The benefits of 4WD
4WD stands, of course, for Four Wheel Drive. There are lots of options to choose from with this type of car, and whether you want a pick-up truck or a Jeep-style vehicle – or just a more “normal” looking car – you will find a 4WD option available. A lot of people are really unsure about why they might or might not choose to go with 4WD. First off, it’s important to note that some vehicles have the capability to switch between 2WD and 4WD at the press of a button, which may help to sway your choice. Otherwise, these benefits are available.
Deal With Snow and Ice
4WD cars are a lot better equipped to deal with snowy or icy conditions. This is because they have two sets of wheels doing the work rather than just one. Your front wheels pull the car forward, and your back wheels push it forward – so with 4WD, you get both the pull and the push. Getting out of snow or retaining grip over ice is therefore so much easier. If you live in a region where it snows often, you will absolutely want to grab some 4WD tyres like these during the winter to be sure you have the best possible chance of keeping going in a straight line. 4WD cars can also be better at driving on surfaces like gravel – again, particularly when it is wet, snowy, or icy.
Pull Heavy Loads
If you want to pull a heavy trailer, then that extra grip in the tyres and extra weight in the car is going to help you stick to the road a lot better. It will also give you better ability to travel faster or to make turns in the road at the same turning circle as normal. You can use the benefits of 4WD to pull boats or racing cars, or even horse boxes. These are all examples of really heavy loads that 2WD cars might struggle with, particularly if the weather is snowy, icy, or wet.
Get Off the Road
When you want to drive off the road, 4WD is definitely essential. Without it, you are likely to get stuck in no time at all. With it, you can manage more difficult terrain, as well as getting yourself out of mud more easily. When you are off-roading or rallying, this is the perfect time to employ 4WD. Make sure you know what you are doing – there are some great cars out there which can really be perfect for rallying, while others are better for going off-road and exploring, and so forth.
There are a lot of great benefits to driving 4WD, though not all of them will be relevant to everyone. If you can see yourself coming into contact with these kinds of situations often, then a 4WD could be the right choice for you. If on the other hand you normally just drive on tarmac at regular speeds and without much risk of bad weather, 2WD might be a better choice.
