AWD vs 4WD: What is the difference between All Wheel Drive and Four Wheel Drive? know all the details...
People are often confused about all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Many people think that both are the same. Due to this, they have to pay extra when buying a new vehicle. Therefore, today we are going to clear your confusion through this news.
What is all-wheel drive
The job of an all-wheel drive system is to send power to all the wheels of the vehicle. In the AWD system, you have full-time AWD or half AWD. In Full AWD, power is sent to both the front and rear wheels at all times. But in Half AWD the power is going to either the front or rear wheels at all times. Note that with either type of AWD, the driver has no control over the amount of power delivered to all of the car's tires.
What is four-wheel drive
The 4-wheel drive provides power to all four wheels of your car. In a 4-wheel drive system, power is divided evenly across all the tires of the vehicle. As much power goes to the front wheel, the same goes to the rear wheel. In this drive system, you do not get a chance to choose full-time and half-time four-wheel drive option. Let us tell you for information, 4WD systems usually get two modes, which include low-range and high-range. You can choose this mode according to the roads.
Advantages and disadvantages of all-wheel drive
Pros: All-wheel drive is an automatic system, where the driver is completely free to decide which wheel to give more power to. The all-wheel drive system sends power to all the tires of the vehicle, which keeps the traction of the tires strong. The all wheel drive is supposed to be the best for handling the torque supply. Hence, you would see these systems in sports cars.
Disadvantages: In terms of mileage, vehicles equipped with all wheel drive system may not keep you happy, because the mileage of these vehicles is often found to be very low. These vehicles are not that special for off-road riding.
Advantages and disadvantages of four-wheel drive
Advantage: The 4WD system is based on manual control, ie the driver decides when to engage the 4WD via a button or a lever. These vehicles are considered best during off-roading. 4WD vehicles run smoothly on broken roads, which is the reason why most SUVs get 4WD as default.
Disadvantages: When you engage the four-wheel drive, the mileage of the vehicle gets reduced. The prices of four-wheelers are slightly higher.