What is the difference between FWD and 4WD?

The FWD, which simply stands for Front Wheel Drive, and the 4WD, which simply means Four Wheel Drive are two transmission or engine layouts in vehicles. The major difference between these two is the number of wheels that they have the ability to supply power to. When it comes to the FWD, it only has the ability to supply power to the front wheels. In the case of 4WD, it has the ability to supply power to the four wheels of a vehicle.

The 4WD is of great advantage as it provides a more enabling control and maneuvering in some complex terrain such as rocks, mud, snow, and a lot more. In contrast, you should avoid taking the FWD off-road as you may lose control of your vehicle. In the case of a 4WD engine, it has a driveshaft that transmits power across the front and rear wheel. And due to this driveshaft, the 4WD vehicle is required to be high from the ground so as not to get the driveshaft hit. This is not so in the case of the FWD engine, it has no driveshaft.

FWD stands for front-wheel drive, while 4WD stands for four-wheel drive. The critical difference between the two is the number of wheels to which they can supply power. A FWD can only provide power to its front wheels, while 4WD vehicles can power all four wheels, which is a significant attribute for a car to possess. Another advantage of 4WD is it provides better control through challenging terrains such as mud, snow, and rocks.

A FWD should not be taken off the road, as it will perform poorly, especially if the front wheels lose traction. A 4WD uses a driveshaft to deliver power from the engine to the wheels. 4WD does not require a driveshaft that goes from the front to the wheel to the rear. It maintains a more affordable maintenance cost because it has fewer moving parts that could potentially fall off. FWD doesn’t need a large engine; however, 4WD needs extra power.