All Wheel Drive: All You Need To Know

By Aman Singh December 13, 2020

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All Wheel Drive (AWD) is the latest trend in the automobile world today. Every manufacturer has an SUV that is all-wheel drive and every manufacturer spends tons of money advertising their AWD car. So, what exactly is all-wheel drive and why is it better than the traditional two-wheel-drive cars?

All Wheel Drive

In All-Wheel Drive as the name suggests, power goes to all four wheels of the car. Unlike the traditional cars, in which only 2 wheels get the power (either the front pair or the rear pair). In AWD cars, there is a lot of AI operations going on. Like for example, when you are going down a hill, the system will send more power to the rear wheels, to save fuel. Or if the road is filled with potholes, then the system will detect where traction is less, and send power accordingly. AWD is not very well suited for off-road activities due to this. During Off-Roading, you prefer things to be manual, therefore in that condition, 4WD is best. But during a normal daily commute, an AWD will give you a far better experience. Because it can handle rough and uneven surfaces very well.

Advantages

The biggest advantage is that since the power is given to all wheels, the car has more grip. This makes it easier to control the car in wet conditions. And also provides better handling and traction. And this type of experience can be given to a lot of cars, including hatchbacks and sedans. Since all-wheel drive doesn’t mean the car is meant for off-roading. AWD cars can help you overcome normal conditions like potholes, sandy roads much easier than the other cars.

Disadvantages

More grip also means that the car has a lesser fuel economy than the traditional 2WD cars. It also increases the weight of the car. And since, making an AWD is a complex engineering process, AWD cars are normally more expensive. And the last disadvantage is that many people confuse it with an off-road car. It is not. It can handle some rough conditions, but it is not meant to be an extreme off-roader.