Is all-wheel-drive worth it? All-wheel drive has become a common feature in sedans and family SUVs in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why. It offers some additional safety benefits when driving in less-than-ideal conditions. That said, there are many misconceptions and misunderstandings when it comes to all-wheel drive that our team here at Freedom National would like to help clear up.
So, is all-wheel drive worth it for your unique needs? We’ll help answer that and other questions in this informational article, including:
- What is all-wheel drive?
- How does all-wheel drive differ from four-wheel drive?
- Are there different types of all-wheel drive?
- When do you need all-wheel drive?
- What are the downsides and myths of all-wheel drive?
- What do front-wheel and rear-wheel drive mean?
Ready to learn? Let’s get started!
What is All-Wheel Drive?
In modern vehicles, the engine (whether gas-powered or battery-powered) powers the movement of axles connected to your vehicle’s wheels— but not necessarily all four wheels.
In a front-wheel-drive vehicle, the engine powers the spinning of the front wheels. In a rear-wheel drive, the rear wheels, etc. The wheels not directly powered by the engine simply spin along with the momentum of the vehicle’s movement.
An all-wheel-drive vehicle is essentially what it sounds like— a vehicle in which the engine sends torque to all four wheels. The advantage of this is that your engine is sending power to all four contact points with the ground— your wheels— which means that you get better traction, more evenly distributed power, and better performance.
All-Wheel Drive vs. Four-Wheel Drive
One of the most common questions we get relating to this topic— what’s the difference between all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive?
After all, a car has four wheels, so doesn’t all-wheel drive just mean four-wheel drive with a different name?
Well, not exactly.
To understand the difference, we’ll need to talk about turning. When you drive your vehicle, through a turn, the wheels on the outside of the turn have to spin more quickly than those on the inside— it’s basic physics. In an all-wheel-drive vehicle, the axles are allowed to spin at different speeds, independent of each other. In a four-wheel-drive vehicle, the axles are mechanically bound together, meaning that they spin at the same speed. This makes the traction and power of four-wheel drives in off-road conditions second-to-none, but it also means they’re not well equipped for driving on normal, paved roads— particularly when turning. That’s why all four-wheel-drive vehicles allow you to shift into and out of the four-wheel drive.
Basically, all-wheel drive lets you drive more safely in good to moderate conditions— dry roads, rainy and snowy roads, and light off-road situations. A four-wheel-drive vehicle (with 4WD activated) is poor on paved roads, but offers maximum traction and power in the toughest of off road conditions.
(Looking to get your vehicle winter-ready? Check out our 9 tips for preparing your car for winter.)
Types of All-Wheel Drive
There are generally two types of all-wheel-drive vehicles— full-time AWD and part-time AWD.
In a full-time all-wheel-drive vehicle, the front and rear axles are powered by the engine at all times when driving. This can help the vehicle handle better in all conditions, adding additional traction and control. The downside? Full-time AWD can be less fuel-efficient than front- or rear-wheel driving.
That’s where part-time AWD comes in. Part-time all-wheel-drive vehicles allow for switching between two-wheel and four-wheel driving. This switching either happens automatically, with the card detecting when all-wheel drive is needed, or manually, with the driver turning AWD on or off with a switch or button inside the vehicle.
Do You Need All-Wheel Drive?
Is all-wheel drive worth it for you? That’s a question only you can answer. Every person’s situation and driving needs are unique. That said, you should consider a vehicle with AWD if you live in an area that frequently experiences less-than-ideal driving conditions, such as rain and snow, and you want a little extra traction and safety when that weather arises.
But if you’re looking for an adventure-ready, go-anywhere-and-do-anything beast of a vehicle, you’re probably better served by a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Downsides of All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive vehicles aren’t without their flaws. Which could have you wondering if all-wheel-drive is worth it. For one, they tend to be more expensive than front-wheel drive vehicles, since the mechanisms involved with designing and building an all-wheel-drive vehicle are more complex to engineer and produce.
Other Drive Styles
We’ve talked a lot about all-wheel drive and a bit about four-wheel drive, but what about the other styles of drivetrain design? The two remaining options are front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, and if you have an AWD vehicle that allows for switching in and out of AWD, it means you also will spend a great deal of time driving in one of the following modes.
Front-Wheel Drive
Most passenger vehicles on the road today are front-wheel drive. This includes most smaller and mid-sized sedans, family vehicles such as minivans, and many small-to-midsize SUVs. In terms of physics, a front-wheel drive means that your vehicle is being ‘pulled’ forward by the front two wheels. While they have plenty of torque and traction for normal driving conditions, they’re generally not well-suited to more intense driving conditions such as off-roading, driving in severely inclement weather, or performance driving.
Front-wheel drive is common for a range of reasons, including the fact that it’s relatively inexpensive to implement in vehicles, it’s fuel-efficient for a range of driving styles, and it provides a good all-around driving experience that’s predictable and offers good traction in a range of conditions.
Rear-Wheel Drive
Rear-wheel drive systems are usually found in trucks, larger SUVs, and performance or luxury vehicles. In physics terms, they’re ‘pushed’ forward by momentum at the back of the vehicle. They work by sending torque to the rear wheels, and rear-wheel drive systems are generally considered to offer a bit more control and traction than front-wheel drive vehicles. That said, this only applies to ideal driving conditions. When roads are dry, rear-wheel-drive handling excels. But when conditions get wet and slippery, you’re probably better off leaving the rear-wheel-drive vehicle at home in favor of a front-wheel or all-wheel-drive vehicle.
Myths of All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive is truly a great way to increase a car’s traction in conditions other than perfectly dry pavement. That said, all-wheel drive doesn’t instantly make your vehicle capable of tackling absolutely any road challenge. People with all-wheel drive sometimes feel that it allows them to drive normally when conditions are rough, rather than adjusting their driving accordingly. For example, when it snows, someone with all-wheel drive may think that they can simply drive at or just above the normally posted speed limit and be just fine, only to find themselves skidding out and getting in an accident.
In fact, all-wheel drive vehicles have not been shown to increase braking and cornering ability significantly when driving in snow, so you should always keep that in mind when driving an AWD vehicle.
Conclusion
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