The difference between all-wheel-drive (AWD) and four-wheel-drive (4WD) is a topic of confusion for many car, truck, and SUV buyers. A car buyer should understand the operational differences between ...

Dear Car Fix: I just bought a 2010 Honda CRV with four-wheel drive. I was told it isn’t really four-wheel, more like all-wheel. I had a four-wheel drive Blazer and ...

Other Drive Types: Four-Wheel Drive and Rear-Wheel Drive Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) Although both 4WD and AWD systems send power to all four wheels, there’s a distinct difference between the two.

Part-time 4WD systems are often found in older off-road vehicles and trucks, such as the Suzuki Samurai, early Land Crusiers, and Jeeps. Wind-up causes transfer case components to snap or break.

AWD has snuck into 4WD vehicles as a setting, too. Some 4WD Fords, such as the F-150, include 4A (for “4WD Auto”) alongside the 4WD’s traditional 4L and 4H (4-High) modes.