How much traction do you need: 2WD, AWD or 4WD?

06 Jul 2015

[![How much traction do you really need?](http://buyersguide.carsoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Traction-article-July-2015.jpg)](http://buyersguide.carsoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Traction-article-July-2015.jpg)How much traction do you really need?

The choice of cars these days is huge. Makes and models abound. Body styles abound, too: cars, trucks, vans, SUVs, the list goes on.

Then there are the drive-wheel choices: two-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and so forth. But how much traction do you really need?

As Consumer Reports Magazine recently reported, all passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. starting with the 2012 model year come equipped with electronic stability control, which, along with traction control, significantly improves road-holding capabilities regardless of the drive wheels. Yet there are distinct differences in the driving and traction characteristics among the different drive types.

If you are looking for maximum grip, Consumer Reports found that all- and four-wheel-drive systems provide superior traction.

Read more about how all of the different systems work here.

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