What are the Advantages of All-Wheel Drive?
We often hear drivers asking about all-wheel drive when shopping for their next vehicle. But what are the advantages of all-wheel drive? To educate drivers around this drivetrain style, we’ve broken down all the primary benefits all-wheel drive vehicles have over vehicles with other drivetrain types.
All-wheel drive differentiates itself from other drivertrain styles (such as front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive) through its ability to send the engine’s power output to all four of the wheels at the same time. This helps the vehicle move on roads with poor traction, such as those covered by rain, ice or snow.
All-Wheel Drive also helps the vehicle perform slightly better in specific situations. Because all four wheels are receiving power from the engine, vehicles have an easier time cornering at higher speeds when utilizing all-wheel drive. Similarly, this allows the vehicle to move from a full stop much faster as well.
What’s the Difference Between All-Wheel Drive and Four-Wheel Drive?
While all-wheel drive vehicles power all four wheels at the same time, four-wheel drive is a part-time system that the driver must shift in and out of. Once activated, four-wheel drive locks the front and rear driveshafts together, helping the vehicle move forward in rough terrain. Four-wheel drive is not intended to be used on paved roads and is more often found in vehicles that emphasize off-road utility, such as trucks and certain SUVs.
Motors Northwest easily allows drivers to shop for all-wheel drive models in Tacoma, WA. Visit our website’s online inventory and use our advanced filter options to curate your search by drivetrain, body style, make, model transmission and more. Interested in purchasing a vehicle but live out of the Tacoma area? We can help you with out-of-state purchases.
