Guide · drivetrains

AWD vs 4WD: what is the difference?

AWD sends power to all four wheels by itself, for grip on wet, snowy and gravel roads. 4WD adds a transfer case with low range, for crawling up and down rough ground. The 2026 Toyota Highlander (AWD) has no low range and 8.0 in of ground clearance; the 2026 4Runner TRD Pro (4WD) has a 2.57:1 low range and 10.1 in.

MakerSources: 2026 Highlander (gas) Product Information · 2026 4Runner Product Information

By 4wd.ai · Reviewed against the maker’s documents on Oct 7, 2026

Every figure is the maker’s, from the document linked with it; how we read them: how we source the numbers.

01 / The short version

Three systems, side by side

	AWD	Part-time 4WD	Full-time 4WD
Which wheels	All four, always or whenever sensors call for it. A coupling or center differential lets front and rear turn at different speeds.	The rear two in 2H. In 4H and 4L the transfer case locks the front and rear driveshafts together.	All four, always, through a center differential that can usually be locked.
Low range	No	Yes, in 4L	Usually, a two-speed transfer case
Dry pavement	Fine	2H only; locked shafts bind in turns	Fine, center differential unlocked
Built for	Rain, snow and gravel roads	Rocks, sand, mud, steep tracks	Both: grip on the road, low range off it
In our data	Ford Maverick, Honda Pilot, Honda Ridgeline, Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota Highlander, Toyota RAV4	Ford Bronco, Ford Everest, Ford F-150, Ford Ranger, Ford Super Duty, Jeep Gladiator, Jeep Wrangler, Nissan Frontier, Nissan Pathfinder, Nissan Xterra, Ram 1500, Suzuki Jimny, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Toyota Sequoia, Toyota Tacoma, Toyota Tundra	Ford Everest, INEOS Grenadier, Jeep Gladiator, Jeep Wrangler, Land Rover LR4, Lexus GX, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Pathfinder, Nissan Patrol, Ram 1500, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Toyota Land Cruiser 200/300, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota LandCruiser Prado, Volkswagen Amarok

“In our data” goes by each maker’s own words for the system. Some trucks add an automatic 4WD mode (4A) that acts like AWD on the road; the 4Runner comes with part-time or full-time 4WD depending on the grade.

02 / How it works

How power gets to the wheels

Seen from above, front at the top. Red-dirt lines carry power; dashed ones only some of the time.

AWDA crossover drives its front wheels most of the time. When they slip, a computer-controlled coupling sends power to the rear axle as well. No low range.

Part-time 4WDThe transfer case drives the rear axle. Shift to 4H and it locks the front driveshaft to the rear one; 4L adds a second, much lower gear set.

Full-time 4WDA center differential splits power between the axles all the time, so it can stay engaged on pavement. Lock it, and add low range, for rough ground.

03 / Real numbers

Highlander AWD vs 4Runner 4WD

Three 2026 Toyotas from Toyota’s own spec sheets: an AWD crossover, an entry 4Runner and the off-road 4Runner.

	Highlander2026 XLE AWD	4Runner2026 SR5 4x4	4Runner2026 TRD Pro 4x4 i-FORCE MAX
Low range	none	2.57:1	2.57:1
Lowest gear, overall	18.4:1	40.6:1	40.6:1
Ground clearance	8.0 in	8.1 in	10.1 in
Approach angle	18.1°	18.0°	33.0°
Breakover angle	—	23.0°	24.0°
Departure angle	23.4°	22.0°	24.0°
Max towing	5,000 lb	6,000 lb	6,000 lb

Maker2026 Highlander (gas) Product Information · 2026 4Runner Product Information

Toyota’s own words for the drivetrains: "All-wheel drive" (Highlander) and "4x4 front engine with part-time or full-time four-wheel drive" (4Runner 4x4).

Low range is the real difference. In its lowest gear the 4Runner turns its wheels once for every 40.6 turns of the engine (first gear 4.41 × low range 2.57 × final drive 3.583). The Highlander’s lowest gear is 18.4:1 (first gear 5.519 × final drive 3.329). That is 2.2 times the torque at the wheels for the same engine torque, at well under half the speed: the difference between easing up a rock ledge at walking pace and spinning or stalling on it.

Clearance and angles come from the body, not the drivetrain. The 4Runner SR5 has an approach angle of 18.0°, next to the Highlander’s 18.1°. The TRD Pro gets 33.0° and 10.1 in of clearance from its bumpers, suspension and tires. A 4WD badge alone doesn’t clear a rock.

04 / Low range

Low range in the 4x4s we track

The transfer case’s low ratio: the higher it is, the slower and stronger the crawl. The highest each maker offers, newest model year.

Jeep Gladiator4:1Rubicon · NV241 Command-Trac (MP1622) part-time 4WD: 2WD High; 4WD High; Neutral; 4WD Low
Jeep Wrangler4:1Rubicon 2-door 2.0L turbo automatic · NV241 Command-Trac part-time 4WD: 2WD High; 4WD High; Neutral; 4WD Low
Ford Bronco3.06:14 of the 7 trims · 2-speed part-time electronic shift-on-the-fly (ESOF)
Ford Ranger3.06:1Raptor SuperCrew 4x4 3.0L · 2-speed electronic shift-on-the-fly 4x4 (planetary gears)
Nissan Armada2.769:1every trim
Nissan Frontier2.717:1S, SV and PRO-4X · Part-time 4-wheel drive
Nissan Navara2.717:1every trim · Dual range 4x4 with electronic 4WD selection
Nissan Titan2.717:1every trim
Nissan Patrol2.679:1every trim · Intelligent 4x4 with electronic 4WD selection
Ford F-1502.64:1every trim · Electronic shift-on-the-fly 4x4 with flat tow mode
Ford Super Duty2.64:1F-250 Crew Cab 6.75-ft box 4x4 6.7L High Output Power Stroke V8 diesel) · Part-time 4x4, two-speed planetary transfer case: manual shift-on-stop (MSOS) or electronic shift-on-the-fly (ESOF)
Ram 15002.64:14 of the 12 trims · BW 48-12 part-time transfer case, electric shift, two speeds: 2WD High; 4WD High, Locked; Neutral; 4WD Low, Locked
Toyota Sequoia2.64:1every trim · 4WDemand part-time 4WD with electronically controlled two-speed transfer case
Toyota Tundra2.64:15 of the 7 trims · 4x4 4WDemand part-time 4WD, two-speed transfer case (high/low range), A-TRAC or MTS
Nissan Xterra2.625:1every trim · Part-time 4WD
Toyota 4Runner2.57:1every trim · 4x4 front engine with part-time or full-time four-wheel drive
Toyota Land Cruiser2.57:1every trim · 4x4 front engine with full-time four-wheel drive
Toyota Tacoma2.57:17 of the 8 trims · 4x4 front engine with part-time four-wheel drive
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport2.566:1every trim · Super Select 4WD-II with selectable off-road modes
Mitsubishi Triton2.566:1every trim · Easy Select 4WD (2WD / 4WD high / 4WD low, two-speed transfer)
Toyota FJ Cruiser2.566:14x4 5-speed automatic · Part-time 4x4
INEOS Grenadier2.5:1every trim · Permanent four-wheel drive with two-speed transfer case
Isuzu D-Max2.482:1every trim · Terrain Command: shift-on-the-fly 2-high/4-high up to 100 km/h, 4-low with rear differential lock
Mazda BT-502.482:1every trim

No low range: Ford Maverick, Honda Pilot, Honda Ridgeline, Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota Highlander, Toyota RAV4 (AWD; the maker lists low range as not applicable).

05 / Choosing

Which one do you need?

AWD is enough for

rain, snow and ice on paved roads
graded gravel and dirt roads to a trailhead or cabin
ski trips, with good winter tires
towing on paved roads, within its rating

Get 4WD with low range for

steep, loose or rocky climbs and descents
deep sand, mud or snow off the plowed road
pulling a boat up a slippery ramp
getting yourself, or someone else, unstuck

Whichever you pick, tires and ground clearance decide as much as the drivetrain. SUVs ranked by ground clearance · approach angles ranked.

06 / Questions

AWD and 4WD questions

Is AWD or 4WD better in snow?

On snowy roads both send power to all four wheels, so both get you moving. Neither helps you stop or steer: tires do that. Off the plowed road, in deep snow, 4WD with low range lets you crawl without spinning the wheels.

Can I drive on the highway in 4WD?

In a part-time 4WD, only on a slippery surface. On dry pavement the locked front and rear driveshafts fight each other in turns, which strains the drivetrain and scrubs the tires. A full-time 4WD with its center differential unlocked, and any AWD, can stay engaged on any road. Your owner’s manual says which you have.

Does AWD have low range?

Not on crossovers like the Highlander: Toyota lists low range as not applicable for every 2026 Highlander. The lowest gear is the transmission’s first.

Is 4x4 the same as 4WD?

Yes. "4x4" (four wheels, four driven) is what makers print on trucks and SUVs; 4WD is the same thing. "4x2" means two of the four wheels are driven.

07 / Keep going