What All-Wheel Drive Vehicle Should You Upgrade To?

By: Zoe Samuel
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
What All-Wheel Drive Vehicle Should You Upgrade To?
Image: Douglas Sacha / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

It is time to upgrade your car. Maybe you own an older model, either rear wheel drive (RWD) or front wheel drive (FWD). Maybe you only have a bike or a motorcycle. Either way, you should consider an all wheel drive car. All wheel drive (AWD) is a new kind of drive system. 

Four wheel drive (4WD) systems rely on a locking mechanical differential, and use more fuel since the wheels divide up the energy going to the drive train, and each division means losing some power overall. FWD systems are great for most conditions and do save some fuel, but they tend to something called torque steer, which is when the torque of the engine causes the steering wheel to jerk one way or the other. RWD is fun, but can be useless in bad weather. While RWD can be solved with proper tires, most people don't have the wherewithal to change their tires every season, so AWD is the answer.

AWD systems use a computer to direct power to the wheels as needed to give the car traction and keep it moving in the right vector. Some even have torque vectoring, which helps in turns by powering the wheels on one side to make a turn faster. AWD is also the system used by many electric cars. So which model is right for you? Take the quiz and find out!

In what environment is your workplace?
The heart of a major city
A corporate park
A small town office
I'm a freelancer.

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What is your favorite movie genre?
Drama
Comedy
Adventure
Mystery

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How many children do you have?
2
3
4+
0-1

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How much do you like to drive fast?
I have my moods.
A little bit
Not at all
Loads

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What brand of car do you currently own?
Mercedes-Benz
Jeep
GMC
Fiat

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In what industry are you employed?
Finance
Tech
Logistics
Creative

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Which professional sport do you follow most closely?
Yachting
Rugby
Baseball
Basketball

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Which of these best describes your responsibilities at work?
Overseeing a division
Running strategy
Operations
Ideas

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What is your idea of a fun day in the big outdoors?
Sailing
Skiing
Hunting
Cycling

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What rainy day hobby do you enjoy?
Puzzles
Model-making
Collecting
Magic tricks

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How many miles do you drive on a typical day?
I pay someone to do the driving most of the time.
30
50
0

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Other than your wallet, keys, and phone, without which object can you not leave the house?
iPad
Backup battery
Pocket knife
Pen

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Which season is your favorite?
Summer
Winter
Spring
Autumn

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What is your favorite Olympic event?
Diving
Cross-country skiing
Basketball
Boxing

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To how many close childhood friends do you remain close?
1
0
3
2

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How brand loyal are you?
Not at all
A little bit
Very
Somewhat

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What percentage of your driving involves carrying more than one passenger?
20%
30%
80%
5%

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Why would you need a vehicle, rather than the alternatives?
I work too hard to use public transport.
I need peace and quiet before I go to work.
I don't have public transport where I live.
It snows too much to ride a bike.

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In what outdoor sport do you enjoy taking part?
Lawn bowling
Softball
Flag football
Golf

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How many hours do you work in a typical week?
60
50
40
80

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What do you like to listen to when you drive?
Music without lyrics
Top 40
Talk radio
Podcasts

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With regards to letting your job call you when you aren't there, how available are you?
My staff knows not to let anything through unless it's really important.
100%
Not at all
Mostly

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How much gear do you need in your car at all times?
Just the basics
Some survival stuff, for peace of mind
Loads of standards: baby wipes, cat box powder, etc.
Very little.

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How would you describe your driving style?
Sedate
Oblivious
Cowboy-ish
Defensive

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How much do you like to stand out?
I love it, so long as it's done in the right way.
Not too much, as I prefer uniforms.
Not at all.
I like to be invisible, until I choose. Then I want to really stand out.

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How experienced a driver are you?
Pretty experienced, but I don't drive as much as I used to.
Not all that experienced.
Extraordinarily experienced.
Above average, but I've done some tough driving.

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How do you handle it when you are driving and a passenger starts a conversation and won't stop?
I turn up the music.
I open the window so the sound blocks them out.
I put on talk radio and say I want to hear the radio.
I pull over to a bus stop and offer them that form of transport.

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How do you feel about the future of electric cars?
It creates some exciting possibilities.
It's cool, but I'll miss the roar of an engine.
I think it's overblown nonsense.
It's cool, but I don't know enough to have much of an opinion.

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How do you plan to obtain your next car?
Lease it. By the time it's time to sell it, the electric cars will have driven down gas prices.
Buy it new. I need a car I can beat up without breaking it.
Buy used. I need a car I can smash without feeling bad about busting my budget.
Buy off someone's existing lease, and get a good deal.

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How much do you enjoy driving?
Not as much as I did.
Not much at all.
I enjoy it some.
I love it.

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You Got: