Four-wheel drive is as old as steam power, with the first 4x4 setup using differentials dating back to Diplock’s 1893 traction engine. Early 4x4 cars were often focused on wartime use – yet passenger ...

Four-wheel drive was initially used in utilitarian and military vehicles, for an obvious reason: it provided more traction on slippery terrain. But automakers shove 4WD/AWD in all sorts of vehicles ...