In a 2WD vehicle, only two of the four wheels actually rotate and drive the car forward.
In a 4WD vehicle, all four wheels are powered.
An AWD vehicle has both 2WD and 4WD capabilities.
It all seems pretty simple when explained this way.
This blog takes it one step further to look at the performance and servicing differences between AWD, 2WD and 4WD.
2WD Vehicles
A 2WD vehicle may be either Rear Wheel Drive or Front Wheel Drive.
Front Wheel Drive
The front wheels are powered in a front wheel drive and are responsible for pulling the car forward. In addition, the front wheels are responsible for steering the vehicle – the rear wheels simply exist to hold up the tail end.
The advantage in this design is that the car is cheaper to assemble, a saving that is passed on to the consumer. It also places more weight at the front end of the car, which can make the car easier to handle in a sticky situation.
However, the number of parts stacked at the front of the car also means that they are more difficult to access. The car can be harder to work on, and you may need to fork out more on mechanical labour occasionally for some service items or repairs.
Rear Wheel Drive
In a Rear Wheel Drive vehicle, the rear wheels do the work in pushing the car along, while the front wheels are responsible for steering.
This means that there is a more even spread of weight and parts across the car, making it more balance and easier to work on. The separated workload between front and rear wheels can also give Rear Wheel Drive vehicles more speed and handling capabilities. But in a close call, the car can be more difficult to control that Front Wheel Drives.
4WD Vehicles
There are two subcategories of 4WDs – All Wheel Drive and standard 4WD.
4WD
The stock standard 4WD vehicle has power to all four wheels all the time.
4WDs may be fitted with mechanical differentials, locking differentials and other parts which make them more suitable for carry heavy loads and handling rough terrain. These features are not advantageous on bitumen roads.
Some vehicles will allow the driver to switch between 4WD and 2WD, some will automatically transition and some will constantly run as 4WD. Systems that shift back and forth are known as All Wheel Drive.
The additional power and control that a 4WD vehicle has means that they have better traction than 2WD vehicles in any condition.
Since all wheels are powered, 4WD vehicles are made up of more parts, and as such are a lot heavier than their 2WD counterparts. This means that they burn more fuel, are more challenging to work on and are more expensive to purchase and more expensive to service than 2WD.
Why are 4WD vehicles more expensive to service?
4WD vehicles are larger than 2WD and take more oil. This extra few litres are an expense that must be factored in by a mechanic when servicing your car.
In addition, a great mobile mechanic will complete a full safety inspection at the time of service. Since a 4WD has more parts, the service takes more time. These minutes marginally increase labour costs on both standard and logbook services for mechanics by comparison to 2WDs.
Have more questions about 2WD and 4WD vehicles? We can help.
