What's AWD? FWD, RWD, AWD and 4WD explained
By Great Little CarsUpdated October 6, 20264 min read
"Drivetrain" means which wheels the engine turns. It's on every listing, and with snow, ice and dirt roads around Santa Fe, it matters more here than in most places.
The short version: AWD turns all four wheels by itself, with nothing to switch on, and helps on snowy streets and gravel. Front-wheel drive with good tires handles plowed town streets. 4WD is built for rough trails, deep snow and towing.
The four kinds
FWD
Front-wheel drive
RWD
Rear-wheel drive
AWD
All-wheel drive
4WD
Four-wheel drive
FWDFront-wheel drive
The engine turns the front wheels. Good for everyday driving, better gas mileage and a lower price. Keep in mind: it can struggle to get going on a steep, icy hill.
RWDRear-wheel drive
The engine turns the back wheels. Good for balanced handling, and hauling in two-wheel-drive pickups. Keep in mind: the least grip on snow and ice of the four, especially in an empty pickup.
AWDAll-wheel drive
All four wheels, automatically, with nothing to switch on. Good for snowy streets, rain, gravel and dirt roads. Keep in mind: slightly lower gas mileage, and it helps you get going, not stop.
4WDFour-wheel drive
Truck-style: you switch between two- and four-wheel drive, and most have a low range for crawling. Good for rough trails, deep snow off the pavement and towing. Keep in mind: many systems should not stay in four-wheel drive on dry pavement; the owner's manual says.
Not all AWD works the same way
Full-time AWD
Power goes to all four wheels all the time. Every Subaru Forester, Outback and Crosstrek works this way.
On-demand AWD
The car drives mostly through the front wheels and sends power to the back when the front starts to slip. Many CR-V and RAV4 AWD models work this way.
Which one for how you drive?
| Mostly in town, on plowed streets | FWD or AWD |
| A dirt road home, ski trips, mountain driving in winter | AWD |
| Rough trails, deep snow off the pavement, towing | 4WD with a low range |
Tires matter as much as the drivetrain
AWD and 4WD help you get moving. Stopping and turning on ice come down to your tires, so worn tires on an AWD car can do worse than good winter tires on a front-wheel-drive one. On full-time AWD cars like Subarus, all four tires should match, so plan to replace them as a set.
How to tell what a car on our lot has
Every listing shows the drivetrain in its details, and our model guides say which versions came with AWD.
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See every car on the lot right now.