AWD vs. 4WD Vehicles: Which Is The Best For You?

One of the most productive drivetrains available on vehicles today is the All-Wheel Drive and 4-Wheel Drive. Using all four wheels of the vehicle, you can direct torque from the engine to the front and rear axles to all four wheels via differentials. This can make driving on slippery or icy Brighton roads easier to manage! But what is the difference between AWD and 4WD?

Use this guide to learn is AWD and 4WD so you can narrow your car buying search to a perfect vehicle for you! Contact us for more information and visit our Henderson dealership to test drive our vehicles to see is AWD better than 4WD for you today! Also, apply for financing with our finance center to get the car buying process started!

What Is The Difference Between AWD and 4WD?

If you’re a novice to drivetrain and auto performance, you might think that AWD and 4WD are the same, but they’re not.

While both drivetrains use all four wheels, there are subtle differences in how they perform that separate them from each other. Depending on whether you’ll be driving on the roads of Denver or off-road terrain, they can make a big difference for you! See is AWD better than 4WD for your driving experience below:

All-Wheel Drive

All-wheel drive model vehicles have two sets of names and functions: full-time AWD and part-time AWD. As you can tell from their names, full-time AWD systems send torque to the front and rear axles all the time. While part-time AWD monitors road conditions and your driving behavior to decide when it’s best to send torque only to the front axle.

4-Wheel Drive

4WD models are a different thing entirely. If you’re asking, “is AWD the same as 4WD?” you should know that 4WD is more akin to performance and off-road terrain than the streets of Thornton. 

This is because 4WD systems send power to the front and rear axles, so they’re also able to direct a specific amount of power between the left and right wheels. This makes ripping through off-road terrain much easier to do! 

Shop Our AWD and 4WD Vehicles at Transwest GMC 

No matter what is the difference between AWD and 4WD vehicles, we have what you need at Transwest GMC! Upgrade to a vehicle that has the specs to take you further on your daily drives and adventures! Contact us today for more information!