What is 4Motion?

When looking at vehicles, you may run into a lot of terms that are unfamiliar or confusing. From the names of models or trims, to other more common but still confusing terms like torque, horsepower, and many many more, it can get confusing. If you’ve been looking for a new or new-to-you vehicle from Volkswagen, you may have heard of the term 4Motion. The good news? 4Motion is Volkswagen's term for four-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive is all about how engine power is harnessed -- specifically, four-wheel drive is when engine power is sent to all four wheels of the vehicle, rather than just the front wheels or the back wheels.

Advantages of 4Motion

There are some distinct advantages to 4Motion, especially if you live in hilly or mountainous areas or deal with a lot of adverse weather. Four-wheel drive increases the traction your vehicle has, which means that you are less likely to slip and slide on icy or wet roads. 4Motion also helps significantly in hilly or mountainous areas to maintain traction. The same goes for performance oriented vehicles or vehicles used for off-roading.

4Motion Systems

Overall, there are two different 4Motion systems: Haldev and Torsen. While both models operate in different ways, the driver won’t usually notice any difference between the two under normal driving conditions. The difference for those familiar with the systems is more noticeable in situations where the four-wheel drive is really being used.

            Haldev

The Haldev system is mostly used in vehicles where the engines are mounted widthwise, such as in smaller family hatchbacks and the majority of small SUVs. The Haldev works by sending power to the front wheels of the vehicle the majority of the time and an electronic clutch can selectively send up to fifty percent of the engine’s power to the rear wheels. This increases traction.

Torsen

Unlike the Haldev, the Torsen is common on vehicles where the engine is lengthwise mounted, such as in large saloons, big SUVs, and performance cars. The Torsen works a little differently, splitting power equally between the front and back axle to increase traction overall. When needed, many vehicles can automatically send a larger percentage of the power to the rear axle, which can add to the oomph when needed.