Awd or 4wd???? Different creatures my friend
Really, you want to quibble over acronyms? Polaris calls theirs AWD. I do realize that each has it's own very generalized definition, and I know the differences between the two. Polaris AWD is very different from what most people know as AWD (automotive), and it would just as well fit the definition of 4WD (it is selectable and has low range). The point I was trying to make is that all four wheels are never driven unless throttle is applied, in fact the front wheels are never being driven unless the rears are spinning. It's a good system for sport machines where you want to hang the ass end out and still have the front pulling you through a corner, and for the convenience of the switch to engage it. Where it falls short for me is for utility. Think about driving up a steep grass slope where 2WD isn't enough. With a Ranger in AWD the front wheels will not engage until the rears have already started spinning and done turf damage. That's my lawn, and I use the UTV on my lawn to do yard work. I also have one trail on my property where depending on moisture and leaf cover, the Ranger will either climb the hill steadily with the front tires pulling and the rear tires spinning the whole way, or it will be jerky as traction goes back and forth from front to rear. In either case it creates ruts that channel runoff and washout across my driveway. I previously had a UTV with a real four wheel drive system, it would handle both of these situations without any wheel spin. There are Ranger owners, and I would bet most of them, who have never experienced these problems and don't even understand what I'm describing because they don't use them in the same way I do or they just don't care about spinning the tires everywhere they go. But this problem, plus the lack of front wheel engine braking on descent, jerky clutch/belt engagement, hard shifting, and other minor annoyances is what has me here waiting for the Pioneer 1000. I would already own a 700 if they had put a rear differential in it.