After posting the 2012 Subaru Impreza review yesterday, I got to thinking … just how well does Subie’s thrifty AWD stack up to the competition?
So I spent the better part of today gathering data on the best gas mileage AWD vehicles of 2012. Needless to say, this page goes past the basics. While most sites are content to slap up a photograph and the EPA gas mileage estimates, I had to go deeper. You’ll find information on horsepower, fuel tank capacity, combined cruising range, 0-60 MPH times, and aerodynamic drag coefficients. And you’ll find it all on this one page.
The Impreza doesn’t just get the best gas mileage of the bunch. It’s also the second most affordable of all, after the tiny Suzuki SX4 Crossover. With a whopping price advantage over the competition, we can forgive its leisurely trot to sixty miles per hour.
The Audi TT Quattro Coupe grabs the mantle for 0-60 times, with a stunning run of 5.3 seconds … it’s roughly twice as fast and twice as expensive as the Impreza. While the European manufacturers tend to provide official factory 0-60 times, most marquees do not. We’ll fill in the blanks as we go along, with our own observed times.
When it comes to driving range, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec 4matic runs away from the field, with a remarkable (estimated) 595 mile combined range from its 23.8 gallon tank. The Bluetec takes top honors for torque, as well, with a stunning 455 foot pounds. The 2012 BMW 528i xDrive is the most slippery of the bunch, with a drag coefficient of 0.29.
2012 Subaru Impreza AWD – 27 City / 36 Highway / 30 Combined
- 2.0-liter, Boxer four-cylinder engine
- 148 HP / 145 ft. lbs Torque
- CVT Automatic
- Regular
- 14.5 gallon fuel tank
- 435 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: 10.0 seconds (MPGomatic observed)
- Drag Coefficient: 4-door: 0.31 5-door: 0.33
- Starting MSRP: $17,495
2012 Lexus RX 450h AWD – 30 City / 28 Highway / 29 Combined
- 3.5-liter, V6/Hybrid
- 295 HP
- 6-Speed Automatic
- Premium
- 17.2 gallon fuel tank
- 498.8 mile combined range
- Stated 0-60 MPH: 7.4 seconds
- Drag Coefficient: 0.33
- Starting MSRP: $45,910
2012 Ford Escape Hybrid AWD – 30 City / 27 Highway / 29 Combined
- 2.5-liter, inline four-cylinder/Hybrid
- 177 HP / 136 ft. lbs Torque
- CVT Automatic
- Regular
- 15 gallon fuel tank
- 435 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: TBD
- Drag Coefficient: TBD
- Starting MSRP: $30,570
2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4WD – 28 City / 28 Highway / 28 Combined
- 3.5-liter, V6/Hybrid
- 280 HP
- CVT Automatic
- Regular
- 17.2 gallon fuel tank
- 481.6 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: TBD
- Drag Coefficient: 0.34
- Starting MSRP: $38,715
2012 MINI Cooper S Countryman All4 – 25 City / 31 Highway / 28 Combined
- 1.6-liter, inline four-cylinder engine
- 181 HP / 177 ft. lbs Torque
- 6-Speed Manual
- Premium
- 12.4 gallon fuel tank
- 347.2 mile combined range
- Stated 0-60 MPH: 7.3 seconds (6-speed auto: 7.7 seconds)
- Drag Coefficient: 0.34
- Starting MSRP: $27,750
2012 Nissan Juke AWD – 25 City / 30 Highway / 27 Combined
- 1.6-liter, turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine
- 188 HP / 177 ft. lbs Torque
- Six-Speed Automatic
- Premium
- 11.8 gallon fuel tank
- 318.6 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: TBD
- Drag Coefficient: TBD
- Starting MSRP: $21,650
2012 Audi TT Coupe quattro – 23 City / 31 Highway / 26 Combined
- 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine
- 211 HP / 258 ft. lbs Torque
- Six-Speed Automatic
- Premium
- 14.53 gallon fuel tank
- 377.8 mile combined range
- Stated 0-60 MPH: 5.3 seconds
- Drag Coefficient: 0.30
- Starting MSRP: $38,300
2012 Audi TT Roadster quattro – 23 City / 31 Highway / 26 Combined
- 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder engine
- 211 HP / 258 ft. lbs Torque
- Six-Speed Automatic
- Premium
- 14.53 gallon fuel tank
- 377.8 mile combined range
- Stated 0-60 MPH: 5.6 seconds
- Drag Coefficient: 0.32
- Starting MSRP: $41,300
2012 BMW 528i xDrive – 22 City / 32 Highway / 26 Combined
- 2.0-liter, TwinPower Turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine
- 240 HP / 260 ft. lbs Torque
- Eight-Speed Automatic
- Premium
- 18.5 gallon fuel tank
- 481 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: TBD
- Drag Coefficient: 0.29
- Starting MSRP: $49,200
2012 Suzuki Kizashi S AWD – 23 City / 30 Highway / 25 Combined
- 2.4-liter, inline four-cylinder engine
- 180 HP / 170 ft. lbs Torque
- CVT Automatic
- Regular
- 16.6 gallon fuel tank
- 415 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: 8.6 seconds (MPGomatic observed – 2011)
- Drag Coefficient: TBD
- Starting MSRP: $22,499
2012 Suzuki SX4 AWD – 23 City / 29 Highway / 25 Combined
- 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder engine
- XYZ HP / XYZ ft. lbs Torque
- CVT Automatic
- Regular
- 11.9 gallon fuel tank
- 297.5 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: TBD
- Drag Coefficient: TBD
- Starting MSRP: $16,999
2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 4WD – 23 City / 28 Highway / 25 Combined
- 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder engine
- 148 HP / 145 ft. lbs Torque
- CVT Automatic
- Regular
- 15.8 gallon fuel tank
- 395 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: TBD
- Drag Coefficient: TBD
- Starting MSRP: $23,295
2012 Honda CR-V 4WD – 22 City / 30 Highway / 25 Combined
- 2.4-liter, inline four-cylinder engine
- 185 HP / 163 ft. lbs Torque
- Five-Speed Automatic
- Regular
- 15.3 gallon fuel tank
- 382.5 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: TBD
- Drag Coefficient: TBD
- Starting MSRP: $23,745
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer SE AWD – 22 City / 29 Highway / 25 Combined
- 2.4-liter, inline four-cylinder engine
- XYZ HP / XYZ ft. lbs Torque
- CVT Automatic
- Regular
- 14.5 gallon fuel tank
- 362.5 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: TBD
- Drag Coefficient: TBD
- Starting MSRP: $20,195
2012 Audi A4 quattro – 21 City / 31 Highway / 25 Combined
- 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine
- 211 HP / 258 ft. lbs Torque
- 6-speed Manual
- Premium
- 16.1 gallon fuel tank
- 402.5 mile combined range
- 0-60 MPH: 6.5 seconds (manual), 6.3 seconds (Tiptronic)
- Drag Coefficient: 0.31
- Starting MSRP: $33,400
2012 Audi A5 quattro – 21 City / 31 Highway / 25 Combined
- 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine
- 211 HP / 258 ft. lbs Torque
- 6-speed Manual
- Premium
- 16.1 gallon fuel tank
- 402.5 mile combined range
- Stated 0-60 MPH: 6.4 seconds (manual), 6.2 seconds (Tiptronic)
- Drag Coefficient: 0.32
- Starting MSRP: $33,400
2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec 4matic – 21 City / 31 Highway / 25 Combined
- 3.0-liter, turbodiesel V6 engine
- 240 HP / 455 ft. lbs Torque
- 7-speed Automatic
- Diesel
- 23.8 gallon fuel tank
- 595 mile combined range
- Stated 0-60 MPH: 7.0 seconds
- Drag Coefficient: TBD
- Starting MSRP: $92,550
– by Daniel Gray
It seems to be a great car for its price and definitely the best out of the list. Are there any cars that can compete with it that aren’t AWD?
You seemed to have left out the suzuki Kizashi out of this. It’s a great smaller Medium sized car. Curious about its reliability though!
Fear not … the Kizashi is on the list! 🙂 Have you seen our AWD Kizashi review? We tested one last year. It’s a very cool car, often overlooked.