AWD with low range

Storz

Storz

Explorer
My wife and I plan to get a new vehicle next year sometime and since I am a total gear head I am already searching around for what might fit the bill. The vehicle will primarily be used on road, dirt and otherwise. Don't plan to do any wheeling with it, however it MUST be able to drive on the beach. My folks live in the OBX and beach driving is a riot. If it werent for that one thing it would be easy as any of the AWD crossover type vehicles would work, but I have seen quite a few AWD vehicles stuck out there. A low range gear is a must.

Reading up on the Audi Allroad Quattro it would appear that the manual transmission versions have a low gear, did this ever make it stateside (most are automatics)

Any of the newer Subarus have low range? Gotta love the old stuf with true 4x4!

Anything I am missing

Top of my list right now is the FZJ80 and Touareg, the LC is obviously overkill for what I need but I love em, and they last FOREVER. The Touareg has all the cush, and on road performance I am looking for, along with locking diffs and low range.
 
J*C*M

J*C*M

Traveller
Why do you feel you need low range?
Sounds like a Subaru would really fit the bill for what you actually need, they are great on nearly everything.
 
Maddmatt

Maddmatt

Explorer
I can't speak for all newer Subarus - I know my '01 Outback with an auto doesn't have a low range, but it is a veritable tank in snow/ice/rain/gravel. I've never had the chance to try it in sand.

I did read once that Forester's in other markets had a low range option in some relatively recent years, but also read that it wasn't really low enough to make it worth while.

For sand driving with a Suby, check in with Superu on this site. He is the stateside master of off-highway Subaru driving.
 
Storz

Storz

Explorer
J*C*M said:
Why do you feel you need low range?
Sounds like a Subaru would really fit the bill for what you actually need, they are great on nearly everything.
Click to expand...


I really only need it for the soft sand on the beach, other than that I don't. I actually had an 05 2.5RS and absolutly loved it, and was shocked at some of the places it would go. I just don't think it could handle the sand on the beaches in the OBX.

Most of the time the sand is pretty packed down, but there are places where its quite rutted and soft...

My rover out there last Jan. (no longer own)
dsc02673.jpg
 
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Martinjmpr

Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
My wife's Suzuki Grand Vitara has full time 4wd (essentially AWD) with a locking center diff and low range. It's actually a pretty sophisticated setup with 4 wheel independent suspension, a 5 speed automatic, and lots of other pretty high-tech features. We paid around $16k for it last January with 31k on the odometer. They have a fully transferrable 100k warranty, too.
 
SGV

SGV

Adventurer
x3 on the Grand Vitara. I had one for a couple years and it drove in the snow almost perfectly. Also, the TC helped pull it through mud that was up to the chassis. There is a lift kit out there for it as well. I put on 40,000 trouble free miles.
 
H

here4fun

Observer
Given your expectation, please consider setting them on a 2 or 4 door Jeep Wrangler. If you happen to have a "wicked hair" regarding road performance you can always opt for an aftermarket Hemi or Diesel conversion.

Cheers,
Michael.
 
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