Driving a vehicle with four wheel drive is a lovely experience. Most four wheel drive vehicles are naturally 4x4s, SUVs and some sports cars. So what does four wheel drive mean?

Four wheel drive means that the power from the engine is distributed equally between all four tires. Four wheel drive vehicles are seen to be much safer than a normal rear or front wheel drive. This is because their handling is much better. Having four wheel drive will also help a vehicle to gain traction on difficult surfaces such as water, mud, gravel and sand. This is why four wheel drive is chosen for most vehicles that will be used in off road situations.

Four wheel drive is beneficial for off road vehicles in case they get stuck in a difficult situation. If the vehicle gets its rear tires stuck in sand, then the front tires will still have the pulling capacity to ease the vehicle out of the situation. The same goes for mud, or any other situation where some of the vehicle's tires are stuck. Having four wheel drive also assists in giving the 4x4 its pulling power. Because the power of the engine is distributed evenly throughout the wheels, the 4x4 will be able to pull heavier trailers, such as those containing boats or off road motor bikes.

Most 4x4s nowadays will have vehicles that allow you to switch between two wheel drive and four wheel drive. The two wheel drive will be activated for driving on normal streets, which also helps to conserve fuel. The four wheel drive switch will be activated for situations where traction is less than optimum.