Four-wheel drive (4WD or 4x4 for short) is the original term and is often used to describe truck-like vehicles that require the driver to manually switch between a two wheel drive mode for streets and a four-wheel drive mode for low traction conditions such as ice, mud, or loose gravel. The "all-wheel drive" (AWD) term is a marketing term used to sell primarily on-road 4WD vehicles. However, in Australia, AWD is generally used for passenger vehicles that drive all four wheels all the time (e.g., a Subaru), whereas 4WD is used for vehicles designed primarily for heavy off-road use, normally with a low range transfer case (e.g., a Toyota Landcruiser). The terms are thus quite vague in modern usage.great06 said:
It is common for identical drivetrain systems to be marketed under different names for upmarket and downmarket branding, and it is also common for very different drivetrain systems to be marketed under the same name for brand uniformity. For example, quattro, 4MATIC and 4motion can mean either an automatically engaging system with a Haldex clutch or a continuously operating system with a Torsen differential.
