Often confused with Four-Wheel Drive (4WD), this drive system features four, full-time active drive wheels to reduce wheel slippage and provide greater driver control over the vehicle. All-Wheel Drive automatically splits engine torque between the front and rear wheels as needed, improving on-road traction in unfavorable road conditions. Unlike Four-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive is an on-road system and is not designed for off-road use. AWD does not require the driver to actively engage the system. It is operational at all times, and requires no switches, lights or visor instructions for system operation.
A vehicle (usually a car) where all four wheels are driven. Most are fulltime systems for year-round driving, and use a viscous fluid coupling center differential instead of a transfer case to route drive torque to all four wheels. This allows the front a
Permanent, full-time four-wheel drive system designed for improved traction on slippery surfaces and off-road use. The main difference between AWD and 4WD systems is that AWD cannot be disengaged by the driver.
This system sends power to all four wheels at all times. You do not need to select 2- or 4-wheel drive, as in part-time 4-wheel-drive systems.
A vehicle with a drivetrain with a center differential having all four wheels under power at all times
A vehicle on which the power is delivered to all the wheels versus the more common 2 wheel drives on which power is delivered only to the front or rear wheels. Full-time all-wheel drive operates constantly and improves handling even on dry pavement. Selectable all-wheel drive is engaged manually at the driver's discretion.
A system in which the engine powers all four of a vehicle's wheels all the time; similar to four-wheel drive.
Cars or trucks which have all-wheel drive have all four wheels being driven at the same time. Some systems are completely in operation at all times, while others only drive either the front or rear wheels under normal circumstances. Then, when the drive wheels start to lose balance, the computerized contros assigns power to the other wheels. All-Wheel Drive is not the same as four-wheel drive as 4WD vehicles can usually be placed in two-wheel drive mode, while AWD vehicles cannot.