At Newcastle 4×4 we know all about Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 vehicles.

A true 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle where all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously.

Typically a 4×4 is an off-road vehicle or an SUV (Sport utility vehicle) but increasingly 4×4 type systems are available in a variety of car types.

Powering all four wheels in a 4×4 provides improved control compared to a normal two wheel drive car. This may not be the case for every surface driven on but it is true on many surfaces, particularly when there is loose gravel or uneven ground.

When you see 4×4 written it is an abbreviation such that the first number represents the total number of wheels whilst the second the number indicates the number of powered or driving wheels. Even if a vehicle has more than one wheel on each end of the axle it would still only be counted as a single drive wheel.