What Is All-Wheel Drive? Should I Buy An All-Wheel Drive Car?

Whether you are buying a new car or not, if you are a car enthusiast, you must have heard about all-wheel-drive cars. From the name, it means you’ll be driving a car with all four wheels. Driving with four wheels has to be better and safer than driving with two, right? Yes and no. 

Below, this article reviews the details of what all-wheel drive is and see if it is necessary for car buyers to purchase them.

What is All-wheel Drive?

Most of the cars on the market today are front-wheel-drive, while those of the sportier, luxury, and truck variety are typically rear-wheel-drive. With an all-wheel-drive car, power gets sent to all four wheels, creating a lot more traction than just driving with the front or rear wheels.

This means that in slippery conditions, like when you’re driving on a slippery road, your car will be able to accelerate better and will be more stable overall. Don’t get all-wheel drive confused with four-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive is most seen on trucks and SUVs that are equipped with it, and the difference is that a four-wheel-drive system cannot vary the individual wheel speeds. 

And since the inside wheels of a car turn slower than the outside wheels in turn, having the vehicle in four-wheel-drive mode on dry pavement can cause it to hop and even mess up some of the internal drivetrain components.

Four-wheel drive is mainly used for off-road situations, while all-wheel-drive systems can be used all the time. It’s one of the reasons Audis are so popular.

Many Advantages of All-Wheel Drive

There are advantages to having an all-wheel-drive vehicle. The car will have more traction in slippery conditions and more grip when turning or accelerating quickly. A car with all-wheel drive and all-season tires will typically have a much better grip than a front- or rear-drive one. 

Disadvantages of All-Wheel Drive

Now that we know traction is the main advantage of having an all-wheel-drive car, it can be a curse as much as it is a blessing. Some drivers with all-wheel-drive cars can tend to get overconfident when driving in hazardous conditions where the all-wheel-drive system won’t help.

For example, having an all-wheel-drive system does not mean that your car will brake better or slow down quicker; that’s the work of good brakes and tires. Also, an all-wheel-drive system has more components that the car has to move, equating to more added weight and a sacrifice in fuel economy. 

Is It Necessary to Buy All-wheel Drive?

Ultimately, it really depends on your location. If you live and drive through slippery road conditions, having an all-wheel-drive system can be handy and even safe for your car. Ultimately, all-wheel drive is suitable for those living and constantly driving through slippery areas. If none of these are your situation, then there’s no need to purchase an all-wheel drive.