(Positive) First impressions and 4wd/awd question

[M3Cavalry]

Firstly, what is the difference between 4H in the Land Cruiser, with both diffs unlocked, and awd in say a Kia Telluride or Subaru Outback?

Secondly, couple thoughts after having mine for about two months:

It’s surprisingly fun to drive. I think it’s mostly the immediacy of the torque. Especially in urban areas, I enjoy driving it far more than I thought I would. Not my first pick for a long twisty road, but for real-life everyday conditions it’s a blast.

The stereo is shockingly good (premium package). Easily the best I’ve ever had. I suspect a lot of it is the improved Bluetooth connection between the phone and car, as opposed to the aftermarket solutions in my other, older cars. It’s absolutely banging and sounds awesome.

My only real beefs are the range (like everyone else) and the sometimes rough shifts. Overall, it’s a superb ride.

 

[cvx5832LC]

Similar review on the the LC non premium stereo. Not bad for a stock system.

 

[Bad1975]

AWD cars are typically FWD biased and most don’t have a transfer case/center diff They are using a trans axle vice transmission.

The trans axle sends power to the front via CV axles and power to the rear via a long drive shaft/propellor shaft and the power transfer is usually contained within the trans axle. This power split is typically 75/25 -70/30 except in some vehicles where you can control that like a WRX the split is adjustable which I believe uses center diff to accomplish. There are some other exceptions but not allot for power split and components used.

The rear AWD until is small compared to a solid axle vehicles diff and is way less robust and sends power to the wheels via cv axles from that. Also typically independent front and rear suspension is found in AWD vehicles.

Vs Full time 4WD using a torsion transfer case where power is split 50/50 normally and can send all available power to just one wheel if all the others are slipping, which is impossible on AWD in the front and requires a special limited slip ($$$) AWD unit in the rear to accomplish or electronic intervention of some sort.

No matter the configuration AWD just isn’t as robust a system as 4WD even if just part time 4WD except maybe when it comes to a part time 4WD vehicle also being full independent suspension.

Typical AWD vehicles have much smaller rear cv axles because they can’t see near the amount of torque that the front can.

Also typically the passenger side front CV axle is quite long and has a carrier bearing on the shaft at some point due the excessive length since it is near impossible with a trans axle in a AWD vehicle to have equal length front cv axles. This typically doubles the price of that CV axle and those bearings are near impossible to get a replacement for so they aren’t typically rebuilt and just replaced.

 

[ferrari1898]

Firstly, what is the difference between 4H in the Land Cruiser, with both diffs unlocked, and awd in say a Kia Telluride or Subaru Outback?

Secondly, couple thoughts after having mine for about two months:

It’s surprisingly fun to drive. I think it’s mostly the immediacy of the torque. Especially in urban areas, I enjoy driving it far more than I thought I would. Not my first pick for a long twisty road, but for real-life everyday conditions it’s a blast.

The stereo is shockingly good (premium package). Easily the best I’ve ever had. I suspect a lot of it is the improved Bluetooth connection between the phone and car, as opposed to the aftermarket solutions in my other, older cars. It’s absolutely banging and sounds awesome.

My only real beefs are the range (like everyone else) and the sometimes rough shifts. Overall, it’s a superb ride.

Quite a bit mechanically is different. The net result though is not much. Full time 4WD without anything locked and AWD are functionally the same-ish.

4WD is typically used with trucks and rwd biased vehicles while AWD is more car focused and FWD based. That said, there are exceptions to the rule.

AWD is designed more for on road applications to redistribute power when standing water / ice / etc is detected. 4WD (when locking the center and/or front and/or rear differential is more of a spin the tires and power out of it.

For 99% of drivers pressing any of the off road buttons between the seat is purely by accident. The further off the pavement you go, the more 4WD is needed. AWD lacks the ability to tell the car to keep delivering power to the wheels as they spin (when you are stuck). AWD will eventually overheating while constantly searching.

Keep in mind that Full Time 4WD and Part Time 4WD are not the same. Part Time (like in the lower 4 Runner Trims) is only 2WD / RWD until manually engaged.

 

[M3Cavalry]

Thank you! Part-time 4wd generally cannot be used on dry (non-slippery) roads, correct?

 

[Impatient]

Thank you! Part-time 4wd generally cannot be used on dry (non-slippery) roads, correct?

Not if you plan on turning,

 

[ferrari1898]

Thank you! Part-time 4wd generally cannot be used on dry (non-slippery) roads, correct?

Correct. The same is true if you were to lock the center transfer case in the Land Cruiser. In either situation power is locked 50/50 front to rear. If you were to do a U-Turn the right rear and left rear wheels travel different distances. BUT the front left and right front wheels also have different distances (because the front wheels steer). The Front and Rear wheels spin at slightly different rates, BUT with the the transfer case locked, something has to give. In mud / sand / snow there will be wheel spin. On dry asphalt the insides of the transfer case get jammed up and break.