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What Wikipedia can’t tell you about four-wheel drive vs all-wheel drive
By Product Expert | Posted in Technology, Tips on Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 at 4:42 pm
Four-Wheel Drive vs All-Wheel Drive
As winter continues to pummel us with cold weather and the while the roads remain covered with snow and ice, many of us are wondering what we can do in order to stay safe while driving on the slippery roads. Besides driving a little bit slower to help you maintain control over your vehicle there is something that you can do to get better traction on the road and that is to get behind the wheel of a new car that offers you the safety and security of four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Which system is the best choice for you? What is the difference between four-wheel drive vs all-wheel drive? You’ll find all the answers you are looking for right here.
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Four-Wheel Drive Explained
The increased traction control and safety that a four-wheel drive system provides to its driver is one of the main reasons why so many drivers choose to add it to their vehicle when buying a new car, truck or crossover SUV. A four-wheel drive system is designed to give a vehicle the grip it needs to drive off-road and on slick road surfaces. There are many different versions of four-wheel drive systems, but they all have many things in common. Power goes from the transmission to the transfer case where it splits the vehicle’s power between the front and rear axles so that the maximum amount of torque is going to each wheel. When the power is split evenly, it ensures that each wheel is rotating at the same speed. Many of the new four-wheel drive systems you find on vehicles these days offer you the option of activating four-wheel drive when you want it and need it by pushing a button or pulling a lever. You also get the option of choosing four-wheel drive “Low” for better traction while driving at slow speeds and four-wheel drive “High” for speeds of up to 60 mph.
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All-Wheel Drive Explained
The all-wheel drive system offers a more modern traction control design. An electronic sensor is used to send power to all four wheels and it can also determine which wheels need power the most. The biggest difference between four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive is that an all-wheel drive system is on all of the time and is constantly giving you the best traction control without needing any input from the driver. The excellent traction control that an all-wheel drive system gives you is made possible by its use of differentials. A differential is a box of gears that can take the vehicle’s power and split it between two wheels, or the rear and front axles of the vehicle. When driving on slippery roads this comes in handy because power is sent to the wheels that are getting the most traction to help ensure that your are getting the best footing on the road.
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At Billion Auto Group, a new and used car dealership in Bozeman, MT, we carry a large inventory of vehicles that offer both four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive and we would be happy to help you choose the traction control system that best suits your specific driving needs. Stop by in person, give us a call, or visit our online inventory to start your search for a new car, truck or SUV that has four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
