth its weight in gold. And don't overlook visibility: backup cameras are essential when your rear window is covered in slush, and automatic headlights ensure you're visible in the 4:30 PM winter darkness. All four of our picks come standard with these features.
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