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Front Wheel Drive (FWD)

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What is a front-wheel-drive car?

A car with front-wheel drive (FWD) means that the engine and gearbox are connected directly to the front wheels only. The power of the engine is transferred to the front wheels, which ‘pull’ the car along. This is the most common system used in modern cars, as it’s cheaper to build.

Related Jargon

What is all-wheel drive?

An all-wheel-drive (AWD) system sends the power of the engine to both the front and rear wheels all the time so if one or more wheels is stuck, or can’t get any grip on the road, the other wheels are still driving the car forward. 

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What is rear wheel drive in a car?

A rear wheel drive car is one where the power generated by the engine is sent to the rear wheels, which then ‘push’ the car along.

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What is a 4x4 car?

A 4x4 car is one that is fitted with four-wheel drive, which means that the power created by the engine is sent to all four wheels.

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