Ryobi Self-Propelled Cross Cut AWD Mower Review: All-Wheel Drive Done Right

Introduction

Ryobi’s original self-propelled Cross Cut mower made a fast impression: it went from concept to production in just five months, which is remarkably quick for any battery-powered product, let alone one this well executed. The new all-wheel drive version builds on that formula with more than just a new drive system. There is a quieter Whisper Series motor, a lever-based mulch and bag switch, a built-in fuel gauge, and a drive selector that lets you choose between all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive. After spending time with it on a mixed lawn, here is everything you need to know before buying.

Who This Mower Is For

This mower suits homeowners with medium to larger lawns who want gas-like cutting performance without the noise, fumes, and maintenance of a gas engine. If your yard has slopes or uneven terrain, the all-wheel drive version makes particular sense. If you mostly mow flat ground, the original rear-wheel drive Cross Cut remains a cheaper option at Home Depot for $599 as a kit, while the new version runs $799 with two 6Ah batteries and all the upgrades covered below.

The Smart Trek self-propelled system carries over, with thumb bars that control the forward speed. Thumb bars are a polarizing control style, but Ryobi improved the experience by making the handle angle adjustable: pull the knob back, set the angle that feels comfortable, and lock it in. The speed selector has also been stiffened up, which fixes a pain point where bumping it mid-turn could unintentionally change your speed.

Selectable All-Wheel Drive and Rear-Wheel Drive

The headline feature is the selectable drive. Ryobi lets you switch between all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, which is a genuinely useful touch. On flat lawn, rear-wheel drive alone will extend your run time. When you hit slopes and hills, flip over to all-wheel drive for the benefit of four driven wheels. The mower does slow down slightly in all-wheel drive mode, but that is hardly a drawback on a slope where you would be going slower anyway.

Push-button start is still here, and the presence bar is now a proper bar rather than the pull-in indicator used before. The handle release is just as easy as on the original: pull up, the handle moves over, flip it up for vertical storage, and it works by pushing down too if that suits you better. Two handle height positions are available, and rigid support bars keep the whole setup stable.

The Cross Cut Stacked Blade System

If you are new to the Cross Cut name, it refers to a two-blade stacked system that makes one high cut followed by a lower cut. The result is a more even cut and noticeably better mulching, and with the power this mower has, it behaves much more like a gas mower. It is the same kind of system Honda uses on its higher-end gas mowers, which says a lot about the ambition here.

Battery Compartment and Fuel Gauge

One of the most welcome additions is a fuel gauge visible from behind the mower, so you can check battery level while mowing without opening the door to inspect each battery individually. The compartment still holds two active battery ports with manual switching: when the first battery runs out, you have to use a key to flip over to the second. Automatic switchover is the one feature we would like to see in the next version.

Whisper Series Noise Levels

This mower is part of Ryobi’s Whisper Series, a line of battery-powered lawn care equipment that runs quieter than most. Tested against the original Cross Cut at no load, the Whisper Series measured 71 decibels versus 82 decibels for the original. That is 11 decibels quieter, which is a massive difference in real-world use.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Cut quality remains a strength: the stacked blade system turns easily, bagging is efficient, and mulching produces finer clippings than you typically get from a battery mower. Side discharge is also impressive, distributing grass like a gas mower better than any other battery mower tested, and that carries over to the all-wheel drive version.

On runtime, Ryobi claims up to 70 minutes and up to three-quarters of an acre with the two 6Ah batteries included in the kit. In testing on a mixed bahia and St. Augustine lawn at a medium maintenance cut, the mower ran for 59 minutes. Based on that, three-quarters of an acre in a dry, light cut seems achievable in optimal conditions.

Buying Advice

At $799 as a kit with two 6Ah batteries, the all-wheel drive Cross Cut is a $200 step up from the original at $599. If you have slopes, want the quieter motor, or value the fuel gauge and lever-based mulching switch, the upgrade is easy to justify. If your lawn is flat and budget matters more, the original still delivers nearly the same cutting performance.

Conclusion

Ryobi took an already impressive mower and refined it in all the right places: selectable all-wheel drive for hills, an 11-decibel noise reduction, a smarter mulch-to-bag switch, and a fuel gauge you can read mid-mow. The manual battery switchover is the only real wishlist item left, but with gas-like cut quality and strong runtime, this is one of the most complete battery mowers available for the money.