Cheapie AWD Crossovers - Let's Chat

I'm planning an event with some friends in which we all buy cheap AWD vehicles and subject them to 2-3 days of light-to-mild off roading. We aren't going to Moab or the hardest trails of Rausch Creek, more like OHV trails somewhere in Virginia or Maryland or whatnot.

If you could spend up to $1,500 on a vehicle that could spin all four wheels, did not have any sort of low range or transfer case, would make it down some trails, and was vaguely street legal, what would you buy? We have been talking about a lot of options but I'm curious to get the GRM hivemind take on it.

today, the acura MDX is my answer. When you are done, part it out and keep the j series for something else. 

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/why-not-early-acura-mdx-adventuretow-rigdaily-or-challenge-car/151274/page1/

Robbie said:

today, the acura MDX is my answer. When you are done, part it out and keep the j series for something else. 

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/why-not-early-acura-mdx-adventuretow-rigdaily-or-challenge-car/151274/page1/

The MDX has crossed my mind although I do worry about the transmission. No room to part out whatever I buy so it'll be flipped back on the List of Craig.

The really limited rear suspension travel of the MDX/Pilot makes it a no-go for me. Tucson/Sportage that were fwd platform would probably be on my radar for cheap light offroad work and no-berkeleys given beating. 

Subaru would be the easy button.

I just took this new to me $300 Outback on a 200 mile off road trip into the Utah Desert beyond the Great Salt Lake.

Mud, washboard, snow, and sheet ice were no problem!

The cheapest Impreza you can find and equip with Forester suspension bits.

Or a Geo Tracker and don't tell anyone about the low range.

Ford Escape

(the answer used to be Samurai, I paid $600, $1,200 and $800 for mine, not any more!)

I bet you could find a Liberty too

Kia shortage 

It did well in Cheap Truck Challenge 

Aztek with mud tires, a roof rack, and a brush guard with led bar

Suzuki car 

Patrick said:

Aztek with mud tires, a roof rack, and a brush guard with led bar

I can't possibly explain how much I love this idea only to say what about the Buick version? What was that, the Rendevous?

I think of the original Sportage, Trackers and Sidekicks to be cheating. They're actually 4wd, body on frame things not a fwd crossover. 

I really wish you could bump the budget and rock the murano convertible

In the  interest of keeping things cheap, a V6 AWD Tribute/Escape/Mariner. It is shocking how little these go for for how nice a vehicle they are--but I never took mine off roading really. It could certainly handle Chicago winters though.

Something with rusty fenders that you won't feel bad about cutting.  Increase in tire outside diameter is the easiest way to lift, just make sure they all match.  Get a fairly narrow all or mud terrain tire, a car with good visibility from the driver's seat, cobble some kind of tow hook front and rear and take a hi-lift jack and a decent tow rope.  You'll go places you never thought you could

You could get an old Chevy Astro, Ford Aerostar or Mazda MPV and Lincoln lock the rear diff.  Those with the right tires would put perform many FWD based AWDs

Suzuki SX4

Perfect size and cost for your adventures. 

The early 2000’s Caravans came with optional awd...

In reply to bobzilla :

As soon as i posted I went to CL and typed in AWD rendezvous.  Then i had to keep myself from calling on one.  

Robbie said:

I really wish you could bump the budget and rock the murano convertible

Surely these things are free(or less) by now, right?

Robbie said:

I really wish you could bump the budget and rock the murano convertible

Just to beat ever-livin' snot out of it, with no berks given. 

What about a Lexus RX300? If you're gonna do it, do it in style and luxury

If you could have low range but never use it, I suggest a first-generation Mercedes ML. It may have low range and a frame but it also has open diffs, limited suspension travel and potentially questionable reliability

For the price range and use case in question, do "regular" FWD-based AWD systems add much real value? I don't have a ton of experience with these types of AWD systems, but my recollection of a mid-late 2000s escape and similar was that when losing traction in snow, it felt like you could count to two and then then the rear wheels kicked in. I imagine the basic systems would still significantly reduce your risk of getting stuck. I wonder if what you want is more along the lines of a subaru, volvo, audi?

Snrub said:

For the price range and use case in question, do "regular" FWD-based AWD systems add much real value? I don't have a ton of experience with these types of AWD systems, but my recollection of a mid-late 2000s escape and similar was that when losing traction in snow, it felt like you could count to two and then then the rear wheels kicked in. I imagine the basic systems would still significantly reduce your risk of getting stuck. I wonder if what you want is more along the lines of a subaru, volvo, audi?

I think that would depend on the specific vehicle. For a [first gen] CRV, the AWD would probably be broken. The Escapes were much hardier systems. I don't know the difference enough to talk about it though. 

First gen crv in manual trim is what you want. Dead reliable, even if it’s been neglected. Holds its resale.