What you want to know about four-wheel drive car

All-wheel drive, AWD, 4x4, four-wheel drive for cars - different names, but basically it's the same thing! Here we have collected common questions and answers about what four-wheel drive means, its advantages and disadvantages and also the question of all-wheel drive plug-in hybrids, does it exist?

What is a four-wheel drive car?

Four-wheel drive on cars simply means that the car has drive on all four wheels and not just the front or rear wheels. However, the power is not equal on all four wheels when the car is driven forward, but part of four-wheel drive means that the power is distributed to the wheels where it is needed to cope with the current situation. How? The power from the engine goes to a central differential that distributes the power between the car's front and rear wheels.

Four-wheel drive or not? That is the question!

To know if a four-wheel drive car is right for you, it can be good to keep track of the various advantages and disadvantages. Historically, four-wheel drive has often been used in vehicles for harsher environments, but is now increasingly common in city cars as well.

Advantages:

• Practical for those who often drive with a trailer

• Overall, the car is considered safer than a two-wheel drive car as it has better grip on the road, which is also beneficial in winter road conditions.

• Driving pleasure! Many people perceive a four-wheel drive car as more fun to drive

Disadvantages:

• Often uses more fuel (exception for a four-wheel drive plug-in hybrid, see more below)

• More expensive to purchase than a front- or rear-wheel drive car

• More components on a car can increase the risk of parts breaking

Good to know about four-wheel drive plug-in hybrids

A four-wheel drive plug-in hybrid generally works a little differently than a car with only one combustion engine. Where a car with a combustion engine has a central differential that connects all the wheels of the car, in order to be able to distribute the power where it is needed most, a plug-in hybrid instead has two separate differentials. The car's front and rear wheels are instead connected together via a computer, thus distributing the power to the different parts of the car. This can in turn create a slight delay, which is perceived as the car being less reactive.

Our best-selling* plug-in hybrids with all-wheel drive:

• Mitsubishi Outlander

• Volvo V60

• Toyota RAV4

• Lexus NX

• Volvo XC60

*Sales in 2020

A small four-wheel drive car, is there one?

As demand increases, so does the supply of four-wheel drive models, although the majority of four-wheel drive cars are still generally larger. A small four-wheel drive car is often cheaper to own than a larger one.

Popular small cars with four-wheel drive:

• Fiat Panda 4x4

• Suzuki Swift

• Suzuki Swift 4x4

• Audi A3 Quattro

• Mercedes A-Class 4matic