A lot of good vehicles fail to make our $30,000 price limit, but there are many outstanding choices that come in between $20,000-$30,000. Check out our top 10.

VW wants to be the world’s No. 1. the Tiguan is a bit pricey but sneaks in under our $30,000 ceiling and gives German driving characteristics and a premium cabin feel.

Actually any Subaru can slot in here, but we pick the Crosstrek because it sits up a little higher, giving you better visibility and ground clearance in deeper snow. But the Impreza, Forester, Legacy, and Outback are good choices too. After all, AWD is one of Subaru’s main caling cards. And the newer models get significantly better fuel economy.

A long list of standard features including a third-row seat and a company that’s on the upswing.

OK, it’s a four-wheel-drive, but no discussion of winter driving characteristics is complete without a Jeep, be it the Wrangler family, Liberty, or Patriot.

You can have AWD with edgy styling and sporty driving characteristics all at a low price.

We could have used the Chevy Equinox, but the GMC badge has a little more cachet. This SUV feels and looks bigger than it actually is.

We could have put the RAV4 here but we’ll await the redesign which is coming soon. Meanwhile the Venza is a solid choice with sedan-like driving characteristics.

Toyota quality. Small package. Affordable. Overlooked by many.

The recalls are getting the headlines, but the main story is that they’re all easily fixed and this looks to be a long-term best-seller for Ford.

Honda got the formula right more than a decade ago and keeps refining this compact SUV.