The Differences Between AWD and 4WD
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- If you, like many people, thought that AWD and 4WD were the same thing, then you might surprised to learn that they are in fact separate entities. Here are the key differences!
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-knows the difference
-still watches video
No Name me too 😂
1:06 the Audi S1 Quattro... what a STUNNING car.
Look at my icon.
It seems like people are more confused than ever. Good job.
wow no replies
edit: oh shit
Bad job. 4wd is awd on 4 wheeled vehicle. Check in a dictionary.
What if you have an AWD Reliant Robin? Is it a 3WD?
A.all
W.wheel...s
D.drive
Did you listen to him at all
Misha Charoudin get a 8X8 APC
Misha Charoudin I keep asking that
If you are Batman
Additionally AWD and 4WD don't make you invincible in the snow and ice. They help you get moving but aren't going to do much to help you stop. And 4WD can be tricky in slippery conditions at higher speeds.
A Subaru with winter tires will likely outperform a lifted dodge truck on big mud tires in slippery winter conditions ;)
What you mean to say is a Viper with studded winter tires will outperform a Subaru with all seasons on the snow and ice.
Epotheros why?
birds rule To nail home the concept that a lot of people get way too overconfident when driving in bad conditions if they have AWD and 4WD.
Scott Verge
That's to do with mass though :P
Epotheros oh I get it now. but even then Subarus will outperform a viper in snow assuming both driver know what they are doing. but yeah you are right people think just because they've got a 4x4 or a AWD they are invisible. which is funny becuase its those cars you see crashed into a phone pole.
What about the Mercedes 6x6 G wagon. where does that fit in all this?
Thee Adjudicator AWD
With 5 diffs and many power split options, I think the 6x6 warrants it own video.
4WD ofcourse
A combination of both almost, 4 wheels are AWD like the land rover and then select drive for the other 2, at least thats how a lot 6x6 vehicles work.
It's a real bike
Shame there wasn't a summary of which well known systems are AWD and 4WD. For example Audi's "Quattro", BMW's "X" drive, Mercedes's "4Matic" and so on.
Alien OrSutin you can't mention awd without a scooby
Those are all AWD, 4WD is what you'll find on dedicated off-roaders and pick-ups like Land Cruisers and Hilux's
Sean Taylor as i understand it, BMW'S X Drive isnt permanent 4wd (at least it wasnt on my wife's X1). Audi Quattro is AWD but im not sure about mercedes system.
I'm not sure either about Mercedes. I've got 4Matic on mine and there's no switches in the car for locking 2 or 4, it's all controlled smartly. I know that on icy roads I can do donuts, or at least a half donut, so it's mostly RWD.
I looked it up and all three are full time AWD systems. Basically, if you can't turn it off it's AWD. 4WD is not on all the time and will have a transfer case splitting power(which will generally have reduction gears). Both systems can utilize locking differentials but I believe it is more common on 4WD systems
4wd is selectable
Awd is not
Awd can have a central diff
4wd doesn't and has a transfer case
Awd and 4wd can both have front and rear diffs of any kind
MyLonewolf25 This is a better explanation than the video.
MyLonewolf25
A Landrover Defender is classed as a 4wd vehicle but doesn't adhere to your definitions.
Chris Williams that's because it's a name and not truly 4wd
It just has a transfer case that goes from low and high range
+MyLonewolf25
And is also classified as a 4wd system and always has been.
You can choose low or high or you can lock the transfer case but 2WD is not selectable, the system is always 4WD.
Your definition of 4wd is a vehicle which has a transfer case/box... this is also what the Defender happens to have.
A full-time 4WD vehicle is able to operate safely on the road with its centre case unlocked, then traverse loose terrain by locking that centre case.
4wd can also have a central differential like shown in the video.
This one of those things you learn that just makes you feel like you should of known all along but you learn so much out of it and in such a small space of time! Thanks Car Throttle! Always great content!!
I thought they were the same. All wheels giving power
Jake Jake me too
A lot of people do unfortunately.
They aren't and using 4 wheel drive on road can get you into trouble as it can be unpredictable.
Jake Jake they literally just explained the difference
Scott Verge we kbow we just watched this video
They do, but AWD varies the amount of power delivery between all 4 wheels. 4WD doesn't, and is only used in certain circumstances...
In normal driving with AWD, if you're going around a corner (as the video explains), the inside wheels rotate less times than the outside wheels because the inside wheels are travelling a shorter distance. So the power delivery needs to vary between the inside and outside wheels because if all 4 wheels rotated in total unison with each other, you could have excess wear and tear to the inside tires, at best, causing massive understeer, or at worst, damage an axle.
However, there are times when you want all 4 wheels rotating at exactly the same speed such as if you're off-roading and stuck in snow or mud and one wheel's spinning and you're not moving anywhere. In that scenario, power is only being delivered to the spinning wheel (as he says in the video, the path with least resistance).
In that case you want totally even distribution of power/all wheels rotating in unison so that the non-spinning wheels receive as much power as the spinning wheel so that you can move.
Sorry, I hope that's not too long! lol
Hey Car Throttle
FWD
RWD
AWD
Which do u prefer?
+Tharim Ahmed All of the above.
Car Throttle will you be attending the auto show over the weekend
Car Throttle OMG you replied!! keep up the great content.
+Car Throttle you forgot to mention that you can have a short range selection in 4wd
awd is the future.
Actually the difference is very small. If you look at the litteral meaning AWD means all wheels are driven and 4WD means four wheels are driven. The terms don't say how and when. The only reason people think there is a major difference is because that is how they were marketed.
Back when they started using AWD systems manufactures didn't want to put 4WD or 4x4 on the back of their cars because these terms were associated with mud-ploughing and rock-crawling offroaders. Clouds of diesel smoke, ladder chassis and leaf springs didn't really fit the image of a sports car.
So no, their is no difference. Apart from the fact that the term AWD could also be used on vehicles with more than four wheels.
Simple fact of the matter is that on cars with an AWD system you often also have the chance to switch in 2WD mode, or in a lock mode which gives you the same effect as locking all the diffs in a drive train.
In short: the term AWD or 4WD doesn't say anything about how the drivetrain works. The only difference is in the marketing of the car, not in how it works. There are more than two ways of delivering drive to all four wheels, and with every system you have multiple ways of controlling what it does. So educate yourself before you make a video which contains false information.
It's not false information, your simply arguing semantics. Marketing or not, there are typical characteristics and differences between the two systems. The origins of the terms from advertising or whatever doesn't change that.
Your arguing what theoretically the words should mean, not what they actually mean.
@@yz249nope! most 4wd and awd systems go by both names when placed on different cars, it's quite literally just badging
is it magic that I was just talking with my dad yesterday about 4wd and Awd and you guys post a video? Damn.
Nah, it's called probabilities.
wtfuredead Nah again, it's called coincidences
Clorox Bleach probabilities (can) manifest into coincidences, and coincidences can be understood as probabilities ^^
nah nah nah nah nah nah BATMAN
northweezie1 not cool dude. First of all, he looks asian, like from India or Taiwan. Second of all, if he where from a conflict zone that could trigger some nasty sheet inside his mind (like bad memories, bad feeling, etc)
It's funny that almost everyone who follows this channel knows about cars and then you explain how 4-wheel-drive works.. :D
Still good tho!
what's interesting is that this doesn't translate to any language. say, in russian, they are called the same, with the addition of an explanation of the type afterwards, if needed.
i say, this is all twaddle. i don't give a fuck, and neither should anyone, imo.
Undecided ALMOST everyone....
MEK i know a lot about cars but this is something that sounds easy so ppl dont talk about it . I only learned it like 1 year ago. So thats why i think he made it
I am not subscriber, just randomly clicked :)
ALLLLL WHEEEL D-
BOI
BlackPanthaa hi pants
All wheel drizzle ._.
lol panthaa again xD
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
All kinds of 4WD selections of the most cars:
AWD (most)
4X4 (most)
Off-Road (extreem 4X4)
4WD (most)
XWD (SAAB)
Xdrive (BMW)
4-matic (benz)
QUATTRO (Audi)
All-Grip (Suzuki)
non stop 4 wheel drive (special vehicles)
High All Drive Speed (only the HUMMER maurauder)
Triple Diff locks (idk)
I always was like: Car has 4 wheels, so 4 wheels are ALL wheels, so 4WD = AWD...
The Stig's German Cousin and you were right all the time
what about our lovely reliant robin. 3wd = awd so by your logic awd = 3wd = 4wd so that means 3=4 and also cars have 3 wheels while robin has 4
If a reliant robin was 3wd it would be awd. Don't just take extraordinary cases to try make someone look dumb. A car with equal wheels driven and in total is an awd car. There's also a g63 6x6. And it's awd but not 4wd. You knew what I meant but you are just trying to be so smart. You can keep behaving like I said 3=4 and also 3=4=6 if you didn't know... There's a car called g63 (might be 65 or a regular g500, not sure but doesn't matter) 4x4^2. Fourbyfoursquare, couldn't get the two on top of the 4 on mobile device. You can have a discussion with yourself if that has 16 driven wheels as it's basically 4x16. Have a nice time
i actually just wanted to be funny but its the internet. people always trying to call you an idiot one or another way. i dont wanna make anyone look dumb but rather make something funny out of something someone wrote. stop taking everything you see as offensive.
angelgod 4 if that's that then sorry mate. You know it's hard to express yourself online as communicaton is mostly based on the tone of your words. Hope I didn't annoy you
Been living with my aging AWD xtype for 3+ years now, It's kept me safe from Skye to St Ives, loves snow and wet weather. Alas electrical problems abound in mid summer.
Just to point something out: not all AWDs are symmetrical and full-time, and, not all 4WDs can be manually controlled.
Usually, the easiest way to look at it is 4WD just about always involves a transfer case and locks the wheels. Meanwhile just about all AWD systems will not offer any form of manual intervention and will almost always allow the wheels to spin at varying speeds.
Peter Schmidt
Absolutely bang on point!
As one of my current Subarus and a past Landrover Defender will attest to!
My Audi 200 Quattro has diff locks...
Peter Schmidt I was gonna say. Because I am pretty sure that my Toyota Landcruiser only has 4WD high and low range
that last system described is what comes standard on alot of newer trucks at least for GM. MY truck has 2Hi - 4Hi auto which only engages front drive when the system senses slip - 4Hi - 4Lo ....Both front and rear diffs come with LSD differentials allowing different tire rotation speeds and still allow lockup when needed. The new 4wd systems are basically a better version of all wheel drive. i just assume its not in cars yet due size or weight or maybe its just a cost thing.
I Kind Of Get It And At The Same Time I Don't......
Awesome video. Thank you!!!
How is AWD in long term servicing? (
A pleasant little factual video there, cheers CT
You are 90% right about 4 wheel drive. I own the same car as the one to the right in the thumbnail, however my Jeep has the more expensive packaging option for the transfer case which gives me 2wd (rwd), 4 Full Time (can be used on the road and off road and is basically power being sent to both front and rear diffs, albeit they are open diffs but power is sent to the front and rear diffs none the less), 4 Part Time (4wd strictly for off road and slippery conditions such as ice and sand, and what happens is the transfer case is locked and both the front and rear drive shafts spin at the same exact speed. If used on Tarmac it can cause wheel hope because all 4 wheels aren't turning at the same speed around a corner, so the inner wheel is trying to catch up to the speed of the outer wheels in both the front and rear, let this happen enough and you'll twist the drive shafts), and 4LO (the same as 4 Part Time but lowers the gearing so you can in theory take your foot off the throttle and let the car "creep" over rocks and such at low speeds like 3 mph but with torque being increased with the lower gearing), and N (as in neutral because he transfer case disconnect the drive shafts so if being towed being a motor home, for example, the driveshafts won't be spinning the transfer case and transmission due to the wheels spinning). Hope that helps.
AWD and 4WD are marketing terms and don't have precise engineering definitions. The video is correct in terms of what is generally meant by the terms but plenty of "4WD" vehicles (Looking at you Honda CRV) would be AWD by the definitions presented here. If you ask the actual engineers (look at SAE and other journal papers on the subject) you will find the engineers use the terms rather interchangeably.
I can also give five of the fastest AWDs and 4WDs
AWDs:
1.Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
2.Lamborghini Aventador LP-740 Superveloce
3.Nissan GT-R Nismo
4.Audi R8 V10 Plus
5.Bentley Continental GT3R
4WDs:
1.Lamborghini Urus
2.Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR
3.Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
4.Jaguar F-Pace
5.Bentley Bentayga
Car throttle reply plsss
+Anndi Kadriu Hellooooooo
Hellooooo
OMG!!!! You actually replied
Car Throttle hi now bye
Hi car throttle your the best
locking diffs have no bearing on the 4x4 on dry tarmac issue - the issue is there's no clutch in the transfer case and thus the front tire that is getting powered is locked at the same rotational speed as the rear that is getting power. Thus, even with open diffs at each end, on dry tarmac in 4x4 you will encounter binding, because in a corner the rear doesn't follow completely in the path of the front and thus has to spin at different rates. locking diffs will affect each axle independently on dry tarmac making the binding even more evident.
Nice to see some Slovenian footage in an international video :D
Sorry Car Throttle you got this completely wrong. Some cars are full time 4WD (the original sticker on my can says so) with open diffs and some AWDs are normally 2WD until a wheel slips and then it sends some power to the other axle.
The only difference between AWD and 4WD is what the manufacturers marketing team decided would have more appeal to car buyers. All the different types of differentials and inconsistency between brands is what causes all the confusion.
I should point out that for the most part AWD is used for sporty cars and 4WD is used for proper off roaders.
4wd is when you have low range center diff lock. It has nothing to do with front and rear differential lockers/limited slips.
Another reason u don’t want to drive on tarmac in a 4x4 when the 4 wheel drive is on is sometimes in the case of my truck the front axle is geared differently to make the wheel spin slightly fast to help pull the truck
I edited this comment so the replies make no sense
Live, Ride, Die ride*
Live, Ride, Die 1wd
Live, Ride, Die put a lady on the back while you drive and let her vibrate till she wants to fuck you.. thats what crotch rockets were designed for!!!!!
nice rwd bro
Kasam how about those conventional cars with no limited slip? fwd will become 1wd too when it starts to lose traction.
When you think of AWD, you think of Subaru
When you think of 4WD, you think of Land Rover
Subaru has the bestEST AWD system, bestEST engine (in term of weight which reduces rollover) and bestEST perfomance, unlike an apathetic teenager, an unbalanced engine is not operating at its full potential, ...
2:17 IT SAYS LJUBLJANA
JDE sLOVEnia❤
To add to this, 4x4 or 4WD usually has a low range selection in the transfer case to further increase torque while off road. There are also some full time 4WD systems out there, like on the first gen Jeep Grand Cherokee. But most are part time systems.
Car Throttle, I'm 3 months away from getting my very first own bmw e36 318is for my 18th birthday!!!
Kiril Zangagolev good luck with that! I'm a year away from my first car.
That's a very nice car for your first one, stay safe!
I bet u were expecting a reply from Car Throttle huh
Kiril Zangagolev same lol
That's quite a nice first car. Mine was a 10-year-old 1990 Audi 100 Quattro (AWD with locking diff.). Slow and heavy, but safe and optioned out. The Quattro system literally saved my life on a handful of occasions when I was young and inexperienced. One thing I highly recommend is to take some kind of sports driving classes to get an idea of handling a RWD car. If nothing else, try doing a little autocross or something to get an idea of the feel of your car's handling characteristics and the physical limits of your car. You'll certainly not regret it in the long run and you'll be a much better driver. Enjoy and be responsible!
But this just isn't really right? I get what you're trying to say but firstly manufacturers don't make the same distinction between 4WD and AWD as you do and secondly there is way more variation within "4WD" cars than between AWD and 4WD. Compare a defender, a hilux, an Impreza and an RS6 and the differences are much more than what you imply the AWD/4WD difference is.
nice
as much as I love how much fun my E30 is on the snow, I will admit that those few moments when I'm stuck and can't go neither forwards nor backwards because I've stopped on a slippery spot are not so fun, so I am considering getting a GC8 for a second car
I was just searching through Google the differences in AWD, 4WD and 4x4 and then this video came out. Can you guys talk about 4x4 too?
4x4 and 4wd are the same thing.
Scott Verge Are they? Then how come they have different definitions on Wikipedia?
Don't worry about Wikipedia,they are the same thing
4WD or 4x4 usualy refers to part-time four wheel drive with a transfer case (front and rear shafts rotate at the same speed) while AWD usually refers to a full-time four wherl drive with a center diffrrential (front and rear shafts csn rotate at different speeds). Naming can be confusing as some manufacturers call it t-case even when it allows for differential action.
Also worth noting is that it says nothing about everything else. A center differential may be open, but its usually limited-slip. Rear and front differentials may be either open, mechanical limited slip, ECU controlled limited slip, torsen or something else.
The simplest offroad vehicles usually are 4WD (part time) where the rear axle is always engaged and the front must be manually engaged. Usually the rear diff is some kind of limited slip and the front is open. Also the front ones may have a "free wheel hub" to disconnect the wheels from the shafts, so your front diff won't turn when on-road.
Obviously not all off road vehicles are built this way, you may find many variations even under tha same make/model, just look at the Land Rover Defender to have an idea of how much it can vary on the same model. Also, for some off roading applications people may want custom stuff, like manually operated fully locking differentials or some king of mechanical or electronic torque splitting differential.
Also, be careful not to confuse diff locking with torque spliting. Having the front and rear shafts locked in a traditional t-case doesn't send equal torque to the shafts, it just forces them to rotate at the same speed. On a open diff the shaft/wheel with less traction/resistance gets more torque. If you had a AWD vehicle with all diffs fully open then putting a single wheel on a low traction surface like ice or mud would leave you stranded, all the torque going to that single wheel, spinning like crazy while the others don't move.
4WD are densigned to work as 2WD on high traction surfaces, if you use 4WD on dry roads you'll end up breaking the chain on your transfer case of something even worse than that. It's also not a good idea to drive with locked diffs, it's just something you engage when you're stuck and then disengage as soon as you can. There's a reason differentials exist, you'd have massive understeer, tire wear and broken transmission parts otherwise.
AWD work OK on either surface, but may have limitations and/or wear out parts more quickly if you find yourself driving under tricky conditions too often, but it also doesn't let you do something stupid and break expensive stuff as easily.
Note that it doesn't mean one is better than the other, they're just better suited to different things. You probably won't find many AWD mud boggers and rock crawlers, just like you won't see many 4WD rally cars.
Finally a video that makes explaining things to people easier
Explains 4wd as if it's always a locked diff... Everytime I watch one of these videos, I feel bad for the people who don't know better
Revamptheindustry, no! 4wd means that power is transferred to 4 wheels. That's all it means so any {integer bigger or equal than 4}x4 drive train is 4wd.
@@MrPaukann No ?
I mean, this is the exact definition of AWD
@@timfrolov7891, 6x4 truck is 4wd. 6x6 truck is awd. 4x4 is both
FYI: Most factory 4wd's have a selectable 4wd mode with an additional "Center differential lock low range" - this does not lock the front and rear diffs. It only locks up the transfer case (centre diff) which matches both the front and rear drive shafts; speed & torque. To have true 4wd (unless your 4wd came with them eg: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon) you will most likely need selectable front and rear diff locks.
OMG Thanks CarThrottle as a 13 year old i was searching for the drifferences between AWD and 4WD cuz it was confusing for me :D Thanks again :D
why?
its not like you are going to drive next year or smth...
FURIArts Well, you start from somewhere, don't you?
Actually it's for my self knowlege of cars , and when imma turn on 15 imma get my assisted driver license :D
Wat:DDDD
LeRedresseurDeTort Français ? 😇😇
Now which is more popular for tuners? There's a market following for both setups being used in all terrain situations, however the 4 wheel drive systems can be generally a lot simpler to work on. You can replace the gear ratios and differential carriers easily in something using a 10 bolt, 12 bolt, or Dana axle that's being used off road. Slap in locking, ratcheting, or torque sensing (helical cut friction driven gears) limited slip carriers that outright make clutch type limited slip diffs obsolete, and have less rotational resistance when operating on the highway in 2 wheel drive with a good highway gear ratio pushing the car. All wheel drive has computers, torque converters, and differential carriers that are forced to lock in 4 wheel lo, if it has locking at all. Unfortunately this setup is mostly used in sports and rally cars, so there's no way of selecting 2 wheel drive during highway use to save rotational stress and tire life. I'd like to see 4 wheel drive setups on sports cars on a video though, with the locking hubs and manual stickshift transfer case if possible.
Which company has the best AWD systems? like 50/50 at all times?
Gordo Villa all I know is audi invented the first awd system "quattro", but that may be a hard one
ignore that last sentence, just the first part
For me I'd say Nissan with the ATTESA ET-S.It's a rear biased AWD system with tons of cornering capability.Also a system with a 50/50 split is subaru's symmetrical AWD which is an awesome system in its own right
Currently it would be Nissan on the GTR, Mitsubishi on the Evo and Acura across the line up. Torque vectoring AWD with the ability to split torque at different levels.
A 50/50 torque split is not a great system and can cause huge understeer. It's best to have a center diff that can vary torque accordingly. Audi does a 40:60 split which still gives it huge understeer, Acura does a 30:70 split so the cars and SUV's don't understeer like the Audi and Acura's also split torque left to right.
Nissan's system can be varied from 10:90 all the way upto 50:50. So they feel like RWD cars but can save you when pushed. I believe Infinity's system does the same but I'm not sure how it vectors torque left to right.
vidurc Yea, that was stupid of me to ask about 50/50,
Seems like Nissan only offers AWD on the GTR. Also, Infiniti is basically Nissan, I would assume they would use the same technology.
Just wanted to know in which ranks do the current AWD systems go in.
The main difference, which was not addressed in this video, is that 4WD (4X4) systems have selectable low range which allows the vehicle to "crawl" over rough terrain.
Usually, with some notable exceptions (i.e. Land Rover), 4WD vehicles are rear wheel drive and 4WD is selected when needed.
4WD usually does NOT drive all 4 wheels as most manufacturers use open differentials (If you ever got stuck with only 1 wheel spinning on a given axle, it's an open diff.) To drive both wheels on an axle at the same time, a locker is needed (locker, limited slip, spool, etc.), although electronic traction aids have gotten much better at bridging the gap.
So much fail in this video, conflating centre and axle based differentials for a start. Just because you lock the centre diff doesn't mean the side to side diffs are locked.
Yes, my brain stopped working after this, and my understanding of the difference between AWD and 4WD is lower than ever
Enjoyed the video, but there was some wrong info. The Nissan BNR32, BCNR33, BNR34, R35, and a few others are 4WD systems just like the VW you spoke of. The system is called Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All-terrain with Electronic Torque Split, the ATTESA E-TS. Nissan has been using it since 1989. So I would not say its starting to show up in recent years. This style of power tranfer is now 28 years old. Some will classify it as AWD on paper, but the system operates as RWD until approximately 5 percent of wheel slip is read through the ABS sensors triggering the computer to activate the ATTESA and send pressure to the transfer case clutch pack; therefore, send a set amount of torque transfer to the front diff. It can range from 0:100 to 50:50 max. The system is designed to only transferring the necessary power for the slip condition. Not go from zero to balls to the wall. In the end, the system is not AWD as the car is typically RWD until the system starts and presses the clutch pack making it 4WD. Also my gauge cluster on my BNR32 says 4WD lol.
*who else saw this video more than once?*
me
Quick, easy to understand and directly to the point. Good job.
There are a few things that weren't addressed. It's mostly correct. The missing information would be the "4WD" with the option to be AWD with center diffs. Also, technically, AWD and 4WD are indeed the same thing.
whilst technically they are the same thing in concept (transmitting power to all 4 wheels) they do have different technologies
I render your comment a waste of time for reading
What if you are in a Merc G63 6x6
Justin Noker, 4wd on a 4 wheeled vehicle is 4x4 awd, period. There is a proper definition of the term.
Aww and 4wd are not the same if u take a 4x4 mudding you have such a better chance bc all the wheels are locked on an awd the front pass and rear driver are locked together and the front driver and rear pass are locked together and spin together I know bc I've been stuck in my 98 forester multiple times and when the muss to thick only 2 wheels will spin instead of all 4 unlike a 4x4 when all 4 will spin when ur stuck
Can't forget old school 4wd subarus. Same symmetrical drivetrain setup as the AWD vehicles with a FWD, 4hi and 4lo option which locks the differentials.
i like cars
i like trains bum
thanks mate! that's finally cleared up! I knew there were differences, but you have explained quite nicely so I know now excactly what's what.
People don't know the difference so they just use both for the same thing. So it really doesn't matter at the end.
It does if you're in the middle of the Amazon jungle in an AWD vehicle stuck in the mud and don't understand why the car won't move anywhere :P
I already knew the difference before watching this video, but people still use both terms interchangeably in everyday life.
egykilenckilenchet It matters if you try to use 4WD on tarmac and end up with a broken chain on your transfer case. People who don't want to learn the difference are better off with either 2WD or AWD... 4WD makes it easy to shoot oneself in the foot.
Best cars I can think of for each type of drive:
FWD: Honda integra type R, Honda civic EG6/EK6.
AWD: Nissan Skyline R32/R33/R34/R35 (We all know it's a skyline in spirit), Subaru, Mitsubishi evo series, Mitsubishi 3000 GT.
RWD: Mazda RX-7 all types, Nissan silvia S13/S14/S15, HACHIROKU
It's a difficult choice to make but there is never really a final answer as such because opinion and environment come into it too much!
I love awd - stomping on it from a start to get in front of traffic means that the car just goes forward. No power is lost in wheelspin - the car just moves.
That shot of the gtr was so nice man. Also the m2 burnout is always a nice clip
People probably think AWD and 4WD are different things because pretending AWD has some advanced meaning is an American marketing thing.
Historically, in the rest of the world the only difference is 4WD specifically means 4 wheels are driven while AWD just means all of them are driven regardless of how many there are. You can throw whatever fancy systems at them you want but it doesn't change what the terms originally meant.
Djhg2000 this needs to be up up up. With their explanation it's possible to have a car with 4 driven and 4 total wheels and the car can still not have ALL its wheels driven
Djhg2000 maybe they are looking for the steering wheel to be driven
+Can Yoldaş "maybe they are looking for the steering wheel to be driven"
i.imgur.com/rwZwZ9j.jpg
Good one!
Djhg2000 You still aren't getting it. In the US, 4wd means it can be shifted in and out of 4wd. AWD means it is full time AWD, no selectors.
FCFordLord this is wrong. You are getting the golf r in the US too. It has no selectors but it still isn't all time all wheel drive. It's basically 2 wd most of the time and the driver has no real control of that. What do you say now? Is it 2 wd? Awd? 4wd? People who say awd and 4wd are not the same are either driving cars with more or less wheels, or they have no clue what they are talking about
You're mostly right.
AWD is a general term for a vehicle which has torque sent to all wheels. Different types of AWD systems works differently. AWD cars have three differentials. (center, front, rear) Generally, the torque is first sent to the center diff which determines the relationship between the front and rear, then the front and rear diffs work independently to manage the relationships side to side. Basically there are open diffs and locked diffs with Limited slip diffs (LSDs) lying somewhere in between. Depending on what combinations of differentials you use the AWD will vary dramatically. An open diff is one where the two sides share a common torque where a locked diff is one that the two sides share a common rotational speed. LSDs can operate as open, locked, or somewhere between depending on various inputs whether those inputs be electrical or mechanical. To say that "torque follows the path of least resistance" is false. An purely open diff will supply equal torque to both wheels at all times regardless of wheel speed. The tire with less traction will spin faster because it has less resistance, not because it is being supplied more torque. This is the same as pushing a very light object and a very heavy object and concluding that you must have pushed the light object harder because it went faster.
Basically 4WD is a type of AWD that uses only locked differentials. Many cars have it as a temporary setting but it is not always the case. However you said that 4WD distributes torque equally which it does not. The four wheels share the same rotational speed as a result of being locked. This is very different than splitting torque equally. Torque will go to whichever wheel needs it most due to the nature of locking tires together as only tires with traction will resist rotation.
Also, you made it seem as though all AWD cars use only LSDs where RWD cars use only open diffs but that is certainly not true. Even good AWD systems like Subaru use some open diffs. LSDs are becoming very standard on performance RWD cars as well. Even cars which have a reputation for not being extremely great handling are offered with an optional LSD. (ex. Mustang, Camaro)
You also briefly said that AWD cars with torque split cut power to individual wheels. That's not true of all AWD systems and those that do mostly do so my supplying the same torque to both wheels through the drivetrain then subtracting some of that torque by applying the brake to one wheel. What you explained is actually torque vectoring which is a very big buzzword which is being thrown around right now.
So yea...
Sorry to be "that guy".
Rip Evo :(
At least she died as a real car.
Could you guys make a video explaining hybrid systems in super/hyper cars?
Look at the GT-R. It's brown.
nope it's orange
SUNSET ORRAAAANNNGEEEEE
Rayshanto2701TM GT-R's are for people who cant drive. Loaded with tech and no purity. Get an MX-5, 911 or Impreza. Or a 350Z. Or an Exige.
I knew there was a difference between AWD and 4x4 but I didn't know what is was. This vid is perfect for that
The names mean pretty much the same thing.
Your description about why a 4x4 system under steers is off, the axle differentials are typically open on even a 4x4, but the center differential or transfer case is locked when in 4wd. On a turn the front axle has to travel a further distance than the rear axle which binds up the drive-train, and causes under steer. On some 4x4's you can additionally lock the axle differentials which will increase off road capability but will under steer like crazy. For me and many of my friends one of the distinctions between awd and 4wd is a selectable low range gear in the transfer case.
Thanks man this is so helpful because I don't know how to explain to people what the difference is
There isn't really a difference between the 2. They basically mean the same thing. But, usually 4wd is on trucks and is user selected while AWD is on cars and is usually controlled by the car it self. The terms are kind of interchangeable because they are just marketing terms. Some trucks came with "AWD" yet they were just full time 4wd such as some jeep grand Cherokees. Some cars come as "AWD" yet they actually use a more truck type setup such as a transfer case rather than a center diff such as older Skylines.
Also, just because you put a vehicle in 4wd doesn't mean it locks the axle diffs. The majority of vehicles only come with an LSD in the rear and an open diff in the front so your vehicles would basically act like normal but with a heavier steering wheel.
Alex's explain is pretty straight forward, but if you think it is still too nerdy. A quick explain would be AWD gives power to all four wheels all the time. 4WD is mostly 2WD depends on the car, Golf R would be FWD, F Pace would be RWD, but when more traction is needed, it will give power to the other wheels
Sorry to say but It has more to do with company marketing than exactly how each system works. There is so much overlap between the types that it is really based on some guy making commercials. True locked differential 4WD is different than cars that allow for steering on pavement without chirping but many vehicles can do both depending on settings. I know most 4WD trucks can operate in a full time awd setting and when it makes sense you may select fully locked 4wd.
4x4 trucks still have open diffs in the front so when you put it in 4 wheel drive it just sends power to the front diff which is usually open so you don't have any problems with skipping
I was wondering this whole time why didn't people just say 4WD or AWD, I guess we learn something new every day
Slovenian registred Golf R on CT, nice one!
There are part-time 4 wheel drive that allows you to drive in tarmac at 80 kms h(maximum), and by engaging part-time 4 wheel drive, you are not engaging front and rear diff lockers, so you can turn
some suvs like the mitsubishi pajero you can select AWD that even says on the car's manual especially for the road and safer in rain conditions but still you can put it on 2WD 4WD low range lock the rear diff so there are exceptions to the rule
Many 4WD vehicles have slightly different gearing front vs. rear as well. They spin the front tires 1-2% faster then the rears for better off road performance and stability.
Good vid but think a few facts still need clearing up.
Audi quattro uses a simple torsen diff to split power front to rear. Some newer models also have an electronically controlled sport diff splitting power left/right at the rear axle.
4matic, X-drive, ATTESSA ET-S all work more or less the same way as each other - with continuous drive going to the rear axle and an electronic clutch controlling the engagement of the front wheels as necessary.
ATTESSA ET-S PRO (and GT-R spec) use an additional electronically controlled diff splitting power left/right at the rear axle (similar to the Audi sport diff and Evo AYS "Active Yaw Control")
4motion is basically 4matic/x-drive etc in reverse where the drive goes all to the front wheels with an electronic clutch controlling engagement of the rear wheels.
Subaru symmetrical AWD is similar to quattro in layout - driving both axles all the time and splitting the power with eithe viscous, torsen or electronically controlled diffs. Some models STI etc feature further diffs front/rear to control split of torque left and right on those axles.
The vast majority of road cars do not have locking diffs at the front and therefore are not full time 4WD.
What is the advantage and disadvantage of 4WD and 4X4? Which is good 4wd or 4x4? Which is fast 4wd or 4x4? Which is fuel economy 4wd or 4x4?
Locking front and rear diffs does make cornering very difficult, but when a car is in 4 wheel drive with open diffs at both ends (more common than anyone really wants) cornering is not badly compromised.
Pretty sure some AWD systems are front wheel biased (like a Honda CR-V), giving most power to the front wheels so it acts like a FWD vehicle, but if it detects slippage or during acceleration or cornering it might add power to rear wheels. There are others that are rear wheel drive Biased, like a Nissan GT-R, but will send power to the front as needed. I think Subaru is the only one that claims it's got balanced 50 / 50 power to the front and rear, at least in their older cars.
There's also full time 4WD and the selectable 4x4 type drivetrain you show.
In reality AWD tends to be used for cars (Or vehicles with more than 4 wheels, all of which are driven) and 4WD/4x4 is used for off roaders/anything marketed as such.
Based on the description of the difference given in the video, anything with a Haldex clutch to connect drive to the rear axle with no mid differential is 4WD, as is the Ford Focus RS (Nominally FWD with clutches to connect drive individually to each rear wheel when needed), while every Land Rover (Including the Defender) since 1984 is AWD as they're full time 4x4 with a mid differential/viscous coupling and most have torque vectoring through differential locks or automatic braking of individual wheels or both. In fact in terms of off roaders on the market that qualify as 4x4 based on the definition given the Suzuki Jimni might well be the only vehicle made in the last decade with selectable 4WD and no mid differential.
Though the distinction as described is technically clear, I'm quite certain neither engineers, car companies, journalists or the general public follow this rule in talking/writing about vehicles, so the definition given no longer matches the term as it is used and probably never matched it in the first place.
im glad that you made this. i hate people who say its the same thing
So what exactly are the differences. This video seemed to say they had independant spinning vs locked, but can be changed with a "box" so they become the same...
the rear wheels actually take the shorter path first of all, unless you're drifting or have 4 wheel steering. Secondly, Subaru makes an AWD system featuring 3 open differentials, which makes it less effective than 2WD. also, all 4 wheels only receive power if you have a locking differential. Limited slip just changes which wheel gets the power when one starts to slip.
Is a land rover a good example though, they can still corner perfectly well, diff lock on a defender locks the transfer box diff (centre diff) still only making it 2 wheel drive right? If you raise 2 diagonal wheels it'll be 2wd
You put a Volkswagen with Slovenian register plate in video. I feel so badass now
Evos are 4WD due to transfer case with a locking differential. They use a front transaxle which contains the center diff and transmission, a front transfer case that contains the front diff and a rear diff which contains the AYC system.
True?
A lot of the things Alex said about both drive systems are actually interchangeable, and in some cases, are actually the other way around. But for the most part, the general purpose of the systems are correct. Nice video.
Very happy to see the clip from Slovenia at 2:25 :D
Very nice presentations , and straight to the point, I have an 08 Lexus GS 350 with 112mi I do get white puff smoke at start up for about 4-5 Sec 💨 after the car is warmed up, sometimes I see it , sometimes not , sometimes I see it when I accelerate sometime I don’t see it when I accelerate. What this it could be !!? Thanks
You mentioned a 'new' 4x4 system that engages all wheels only when desired by a seperate lever/button.
But my 13 year old Mahindra Classic (based on Willys WW2 design) does just that!
Please post a new video with SUV's with this facility.
Thanx!
I've wanted to know this for so long.. thanky you guys for making this video!
Hey ct team (Alex/Ethan) you should do a trip to Brazil to test a 4WD off-roader with the same engine on the ranger you have previously tested
If you're curious to what it is it is a troller T4
Sweet, I had often wondered if there was a difference to be honest.
Great vid.
I thought it was the same thing, so I was quite surprised to see that it isn't.
Cool video, thanks for the info.
First off not bad but a few points to make. 4wd doesn't mean that the diffs are locked together. It means that via the transfer case you can select the power going to rear wheels or front and rear wheels. That being said the vast majority of 4wd vehicles do not have a locking differential. Both differentials are not locked and thus can be turned at different speeds.
If the diffs were locked side to side then yes the vehicle would handle very erratically on a curve.
Very nice explanation!
I haven't watched the video yet, and I don't know the answer. However, I'm gonna guess it has something to do with how off road cars have locking diffs that send power to all wheels at all time as opposed to cars like subarus which can send power to all 4 but only at certain times through limited slip diffs, etc.