What Is AWD?

On a car or truck, the letters "AWD" stand for "All-Wheel Drive," which assists drivers operating vehicles on slippery road conditions. While traditionally, AWD was reserved for Sport Utility Vehicles alone, the 2010 vehicle lines by American and foreign companies featured a number of AWD cars from makers such as Lexus, Acura, Volvo, Lincoln, Suzuki and Ford.

Function

All-Wheel Drive provides torque or power equally to all four wheels in a vehicle. If a car loses traction under any of its tires, this extra power provides the boost needed to keep the tire from sliding or spinning.

Benefits

All-Wheel Drive normally is on all the time in a vehicle, meaning that it is a constant form of protection to drivers. It is particularly useful during ice, snow, or rain, and it can also prevent tires from slipping due to other road hazards, such as loose gravel, imperfections in the pavement, and road debris from plants and trees.

Variations

Some vehicles have "Intelligent", "Automatic" or "Real Time" AWD, in which cars normally operate with power distributed chiefly to two tires. When the car begins to slip, sensors cause the All-Wheel Drive to initiate and combat the slippage.

Considerations

All-Wheel Drive vehicles are not designed for off-road usage. Also, because they provide more power to the wheels, All-Wheel Drive vehicles frequently have lower gas mileages than other automobiles.

Misconceptions

Some people mistakenly use the terms All-Wheel Driver and 4-Wheel Drive interchangeably. Though they are quite similar in function, 4-Wheel Drive utilizes different engineering and is also available in a "Lo" setting that allows for additional torque or power.