Some people are still having trouble with deciding what four-wheel-drive vs. all-wheel-drive are. Most people get it that both somehow cause a vehicle to operate with all four wheels getting traction on a driving surface. Our team at DCH Subaru of Riverside is here to break down the differences between the two:
The only thing that either definition has in common is the fact that four wheels work all at once in powering the vehicle. Any similarity ends there. Four-wheel-drive works by using a split differential and a lower gear ratio to initiate a four-wheel traction. Pickup trucks and larger sized off-road SUVs are the vehicles that use this, and they are mainly involved with off-road and rugged terrain activities.
All-wheel-drive is engineered to be used on paved roadways, and it does so by sending a steady supply of power to each tire along with a boost here and there when road conditions call for it. Sedans, high-performance vehicles, and crossovers are the vehicles that use all-wheel-drive. The result is a safe and powerful ride that cruises easily in any kind of weather conditions.
