Drivetrain (FWD, RWD, AWD)

Which wheels the power goes to: front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive. Each differs in traction, cost, and weight.

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Drivetrain names the wheels that receive power. Front-wheel drive (FWD) drives the front wheels, which also steer. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) separates the jobs: the front wheels steer and the rear wheels drive. All-wheel drive (AWD) powers both axles, which can help traction on loose or slippery surfaces. The US Department of Energy notes that AWD and 4WD systems have extra components that add weight and mechanical friction, which can affect fuel economy, though manufacturers have worked to reduce the effect.

Electrification changes how a second driven axle is added. A gas car typically needs extra driveline hardware to send engine power to another axle; an EV can instead use a second motor, so an AWD version of an electric model may simply be its dual-motor version. Check each trim's specification rather than assuming.

On CarPairly, drivetrain is a trim-level attribute: one model can offer FWD or RWD in base form and AWD above it. Note that drivetrain is not powertrain, which describes the energy source instead.

  1. US Department of Energy, Fact of the Week #1277: nearly 60% of light-duty vehicles produced in 2022 had all-wheel or 4-wheel drive
    US Department of Energy Accessed

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