how do u rate all trac awd to other awd models? was talking to a buddy the other day about this an he said 1. QUATTRO 2. SUBY

so me who lived in northern vt. for 10 + yrs. gave him imo based on these factors
1. uneven dirt rodes(for drainage)
2. snow on roads oct.-march(REAL SNOW TIRES)
3. drivin between mtns.
4. mud season

my response were(ive owned all these vechiles)
1.AUDI QUATTRO-germans like a tank literally, even in a 3 ft. dump i could make it out of my driveway(4000)
2.VW SYNCRO-basically same thing as audi except with vw name on it(quantum)
3.SUZUKI IAWD- small car but this can handle really good use 2 race my neighboor in his audi wagon up the mtn. road(sx4)
4.SUBARU- wicked cars except for comfort imo, drove to boston an back during a blizzard great car for price(legacy)
5.TOYOTA ALL TRAC- pretty good cars, great gas mpgs, but comfort,an low ground clearence,an low hp. were my deciding factors

so what r your input on awd models?

My experience is limited to the Subaru and the Toyota. The Suby is nice because it has a traction control system that senses tire slippage and transfers power to wheels that are not slipping. I loved our '99 legacy outback wagon, although gas mileage was less than my Alltrac (around 22-25mpg) vs. 30+ with the Toyota. More power with the Suby, more comfort options, but parts cost more. Performance in the snow and ice is similar between the two vehicles. We live in rural Colorado @8000ft. elev. 6 months of snow, ice, etc. The first 2 miles of my morning commute is 1 lane dirt roads that are solid ice for 4 months of the year. I rarely engage the allwheel drive in the Toyota, unless the snow is 6" deep or more. Good studded snow tires are a must! Ground clearance is always a compromise; low is good on icy paved roads--low center of gravity = less body roll= better traction. Higher clearance is nice for clearing snow berms etc. I just had my exhaust replaced in the Alltrac because I crushed it by high centering on snow berms. Either vehicle would serve my purposes quite well, Suby's command higher prices around here.

I don't have much to go on in terms of actually driving many other 4wd's & Awd's. I've driven a few but haven't actually owned any. I did my research though as originally I was looking at the mid 80's subaru wagons.
I drive all my cars hard & the all-trac can handle me the best. It's a great car for 80% road driving & then heading for moderate tracks, hills, rivers & snow.

It's also rated better in crash tests of small 4wd/awd's like suzuki's & Rav4's

I'd agree with this comment

"...5.TOYOTA ALL TRAC- pretty good cars, great gas mpgs, but comfort,an low ground clearence,an low hp. were my deciding factors..."

As a basic platform I think they're really good.

Toyota were definitely onto something, they really could've made 2 key differences in the areas of power & ride height & had a real winner on their hands:

1)   Bring them out with a 4age engine & offer a top of the line 4agze model

2) Stiffer, higher suspension with slightly larger/broader wheels