AWD vs 4WD - What's the Difference?

Crest Nissan tries to ensure that all of our clients understand the different features that their new vehicle comes with. Before you decide what you want to buy or lease from our dealership in Frisco, we want to explain one of the very important options that many of our models come with. A lot of people assume that all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are the same things. In reality, these are different options. Let's clarify what both of them do so that you can make the best choice for your budget and safety needs.

What is All-Wheel Drive?

All-wheel drive is something that you'll find on a number of vehicles these days. All-wheel drive comes with a full-time and part-time function, allowing your vehicle to decide what needs to be powered for the best safety protection while you're driving. When your vehicle uses its part-time system, only two of the wheels will be powered by the powertrain. The full-time system will power all four of the wheels continuously.

What is Four-Wheel Drive?

Large vehicles utilize four-wheel drive to provide a more customized safety experience to drivers. A set of differentials are used in the front, middle, and rear of the vehicle in tandem with transfer cases and couplings. This system is used to transfer power to all four wheels continuously. The full-time and part-time function exists in the 4WD option as well as the AWD system, as well as low and high ranges that you control yourself. The low setting is used on very slick road surfaces when optimal traction is a must. The higher setting works for moderately slick surfaces that don't require the full use of your traction control.

You can reach out to Crest Nissan if you still have questions about the all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive functions. We can point out some of the vehicles on our lot that come with these features, and we'll set you up for a test drive.