As you can imagine, Wyoming gets its share of snow. Jackson Hole alone averages 416 inches. Of course, snowfall varies depending on where you are in the state. In any case, Fremont Motor Company has been selling and servicing all manner of cars in Big Wyoming for 87 years across 15 locations. Kellen Whitehead, a salesman, just posted a quick drivetrain explainer vid. If you’re unsure of the differences between FWD, RWD, AWD, and 4WD, check it out.

FWD

In a front-wheel-drive vehicle, energy is sent to just the front two wheels. The back wheels are sort of just along for the ride. This is the first of two (2) two-wheel-drive configurations, making it easy to differentiate between 4WD and AWD, which (and this should be obvious, I think) involve all four wheels.

RWD

You might guess that rear-wheel-drive cars are just the opposite of the FWD design above. You’d be right! RWD cars receive their energy at the back wheels only. A lot of sports cars are RWD since this configuration tends to be able to better handle increased horsepower.

Remember AWD easily by thinking “A” is “automatic”

“AWD is a computer-supervised system that operates as 2WD most of the time,” Whitehead explains in the comments. “It automatically switches to AWD when low-traction conditions are detected.”

So, an AWD vehicle does all the work of deciding whether to operate in 2WD or AWD for you. I always remember it by thinking that the “A” in “AWD” stands for “automatic.”

4WD is manual

Lastly, 4WD is similar to AWD in that a vehicle’s default setting is just 2WD. However, to switch to 4WD, the driver must do it manually. There’s a labeled lever, button, or knob in the cockpit to easily make the shift.

If you’re up for another silly short about the difference between AWD and 4WD, a Chevrolet dealership in Florence, Kentucky posted a viral explainer using its freshly polished sales floor last summer.