25 MPG - Nissan Rogue - comfortable - reliable
I bought a Nissan Rogue last year. I am very happy with it overall, very peppy acceleration, I get about 26 MPG and that is mostly city or country roads, I get closer to 30 MPG highway and it handles well, roomy, good cargo space, probably more than I need, however it is not truly fulltime AWD. It has an Automatic AWD system.
Here is something I found on a car forum that gives a pretty good explanation:
Automatic AWD system is the newest kid on the block. PR agency generated names like "Real Time 4WD", "intelligent AWD" or "active AWD" are hiding the fact that automatic AWD is essentially a sophisticated 2WD system. Automatic asymmetric AWD would be the best term for them.
Here is how they work: Under normal conditions one axle gets 100% of the torque - meaning you are driving in 2WD. During traction loss at the driven axle (could be front or rear) a fully automatic system (hydraulic, mechanical or electronic) makes some of the torque to the axle with traction available. This means you have to lose traction in 2WD on your driven axle first and then the other axle will be added and try to keep the car moving and stable. Once the primary driven axle regains traction and both axles rotate at the same speed again, the system reverts back to 2WD. So, for a moment you had AWD. Automatic asymmetric AWD is much less capable in off-road settings than full time AWD systems and inferior to full time 4WD. However, automatic asymmetrical AWD is becoming more and more sophisticated and offers pretty much everything consumers expect for everyday (pavement) driving.
The plus side of this is that most of the time when you are driving, the Rogue is in 2WD mode and that results in better gas mileage. The downside is you have to depend on the automatic AWD system to "sense" when it needs to go into AWD mode. There is an override AWD button so you can manually put it into AWD mode, but I've found it shuts off especially a low speed or when the system "senses" AWD is no longer needed. Last winter, travelling on some hilly and snow covered country roads, the AWD override kept shutting off - very frustrating and I had to put it into low gear to get enough engine torque especially going downhill on snowy or icy hills, and it is really the only thing I don't like about my Rogue.
FWIW I have owned 4 Subaru's - a 1984 Legacy manual transmission station wagon that I owned for 12 years, put 200k miles on it without any problems and only routine maintenance and replacing the clutch at 70k, and then "sold" it to my nephew for $1 who put on another 30k on it until he sold it for $500 - the only thing wrong with it aside from the interior being very worn and a few minor rust spots, was a wheel bearing that was going bad and CV joint but otherwise, the engine and transmission was still sound.
I will also say that my 12 year old Subaru wagon got me and me and my dad back and forth to the hospital during the blizzard of '96 when my mom was in ICU at Johns Hopkins and my husband volunteered and used it to shuttle doctors and nurses back and forth to the hospital. "Ethel" as I'd named her, by then wasn't much to look at but she was a beast in the snow. My husband said he got through some nearly impassable streets and snow drifts, passing some 4WD trucks and full size SUV's that had gotten stuck. We also would buy several 50 pound bags of cat litter or sand and put in the back of the wagon for some extra weight and that also was handy if needed for some extra traction if stuck on ice. FWIW I've seen way too many people driving big SUV's or big 4WD pickup trucks think that they are invincible and drive in bad weather conditions just as they would on dry pavement - AWD, 4WD, 2WD, etc., it often comes down to the skill of the driver.
I next owned a Forrester (great crossover), then a Legacy sedan with all the bells and whistles and then a Tribecca full size SUV (which sadly Subaru discontinued).
AWD Rundown: The Top All-Wheel-Drive Systems
#1 - Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive has always been synonymous with Subaru. Unlike many setups that are adapted from 2-wheel drive, Subaru's symmetrical system starts out and remains in this format, intended to provide power continuously to each wheel in all conditions. True to its name, symmetrical AWD is exactly that: symmetrical. This unique hardware balance gives Subaru vehicles greater on- and off-road stability due to the setup's even weight distribution. The main advantages of this system are balance, control and traction, making it a favorite in cold-weather climates.
I like my Rogue but I think that when it is time for my next car, I'll probably get another Subaru.
And FWIW, I am not a lesbian, or a vegetarian or a liberal, but I do play golf. : )