Four-wheel-drive systems are typically designed for moderate to severe off-road driving, with a low range set of gears as well as a manual or automatic 2WD-to-4WD transfer case.

One of the reasons many people buy a traditional sport-utility vehicle is for the extra security and traction of four-wheel drive. Many drivers don’t realize the limitations of AWD and 4WD.

Perhaps it was part of the no-intervention ethos, but early on, AWD generally represented an exclusive system, not a setting that could be selected among others, such as a 2WD mode.

As you're certainly aware, most cars these days have four wheels. So why do people make a distinction between all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive when driving ...

Four-wheel-drive (4WD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) drivelines provide the highest levels of traction for driving in changeable weather conditions or off-road. 4WD vehicles allow manual engagement of ...

The difference between all-wheel-drive (AWD) and four-wheel-drive (4WD) is a topic of confusion for many car, truck, and SUV buyers. A car buyer should understand the operational differences between ...

Both systems drive all four wheels but there are some differences between them; in this article, we explore them and help you learn which one is better for you ...

In 4WD cars, the drop in fuel economy can be as much as three mpg compared with 2WD models. Of course, these negatives can be offset by the positives of an AWD vehicle.

Here's how the Jeeps did: Team O'Neil noted in the description that this result is only for part-time 4WD vehicles with standard transfer cases, not full-time 4WD or AWD systems.

Basically, 4WD is of very little use on-road, so if you never plan to venture well off the pavement and into the rough stuff, you'll likely be better off with AWD.