Why awd is better than 4wd

These vehicles typically also include a rear-wheel-drive 2High mode and low-range 4Low mode. A Mercedes-Benz G-wagen, for instance, behaves like an all-wheel-drive vehicle until you lock its center differential, at which point it becomes a four-wheel-drive truck.

Auto manufacturers don't make it easy for buyers to decipher the technology underneath their vehicles. Many vehicles with Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive actually split torque between the front and rear axle asymmetrically.

Chevrolet brands its all-wheel-drive trucks as four-wheel drive, while four-wheel-drive models are four-by-fours. Ford also insists on using four-wheel drive to describe its many all-wheel-drive SUVs. One of the easiest ways to know if your vehicle has all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive is to crack open the owner's manual. If it warns against activating the system on dry pavement, you have four-wheel drive. Barring that, the system is likely all-wheel drive. And if you're considering a new vehicle, you'll want to know these distinctions before you buy.

Nor do all-wheel-drive systems from different manufacturers perform exactly alike, as illustrated by this video. After getting stuck or losing control in slippery conditions, some drivers become convinced that they need a vehicle with AWD or 4WD. That's not necessarily true.

Because all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive send power to all four wheels, rather than two, they do provide roughly twice as much traction as a two-wheel-drive vehicle for accelerating in slippery conditions. Any system that normally runs in 2WD and only engages Four-Wheel drive when loss of traction occurs or requires driver selection is not a true AWD system because it is not driving all of the wheels, all of the time.

With these systems, by the time 4X4 is engaged, traction is lost and a potentially dangerous situation has occurred. Click here see our range of new Subaru models. Is there something we can help you with? Start Chat. Many people choose cars with all-wheel drive AWD traction for safety reasons, while adventure seekers opt for four-wheel drive 4WD vehicles so they can head off road.

We take closer a look at the benefits and drawbacks of all-paw traction. There is very little difference in the mechanicals of all- and four-wheel drive. All-wheel drive describes vehicles that have a four-wheel drive system designed to maximise road traction, for example on slippery roads. It is seen as a safety feature and used by many brands, notably Subaru and Audi , to promote their models.

Many AWD systems limit the drive to one set of wheels front or rear and only engage the other set of wheels when the system detects a slippage or a lack of traction, or for performance or efficiency purposes. Four-wheel drive is used as a description of vehicles that are more inclined to be used for actual off-roading. Many, but not all, 4WD vehicles have a centre differential that helps divide the power and torque between the front and rear axle.

Serious off-roaders will usually have high and low-range gearing. Low range makes it easier for the engine to propel the vehicle at a lower speed over steep terrain. Many four-wheel-drive models do not have high and low range but will still have off-roading ability.

There are a variety of different four-wheel-drive systems found in different models. Aside from serious off-road enthusiasts, most drivers never come close to needing the capability that 4WD systems provide over and above AWD systems. Photo: Ford Photo: Ford. For rain and very light snow, 2WD will probably work fine, and for most vehicles, front-wheel drive is the preferred setup and is likely to cost less than an equivalent AWD model.

AWD is fine for most normal snow conditions or for light-duty, off-pavement excursions on dirt roads or slippery surfaces. Keep in mind that both AWD and 4WD systems add considerable weight to a vehicle, compromising fuel economy. One of the reasons many people buy a traditional sport-utility vehicle is for the extra security and traction of four-wheel drive.

Though having power delivered to all four wheels increases straight-line traction, it does nothing to improve braking, and most systems have little to no effect on cornering. Drivers can be fooled into traveling too quickly in slippery conditions with an AWD or 4WD vehicle, only to discover they are going far too fast when trying to stop. Because the added traction of 4WD can allow a vehicle to accelerate more quickly in slippery conditions, drivers need to be more vigilant, not less.

Slippery conditions demand extra caution, no matter what you drive. In many cases, having good tires is more important than the drive wheels. Photo: Acura Photo: Acura. Since , Consumer Reports has been testing products and working to create a fairer, safer, and healthier marketplace. Click here to learn more about Consumer Reports' mission as a nonprofit organization.

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