The Outback’s ground clearance is 8.7 inches, while the new Wilderness trim with its all-terrain tires and a taller 9.5 inches of ground clearance adds a bit more off-road prowess to the mix. The Outback shares its standard 182-horsepower four-cylinder engine and continuously variable automatic transmission with the Forester, but adds the option of a quicker 260-horsepower turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine in its top trims. The Subaru Outback was one of the first car-based crossovers, essentially a midsize Legacy wagon with a taller ground clearance and burly styling cues and cladding to give it more of an SUV look and feel. The Ascent’s suspension delivers a comfortable ride, and affords a generous 8.7 inches of ground clearance for traversing deep snow or moderate off-road trails. It’s powered by a quick and reasonably fuel efficient 260-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that’s mated to a gearless CVT transmission. It comes standard with a superior all-wheel drive system, hill descent control, and Subaru’s X-Mode traction management system that makes it a true winter-weather warrior. The three-row Subaru Ascent can seat up to eight passengers comfortably. The Palisade sits 9.7 inches above the pavement for added abilities over built-up snow ruts. The system can also be locked with a 50:50 torque split for especially challenging conditions. Hyundai’s optional HTRAC all-wheel drive system provides active torque division between the front and rear axles, and includes selectable performance modes that include a Snow setting for optimal traction over winter-impacted roads. The Hyundai Palisade is a handsomely cast midsize three-row SUV that packs a 3.8-liter V6 engine with an energetic 291 horsepower. It sits atop 8.8 inches of ground clearance. It can automatically send as much as 50 percent of it to the rear wheels for extra grip on slick roads. Mazda’s available ”i-Activ” all-wheel drive system normally sends most of the of the engine’s power to the front wheels, with a small amount of torque being channeled to the rear to speed the transition to all-wheel drive when needed. The three-row Mazda CX-9 is livelier to drive than most midsize crossover SUV, with engaging handling and a peppy 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that generates 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque when running on regular-grade fuel, and 250 horses with 320 pound-feet on premium. Its ground clearance is 7.3 inches on most trims, and it’s lifted to 7.9 inches in the TrailSport trim. The Pilot’s all-wheel drive system includes Honda’s Variable Torque Management with torque vectoring that can not only split engine torque between the front and rear axles, but also between the left and right rear wheels for improved handling over a wide range of road conditions. It features a smooth and powerful 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 that’s paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Three separate AWD systems are offered with varying degrees of tenacity on and off-road, as well as an available Selec-Terrain traction management system that lets the driver tune the vehicle’s abilities according to various conditions, including Snow, Rocks, Mud, and Sand.Īble to carry as many as eight riders across three rows of seats, the Honda Pilot is an admirable choice for safe-and-sound family transport. The Grand Cherokee offers two or three rows of seats, with a choice of V6 and V8 engines, with a plug-in hybrid version coming soon. That said, here are our picks for the 10 best winter warrior SUVs for the money, listed in descending order according to their base sticker prices:Īlready sitting tall in the proverbial saddle for off-road-adventures, the midsize Grand Cherokee SUV’s AWD Trailhawk version is jacked up with 13.3 inches of ground clearance for clearing deep snow piles and traversing rocky terrain.
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