jgarrett354
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I'm looking at buying a 18-20 Expedition. Would you go with 2wd or AWD model?
2WD or AWD?
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Location and primary use. City and Highway bomber or live in the south, 2wd. In an area with medium to heavy snow or light off road, 4wd. All the suvs I've owned that were 2wd drove extremely well even in wet and snowy mountain passes .
Gary Waugh
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Also if you use boat ramps a lot AWD is nice as the ramps get wet and slick with algae, AWD just makes it easier, otherwise dlcorbett was spot on.
TheDoug
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I would always get 4wd regardless of location. Not huge increase in price and nice to have
99WhiteC5Coupe
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GlennSullivan
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I'm with Doug, Have always purchased 4 wheel drive SUVs. Lived in the north most of my life where it was required, even now, where we spend winters in the south, there are benefits such as he mentioned with boat ramps. Also they bring more $$$$ on resale.
Also as noted above. Expeditions are 2WD or 4WD and not available in AWD. The 4WD system can't be used on dry paved surfaces.
Also as noted above. Expeditions are 2WD or 4WD and not available in AWD. The 4WD system can't be used on dry paved surfaces.
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We have both one two wheel drive and two four wheel drives. It entirely depends on your needs. We get very little snow or ice where we live. We just don’t use the two wheel drive vehicles when the weather is bad.
I prefer the AWD for the safety factor in nasty situations etc.
chuck s
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When did the Expedition have AWD? Ever? Never seen it. My Subarus have all had AWD though. Closest I can come in the Expedition is 4A (4-Auto).
Seems to be a no-brainer to get a SUV in 4x4 configuration. Why not?
-- Chuck
Seems to be a no-brainer to get a SUV in 4x4 configuration. Why not?
-- Chuck
We live in Amarillo. We get snow sometimes. We sometimes have to share the road with people who shouldn't be driving at all, especially in the snow. Our 2019 Limited has AWD. We won't drive a vehicle without it.
Here's an article discussing the Expedition's All-Wheel Drive system:
TheOldRazor
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For those who are under the impression that Expeditions have no AWD, I have a 2017 Expy and it HAS - 2WD, AWD, 4WD { Hi & Lo }.
In snowy, slippery situations where accumulation isn't much, I ALWAYS use my AWD. Once the snow deepens, or the mud get muddier, I switch to 4WD Hi. Once everything is hunky-dory, I happily switch back to 2WD.
In snowy, slippery situations where accumulation isn't much, I ALWAYS use my AWD. Once the snow deepens, or the mud get muddier, I switch to 4WD Hi. Once everything is hunky-dory, I happily switch back to 2WD.
Im pretty sure 4A does not work the same as all wheel drive. Someone please correct me, but All wheel drive runs all 4 wheels at the same time and can send or slow wheel spin to add traction. 4A, the expedition runs in essentially 2wd (reduced power) but can send power to any of all the wheels when needed.
This is correct, at least the way I understand it.
Yes Doug, I hear and understand your thinking here. But, I am a Southern California guy and always have been mainly a paved road, highway driver. The only times we are ever in the snow is when we drive to Mammoth to snow ski, once or twice a year. Every new Ford (of any kind) that we have ever purchased new, has always been 2WD but MUST have Limited Slip dif. or Traction Control. With that, we have never got stuck nor had a real need for a 4X4. Sometimes, it would have been nice to have 4X4 but surely NOT necessary, for us. In the newer years, the cost is not huge (like it used to be) but the ride is "always" more stiff and rougher riding) but my reasoning for NOT buying 4wd is that I didn't want the additional cost, didn't want the additional weight (poorer gas milage included) and didn't want the additional maintenance expenses of 4wd, either. So, basically, I am with dlcorbett in thinking 2wd is best for the majority of us. Lance
HILLY
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In regards to the AWD functionality topic, some of the responses thus far have been a little off.
AWD/4A is simply a feature or mode that a vehicle has to set it and forget it that all the wheels will drive to some varying degree. Every car manufacturer approaches this in their own way - even Ford. For the general public, this setup provides a transparent operation for use in foul weather with little to no driver input.
Subaru for an example - a big advertiser of AWD - approaches this several different ways depending on model and trim. Most models use a viscous (fluid) type CD when paired with a manual transmission. Auto/CVT now use an electronic clutch setup. High performance models of past (i.e. - STi) used a Torsen based fully adjustable (clutch pack) DCCD.
Days past, most cars used a mechanical form of LSD whether it would be mechanical (i.e. Torsen) or viscous. Today most cars with electronics predominantly controlling all aspects of the drivetrain, are using electronically controlled diffs. So in the case of the Expedition there can be two setups.
1. 1-Speed System
There is no low range (4L) on this setup. AWD or 4WD is electronically controlled by the traction control system. 4WD AUTO (4A) works as the system detects slip among the wheels, it will progressively lock up the clutch pack of the center diff (torque-on-demand). The xfer case is equipped with an electronically controlled high capacity clutch providing torque to the front driveline in all 4WD modes. This can vary from 0%-97% lockup in 4A. 4H will fix the lockup to a constant 97%. There is no fully engaged mechanical lockup.
2. 2-Speed System
Same as 1-Speed. Added benefit of a 4WD Low reduction gearset. Center differential clutch pack is locked up to a fixed 97%.
Most Expeditions/F-150's have also used IWE's to engage/disengage the front wheel hubs. This has been changing over the years as Ford has been moving away from it based on MY and trim. This had the added benefit of further reducing driveline wear as disengaged IWEs would not drive the front drivetrain. However, it also has been documented that even in 2H, there is still some clutch or viscous grab in the center differential that it will still turn the front driveshaft.
AWD/4A is simply a feature or mode that a vehicle has to set it and forget it that all the wheels will drive to some varying degree. Every car manufacturer approaches this in their own way - even Ford. For the general public, this setup provides a transparent operation for use in foul weather with little to no driver input.
Subaru for an example - a big advertiser of AWD - approaches this several different ways depending on model and trim. Most models use a viscous (fluid) type CD when paired with a manual transmission. Auto/CVT now use an electronic clutch setup. High performance models of past (i.e. - STi) used a Torsen based fully adjustable (clutch pack) DCCD.
Days past, most cars used a mechanical form of LSD whether it would be mechanical (i.e. Torsen) or viscous. Today most cars with electronics predominantly controlling all aspects of the drivetrain, are using electronically controlled diffs. So in the case of the Expedition there can be two setups.
1. 1-Speed System
There is no low range (4L) on this setup. AWD or 4WD is electronically controlled by the traction control system. 4WD AUTO (4A) works as the system detects slip among the wheels, it will progressively lock up the clutch pack of the center diff (torque-on-demand). The xfer case is equipped with an electronically controlled high capacity clutch providing torque to the front driveline in all 4WD modes. This can vary from 0%-97% lockup in 4A. 4H will fix the lockup to a constant 97%. There is no fully engaged mechanical lockup.
2. 2-Speed System
Same as 1-Speed. Added benefit of a 4WD Low reduction gearset. Center differential clutch pack is locked up to a fixed 97%.
Most Expeditions/F-150's have also used IWE's to engage/disengage the front wheel hubs. This has been changing over the years as Ford has been moving away from it based on MY and trim. This had the added benefit of further reducing driveline wear as disengaged IWEs would not drive the front drivetrain. However, it also has been documented that even in 2H, there is still some clutch or viscous grab in the center differential that it will still turn the front driveshaft.
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chuck s
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Switch your dash display to show the 4x4 stuff and engage 4A (what some are claiming to be AWD) and you can see where the power is going. It doesn't go to all 4 wheels other than in exceptional circumstances as the vast majority goes to the rear wheels.
The front axle is engaged -- you should be able to feel it -- but power only goes to it as needed. Unlike AWD where equal power goes to all wheels all the time hence ALL wheel drive.
You can run in 4A all the time if you want but if you want AWD buy a Subaru. I instinctively reach down and engage 4A in the rain (and certainly in snow).
I can only assume Ford has left this system alone the past 10 years and the 2026 trucks may be different but I doubt it. AWD systems are more expensive than conventional 4x4 and 4x4 is optional and rarely needed at the Country or Yacht Club where they're more likely to be found.
-- Chuck
(Emphasis added.)"As required" is not the same as "equally all the time."
The front axle is engaged -- you should be able to feel it -- but power only goes to it as needed. Unlike AWD where equal power goes to all wheels all the time hence ALL wheel drive.
You can run in 4A all the time if you want but if you want AWD buy a Subaru.
I instinctively reach down and engage 4A in the rain (and certainly in snow).I can only assume Ford has left this system alone the past 10 years and the 2026 trucks may be different but I doubt it. AWD systems are more expensive than conventional 4x4 and 4x4 is optional and rarely needed at the Country or Yacht Club where they're more likely to be found.
-- Chuck
Well, over the years, I have had/driven numerous vehicles of all varieties, 2WD, AWD & (TRUE) 4WD's, some sedans, some crossovers, some mid-sized SUV's/Trucks and some full-sized SUV's/Trucks.....
And I can tell you without hesitation that I will ALWAYS buy 4WD's, at least until I move to the Caribbean or other tropical location where it rarely rains or snows...
Having 4WD at my disposal has saved my ass more than once during snow/ice storms, as well as heavy rain & hail storms, so as long as I have a vehicle that has that option available, I'm never, ever going back....
That's my story, and I'm stickin to it
And I can tell you without hesitation that I will ALWAYS buy 4WD's, at least until I move to the Caribbean or other tropical location where it rarely rains or snows...
Having 4WD at my disposal has saved my ass more than once during snow/ice storms, as well as heavy rain & hail storms, so as long as I have a vehicle that has that option available, I'm never, ever going back....
That's my story, and I'm stickin to it
