All Wheel Drive vs. Four Wheel Drive

When looking for cars I'm sure you have heard the terms “all-wheel drive” or “4-wheel drive”. If you're like me and newer to the car buying game, you might ask yourself, what does that mean and what's the better option? Long story short, AWD (all-wheel drive) is a good for every day, all weather conditions, light off-road driving & limited kinds of performance driving while 4wd (4-wheel drive) is better for driving on heavier terrain or for hauling items. 4WD is usually a feature you will find on a truck, and AWD is found more so on cars and SUVs. Now, we will go deeper into each to help make a more educated decision the next time you're going to purchase a new vehicle.

This is usually the more common type of vehicle that people purchase since it can be driven on pavement with no issue or damage since its engineered to enable each tire to rotate at its own speed in turns and has a higher safety rating. Since the wheels are able to gain traction independently, it allows for better traction and handling in a variety of weather situations, even harsh weather like rain, ice and snow. There are 2 types of AWD: full-time and part-time. Full-time continue to power both front and rear axles and part-time relies on sensors to detect when its needed and turns on automatically, which improves the fuel economy on the vehicle. Both, operate without the driver needing to do anything. For high performance vehicles with AWD, it helps transfer the engines torque to the ground when taking corners at high speeds or when you go from stopped to driving, it helps give the engine its full power. Lately were seeing more trucks with AWD compared to the typical 4WD were used to them always having.

Typically found on a truck or larger vehicles since traction is key for the purpose of going off-road, heavy duty hauling and other work activities. Like AWD, 4WD sends power to both front and rear axles, but the difference is that 4WD locks the front and rear driveshafts together and the power sent to both axles would be the same. The power is spread throughout the wheels and can be switched on/off depending on the drive condition. The grip on this wheel drive is necessary for difficult terrain so when it is turned on, it gives the vehicle extra traction when off-road or in conditions like mud, snow and sand. Another point where 4WD differs from AWD is that in most cases, 4WD needs to be manually engaged by the driver, usually by pushing a button or flipping a switch. When you do so, it locks the front and rear drive shaft together and keeps the front and rear axles turning at the same speed and guarantees engine toque is always being sent to at least 1 front and 1 rear wheel. There are “high” and “low” configurations as well that you can select. ”High” helps with slippery road conditions while “low” allows for max traction when off-road. It doesn't need to rely on computers to predict or detect wheel slip so there will be more power being put to the ground in ultra slippery conditions to keep you going and safely. 4WD is great when you're going on rocky terrain but when it comes to driving on dry pavement it tends to make turning difficult since its not well suited to paved roads and can cause the tires to wear unevenly if continuously used on such roads.

Both AWD and 4WD provide extra traction under acceleration as well as help when conditions get tough. If you’re purchasing a new vehicle and trying to decide between the two options, consider how you will be using your vehicle. If you’re planning to use it to go off-road, extra towing capacity, or live in a very snowy area, then you’re going to want to go with the 4WD option. On the other hand, if you're just going to be driving on the road day to day and won't be towing or hauling things then go with an AWD option, since it still helps you drive safely in icy or wet conditions. Here is an analogy to understand a little more between the 2; salad is to filet mignon as AWD is to 4WD. Both will accomplish what you need, but salad and AWD are going to be more for the day to day, while filet mignon and 4WD is more for special occasions when you need a little something more. Now a days there are some vehicles that have both AWD and 4WD so if you can't decide look out for something with both!

-Heather Jarkow