Rally & All-Weather

More About the Rally & All-Weather Driver

You want all-wheel drive not for safety, but for the ability to put power down on any surface at any time. The Subaru WRX is your spirit car: turbo-four, symmetrical AWD, and a rally heritage that runs deeper than any other nameplate on sale. The Volkswagen Golf R is the refined counterpart - same all-weather capability but wrapped in a cabin that could pass for a luxury car.

The Audi S3 shares the Golf R's bones with a more premium badge and Quattro confidence. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, if you can find a clean one, is a legend of the rally world and a tuner's dream. The Ford Focus RS brought drift mode and a turbocharged four-cylinder that made it an instant collectible before Ford axed it.

The Subaru Forester XT and Outback XT gave wagon and crossover buyers a turbo-AWD package that punched well above its grocery-getter looks. Mud flaps, roof racks, and a check-engine light that's more of a suggestion - welcome to the rally life.