As one Subaru Crosstrek proprietor not too long ago realized the exhausting approach, it bears repeating that all-wheel drive is just not the identical as four-wheel drive. A Subie proprietor posted a warning letter they obtained a month after driving on Colorado River Overlook Highway in Canyonlands Nationwide Park to the r/NationalPark subreddit. The letter notes that this explicit street is restricted to 4WD autos solely, and the Crosstrek is supplied with AWD, not 4WD. It additionally warns that they might face severe penalties in the event that they’re caught taking an AWD automobile on a 4WD-only path once more.
The letter gently reminds the Crosstrek proprietor that future violations could incur a collateral forfeiture, a nice as much as $5,000, as much as six months imprisonment, and/or different penalties. Whereas the distinction between AWD and 4WD could appear to be a pedantic argument, it’s an necessary distinction that would probably save lives on technically difficult and remoted trails. Positive, the Crosstrek was capable of efficiently traverse this explicit street, however the car restrictions are in place for a cause, and they’re enforceable. Regardless of wilderness-themed advertising and marketing ways, autos geared up with AWD have very completely different capabilities than autos geared up with 4WD regardless of sharing an analogous nomenclature.
Essentially the most consequential distinction between AWD techniques and extra succesful 4WD techniques is that almost all autos geared up with 4WD have a number of locking differentials that massively support in off-road traction. Whereas AWD techniques are nice for rising driver confidence on slippery street surfaces and in mild off-roading, they’re simply flummoxed in more difficult off-road terrain, particularly low-speed and low-traction conditions.
Locking the differential on a car’s axle forces a good utility of energy to every wheel. Some AWD techniques have brake-based limited-slip differentials, however these are nonetheless no substitute for locking differentials in conventional 4WD techniques. A car’s wheels are usually capable of spin at completely different speeds when its differentials aren’t locked, which permits a wheel with no traction to spin freely whereas the wheel with traction does nothing. This might trigger an AWD car to get caught in a spot {that a} 4WD car with locking differentials might simply drive out of.
Whereas expertise, ability and a litany of different components play into an off-roader’s chance of getting caught, the Nationwide Park Service simply needs to maintain all guests protected. For reference, neither Subaru, Tesla, Honda, Hyundai nor Kia make any 4WD autos. Toyota, Ford, Chevrolet, Jeep and extra make some AWD autos and a few 4WD autos. Should you’re planning to go to a nationwide park quickly and aren’t positive in case your car has AWD or 4WD, analysis it to be protected, and keep away from a quotation.