London-based automotive business intelligence firm JATO Dynamics recently published new statistics which reveal that as of April 2020, more than half of new cars sold in the U.S. are equipped with either AWD or 4WD. That means that if this trend holds, AWD and 4WD vehicles will take up more than half of the U.S. car market for the very first time.
The findings were published via an infographic, which was posted to the JATO Dynamics Twitter feed. The infographic shows a steady rise in AWD and 4WD new vehicle sales, starting at 39.7 percent in 2016, and topping out at 50.8 percent in 2020. Note that the numbers include sales through April of 2020.
Front-wheel drive vehicles remain in second place, declining from 47.9 percent in 2016, to 40.1 percent in 2020, bottoming out at 38.7 percent in 2019. Rear-wheel drive vehicles remain a distant third, falling from 12.4 percent in 2016, to 9.1 percent in 2020.
Indeed, it certainly appears as though AWD and 4WD vehicles will take up the majority of new car sales going forward.
Currently, the overwhelming majority of General Motors models in the U.S. offer either AWD or 4WD. That includes 10 out of 17 Chevrolet models (59 percent), six out of seven GMC models (86 percent), 100 percent of Cadillac model, and 100 percent of Buick model. In total, 27 of 35 GM models (77 percent) offer either AWD or 4WD. Add in the new Chevrolet Trailblazer, and that percentage is bumped up to 78 percent.
The proliferation of AWD and 4WD vehicles goes hand in hand with broader automotive industry trends. All-wheel drive and 4WD systems are becoming lighter, more efficient, and less expensive, while enthusiast interest in off-roader-style pickups and utility vehicles, as well as high-performance models requiring enhanced on-road traction, has increased, thus boosting sales of AWD and 4WD vehicles.
Looking ahead, it’s possible that the move to all-electric powertrains may increase the adoption rate of AWD and 4WD vehicles even further, given the relative simplicity of adding electric motors to an EV platform versus the complexity of a mechanical AWD/4WD system.
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Source: JATO Dynamics via Twitter
Comments
They fail to mention that auto manufacturers keep cutting non awd/4wd from their line ups of available vehicles.
“over 50%” literally not even 51%. Also the 2020 obviously only includes the winter months. It would have been more representative if they also included sales numbers from 2019 only through April. I tried briefly to find the data set presented on that site referenced, but couldn’t. It’d be nice to get a link. This is a speculative article, designed to spark conversation, lacking any substantial critical analysis.
Edit: that being said, it’s an interesting topic that clearly engaged me, so well done 👏👏👏
If people ever saw the movie, My Cousin Vinny,’ about the function of a limited slip differential; they might think differently about the need of AWD or 4WD as they order it because they thought it was necessary to achieve what a limited slip differential could achieve.
Not a fan of front fwd. My experience with fwd in snow is terrible. Had a Pontiac Vibe that was useless in snow. On the other hand I had a Sonoma with ZQ 8 that I had 4studded snow tires that was great in bad weather. Several times I could climb icy roads that 4wd vehicles couldn’t. We have an awd as well. Tires are the key for winter roads. Rwd can be controlled better with throttle than fwd.
40 years of Marketing has worked. The manufacturers have convinced the buying public that they can’t drive without it.
Kinda depends, most cars these days are too low also, I had an 90′ Taurus in one of the worst winters in back in ’10, only got stuck once despite 3 storms an 2 blizzards and that includes going up hills with not much problem. Later in a new Focus, got stuck many times in one 8 in’ snowstorm.
A problem for old rwds cars were limited slip was harder to find outside an 4×4 then a leprechaun, in turn made them terrible in snow..
How many rwd only vehicles are available/produced anymore?
Many base/rwd only Jag,BMW,Benz, FCA LX.
Unfortunately many come with open diffs.