All I know is, in inclement weather, AWD is the Cat's PJs. Like Boost_Oriented said, true 4WD is more of an offroad thing. On road, you're generally limited to 55mph or less in 4 hi, or else you might hirt things (in the trucks I've owned/ driven, anyways). With something like a subaru, when it snows you can just plow along at any speed without a care in the world. I never thought any of the 4WD jeeps I drove were ever very good in the snow, unless you got stuck.
In reply to ebelements :
when it snows you can just plow along at any speed without a care in the world.
Until you end up in a ditch.
Just wanted to add. Unless you are into serious off roading, low range transfer is not needed.
Subarus have a great AWD system. Not truck-like, but at least very well sorted for its intended purpose. Depending on the model, they even have some impressive ground clearance. A Crosstrek has more clearance than most CUVs and some SUVs. In some years, the manuals got a limited slip transfer case while the automatics did not, however if you get the manual version I think you'll be disappointed. My ex has one. She's not the typical "female driver" as she is quite the gearhead. It was always her dream to have a Suby, and after two years of ownership she hates the clutch so much she's considering trading it for something else. She also doesn't like the maintenance and little fiddly bits that keep failing. It's not a super expensive car, she's just a lower income person and can't afford it.
Toyota Tacos are awesome trucks. They used to be not-well-sorted in the grand scheme. Toyota has nailed the economy car market and some of their trucks in the past were kind of a Camry-ish drivetrain in a full-frame truck. Bulletproof, long-lived, fun on and off road, but underpowered and not "beefy" like many Americans want in a truck. In recent years they have done better with the beefy-ness, although (for my taste) they have focused more on the luxury part than the beefy part.
There were some years that the frames rusted super fast, and in ways that couldn't be repaired. Toyota had a huge recall on them where they gave you a new frame. They more or less gave you back a salvage/rebuilt vehicle without the branded title. Ok, it's not that bad, but it is pretty invasive and some owners reported that it was "mechanic" quality work and far from factory assembly.
I ended up with a Mazda B4000 (ranger copy) and I've been very happy. Not as reliable as the Tacos, but super simple to work on and parts are so ridiculously cheap. I just bought brand new Ford injectors for $27 each, FelPro and Mahle intake and valve cover gaskets for $20, heck, even a water pump is under $30 and a reman alternator is $50. During this quarantine I'm going nuts on parts and upgrades for dumb little things that don't really need to be done. So far, radiator, clutch, flywheel, rear main seal, master and slave, shifter rebuild, hoses, belt, heater core, injectors, valve cover gaskets, cold air intake.... and I've spent just over $500 on all of it.
Since you mentioned that you have no experience with AWD/4WD, I might suggest something AWD. It's mostly transparent in normal driving. The following are extreme generalizations, but this is a quick primer. AWD cars usually have all three differetials (transfer case and both axles) as an open differential. It sends generic power to all four wheels. Unless you push them to the limits (hooning, drifting, hard cornering, etc) you'll likely never know its there. Some AWD use a limited slip in the transfer case which is still pretty transparent, but helps traction a bit. 4wd is definitely noticeable. It physically locks the front and rear driveshafts in the T-case like a spool. In 2wd, you'll never notice any real difference from any other RWD vehicle, but in 4wd, it's a different animal completely. Front differentials (on production vehicles) are still open, but because of the different radius between the rear and front axles, turning causes binding. If you're in 4wd on a solid surface (not snowy, icy, or muddy) and turn the wheel, it's like you applied the brakes. Getting the vehicle to move sometimes requires more oomph because you are forcing the tires to scrub. In reality, you should never be in 4wd in those situations anyway. (but it's a good way to test to see if the 4wd functions on a test drive). In slippery conditions (like a snowy field, for instance), turning the wheel in 4wd is usually less effective. Instead of going in the direction of the front wheels, it will have a greater tendency to understeer and just push you forward. This is even more noticeable if the rear axle has a limited slip or locker.
Hardcore offroaders (and some, hootus-compensating street truck owners) will upgrade with all the options. Adding a locker in the front and rear gives you all the flexibility. Unlock them both sorta emulates AWD with a stiffer limited slip in the T-case and open axles for preventing the understeer, lock just the rear for a middle ground more like a heavy duty stock 4wd, or lock them both when you absolutely need all the traction in a straight line; crawling up a rock, getting through mud, etc.
So, in a very general hierarchy of levels of traction:
- RWD with open diff = 1 tire with possible traction
- RWD with limited slip/locker = 2 tires with traction
- AWD with all open diff = 1-4 out of 4 tires with traction (theoretically, if one tire has zero traction, all the differentials may default torque to that one tire)
- AWD with limited slip T-case and open diffs = 1.5-4 of 4 tires with traction
- AWD with limited slip in the T-case AND rear = 2.5-4 of 4 tires with traction
- 4wd with open diffs = 2-4 of 4 tires
- 4wd with limited slip rear = 2.5-4 of 4
- 4wd with lockers at both ends = 4 of 4
There toward the end of that list, you could fill in with all the possible permutations of differential combinations in 4wd, but those are getting pretty hardcore.
I personally chose the 4wd with limited slip rear, mostly because it is a truck and I use it for truck things. The lack of weight on the back means that an open diff can be really annoying in even just rainy situations.
AWD does come with all the maintenance/parts complexity of 4WD. It's not prohibitive at all, but just know that it has double the parts in the driveline after the transmission: the U joints, differentials to lube, extra "transmission" with the T-case, etc. For the most part it is completely transparent, but every 100k or so you're looking at a wee bit more cash to do scheduled maintenance/repairs. Tire wear can be an issue, not only because you're driving the front wheels as well, but because the non-driven wheels are still turning a notable amount of additional mass. I haven't found it to affect tire lifespan much at all, but something like a 4wd vehicle needs more frequent tire rotations to prevent tread cupping.
Above all, all of this is academic if you don't choose the right tires. Some people will say "4wd is no better than 2wd with good snow tires," and I mostly disagree. In theory it sounds true, but even an AWD with all open diffs is usually better at finding traction than a 2wd with a limited slip. It has to do with real estate and torque vs traction. Being able to choose between 4 tires with possible traction ends up working better than 2 tires that always have torque. If that makes sense.
TL;DR... I suggest AWD for anything on the road and very light things off road. I suggest 4wd with a limited slip rear if you will have more severe conditions; long, unmaintained dirt roads getting to remote properties, etc.
Wow, thanks! That is super helpful!
I'm pretty sure I'll end up with AWD at this point, but beyond that it will probably end up being a decision made closer to when the move happens and will depend on what I end up bringing with me.
I have seen people out there trying to drive without snow tires out there, and it doesn't seem to work very well. So snow tires will be a must.
Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to ebelements :
when it snows you can just plow along at any speed without a care in the world.
Until you end up in a ditch.
Which would be a lot later than if you were in a standard 4WD, ha.
I loathe Subarus, but with snow tires they are about as unstoppable as it gets without being a tracked vehicle.
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