True 4wd? Or awd?

[jakefeb3]

Some guy was trying to tell me that the new explorer is awd. True? False? Is this thing 4 wheel drive?

 

[JDraper]

It's basically AWD

 

[russell bruesch]

Whats confusing about this is that the emblem on the rear of my EX says
4WD. I thought they were marketing the new EX as AWD ALSO????

 

[JDraper]

In the mud and sand settings it acts like a 4WD Hi setting. Not sure why (besides marketing) they put the 4WD emblem on the back. I also think an AWD emblem would be more accurate.

 

[uniquename]

In the mud and sand settings it acts like a 4WD Hi setting. Not sure why (besides marketing) they put the 4WD emblem on the back. I also think an AWD emblem would be more accurate.

Agreed. Even my 08 is more awd than 4wd. When power is applied as needed, I consider that awd.

 

[russell bruesch]

Here is something cool you guys may not be aware of on your AWD,4WD new explorers. If you switch your 4inch left hand dash display to the intellegent
4WD graphic you have the ability to see exactly what your 4wd system is doing it real time. It shows you where the power is being applied to the wheels when you accelerate or loose grip on snow or ice. You can see what happens when you switch modes from snow or sand for instance. It shows the amount of power or torque going to the front or rear tires.

It is pretty cool to see how the power and traction is shifted to the rear wheels when accelerating from a stop on snow or ice and than once traction is regained it transfers power back to the front wheels.

The graphic display gives me confidence that the intellegent terrain management system is indeed working the way ford has designed it to. It is a great feature for ford to have added to this vehicle.

 

[edge929]

Here is something cool you guys may not be aware of on your AWD,4WD new explorers. If you switch your 4inch left hand dash display to the intellegent
4WD graphic you have the ability to see exactly what your 4wd system is doing it real time. It shows you where the power is being applied to the wheels when you accelerate or loose grip on snow or ice. You can see what happens when you switch modes from snow or sand for instance. It shows the amount of power or torque going to the front or rear tires.

It is pretty cool to see how the power and traction is shifted to the rear wheels when accelerating from a stop on snow or ice and than once traction is regained it transfers power back to the front wheels.

The graphic display gives me confidence that the intellegent terrain management system is indeed working the way ford has designed it to. It is a great feature for ford to have added to this vehicle.

That is pretty cool, I hadn't heard about this yet. I'll definitely be playing with this when I get mine, hopefully soon, while there's still snow on the ground.

 

[FordService]

Some guy was trying to tell me that the new explorer is awd. True? False? Is this thing 4 wheel drive?

Hey jakefeb3,

This is Seni with Ford Customer Service again. The Explorer comes standard in FWD and offers Intelligent 4WD. Intelligent 4WD is fully automatic, instantly delivers traction to the wheels with the most traction when wheelslip is detected. The 4WD System also works with the Terrain Management System, which allows you to easily shift into one of four settings (normal, mud/ruts, sand, or grass/gravel/snow) to match the terrain you’re driving in. For more information on this system, check out this web site http://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/features/#page=Feature3. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

Seni

 

[Mishtar]

Hey jakefeb3,

This is Seni with Ford Customer Service again. The Explorer comes standard in FWD and offers Intelligent 4WD. Intelligent 4WD is fully automatic, instantly delivers traction to the wheels with the most traction when wheelslip is detected. The 4WD System also works with the Terrain Management System, which allows you to easily shift into one of four settings (normal, mud/ruts, sand, or grass/gravel/snow) to match the terrain you’re driving in. For more information on this system, check out this web site http://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/features/#page=Feature3. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

Seni

If I may read into what Seni is saying....I think the difference is AWD means that it is AWD all the time. Where as any system that is normally 2 wd but can get power to all wheels when needed is really a 4x4 not a AWD system.

 

[aggie76]

Seni - so one clarifying question by someone who is finalizing their choice between the Flex and Explorer. The system on the Explorer will automatically distribute power to all four wheels, regardless of the Terrain Management System setting?

 

[jakefeb3]

So. Umm. I think there are 4 of you that say this is AWD? But I think Seni is saying that it is still technically 4WD? And the reason for it still technically being 4WD is because it can switch from a 2 wheel operation, to a 4 wheel operation? Am I reading this correctly? I was hoping for this vehicle to truely be 4WD. I understand it does not have the extra low gears that 4WD vehicles normally have.

 

[FordService]

Seni - so one clarifying question by someone who is finalizing their choice between the Flex and Explorer. The system on the Explorer will automatically distribute power to all four wheels, regardless of the Terrain Management System setting?

Hey Aggie76,

Yes, the system on the Explorer will automatically distribute power to all four wheels, regardless of the Terrain Management System setting. The Intelligent 4WD works with the AdvanceTrac (RSC) system that also helps deliver power when low traction is detected. Hope this helps! Here is the information on this system, just in case http://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/features/#page=Feature20.

Seni

 

[FordService]

So. Umm. I think there are 4 of you that say this is AWD? But I think Seni is saying that it is still technically 4WD? And the reason for it still technically being 4WD is because it can switch from a 2 wheel operation, to a 4 wheel operation? Am I reading this correctly? I was hoping for this vehicle to truely be 4WD. I understand it does not have the extra low gears that 4WD vehicles normally have.

Hey jakefeb3,

The Explorer comes with FWD standard. The Intelligent 4WD system is available on all models. Unlike traditional 4WD systems with auto, high or low modes, the Terrain Mgmt System allows you to choose the correct 4WD traction setting with an easy turn of a dial as I mentioned in the last posting. So yes, technically it still is 4WD. I hope I’m making it easier to understand!

Seni

 

[edge929]

Does it REALLY matter if it's AWD or 4WD? The end results is the exact same in the case of the Explorer. Don't confuse full-time AWD (Subaru) with on-demand AWD. In many definitions, on-demand AWD is the same thing as 4WD.

TMS in normal mode will automatically transfer power to any wheel that has traction (when either of the front 2 slip). If you put it into any other mode (snow, sand, mud) it will perform better than if you had just kept it in normal. Switching the TMS knob just "optimizes" the Explorer (shift points, wheel spin, torque distribution, throttle sensitivity, etc) for THAT terrain. Your old school, traditional 4x4 system with LO/HIGH gears just did one or two of these at most, you did the rest as the driver.

 

[jakefeb3]

Okay. I accept. This is slightly more comforting. Last question: I would enjoy if you could give me a "yes", or "no" on this:

The 2011 ford Edge comes with an option for : "Active All-Wheel Drive"
The 2011 ford Explorer comes with an option for: "Intelligent 4WD"

Generally speaking, and mechanically speaking: Are these 2 systems completely different?

 

[Mishtar]

okay. I accept. This is slightly more comforting. Last question: I would enjoy if you could give me a "yes", or "no" on this:

The 2011 ford edge comes with an option for : "active all-wheel drive"
the 2011 ford explorer comes with an option for: "intelligent 4wd"

generally speaking, and mechanically speaking: Are these 2 systems completely different?

+1

 

[peterk9]

Just in case you think you have it figured out. My Highlander has power going to all wheels full time. Split 50-50 front and rear. The emblem on the back says 4WD
On another point, with those 20" Hankooks it doesn't seem to really matter. Unless the road is bare, dry and warm, you'll likely be spinning your wheels anyway!

 

[jakefeb3]

Just in case you think you have it figured out. My Highlander has power going to all wheels full time. Split 50-50 front and rear. The emblem on the back says 4WD
On another point, with those 20" Hankooks it doesn't seem to really matter. Unless the road is bare, dry and warm, you'll likely be spinning your wheels anyway!

Thank you for your input, but I am not exactly looking for advice on what I "should" be doing with the vehicle, or what it "can actually do". I am just more interested in the issue of the "blurred" definition of "4 wheel drive", and "all wheel drive", and how it applies to the new explorer

 

[aggie76]

And I'd be interested in the Flex AWD definition as there is nothing on the Ford website that describes that feature for the Flex.

 

[FordService]

Okay. I accept. This is slightly more comforting. Last question: I would enjoy if you could give me a "yes", or "no" on this:

The 2011 ford Edge comes with an option for : "Active All-Wheel Drive"
The 2011 ford Explorer comes with an option for: "Intelligent 4WD"

Generally speaking, and mechanically speaking: Are these 2 systems completely different?

Hey jakefeb3,

To answer your questions: Yes, the 2011 Edge comes with an option for AWD, http://www.Ford.com/Crossovers/Edge/Features/#Page=Feature24 and the Explorer comes with optional Intelligent 4WD. The two are similar but the main difference is that with Intelligent 4WD the driver controls the mode in which the vehicle is driven. Edge929 does a good job of painting this picture.

Seni