4WD
Transportation & Travel abbreviation · Automotive
| Stands for | Four-wheel drive |
|---|---|
| Categories | Transportation & Travel |
4WD stands for Four-wheel drive, an automotive abbreviation.
Drivetrain, typical of pickup trucks and off-road SUVs, in which a transfer case lets the driver lock power to both axles, often with a low-range gear (4L) for steep or rough terrain. Many part-time systems should not be used in 4WD on dry pavement.
Example: Shift into 4WD low before you start down that rocky trail, and take it slow.
Usage notes
Also written 4x4 ("four by four"), which describes four wheels with four of them driven; a 4x2 has only two driven wheels. Part-time 4WD locks the front and rear axles together, so driving on dry pavement causes driveline binding and tire scrub in turns. Jeep's military vehicles of World War II made 4WD famous in civilian life. Many modern systems add an "auto" mode that behaves like AWD.
Related abbreviations
More automotive abbreviations
- 2WD – Two-wheel drive
- 3PMSF – Three-peak mountain snowflake
- ABS – Anti-lock braking system
- ACC – Adaptive cruise control
- ADAS – Advanced driver-assistance systems
- ADM – Additional dealer markup
- AEB – Automatic emergency braking
- AMG – Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach
- AMT – Automated manual transmission
- AT – Automatic transmission
- ATF – Automatic transmission fluid
- AWD – All-wheel drive