Does your family use a four-wheel drive vehicle? If not, chances are you know someone who does. Have you ever ridden in a four-wheel drive vehicle off-road over rough terrain? It can be an exciting experience!
Four-wheel drive vehicles are also good to have when weather conditions make roads slippery. Have you ever wondered what it is about four-wheel drive vehicles that makes them great in the snow and the ice and even off the road?
A four-wheel drive vehicle — often called a 4WD or 4X4 (“four by four”) — is a vehicle in which all four wheels receive power from the engine. Most vehicles are two-wheel drive — 2WD or 4X2 — and that means that the engine’s power is only sent to two of the four wheels.
For example, a two-wheel drive vehicle will either have the engine’s power sent to the two rear wheels (rear-wheel drive) or the two front wheels (front-wheel drive). So a 4X4 has four wheels and all four wheels receive power from the engine. A 4X2 has four wheels, but only two of the four wheels receive power from the engine.
How does this impact the vehicle’s performance? In slippery or off-road conditions, two-wheel drive vehicles will tend to lose traction more easily. If you’re driving a rear-wheel drive car and one or both of the back wheels lose traction, you will have a problem because the front wheels can’t help you since they’re not powered by the engine.
In a four-wheel drive vehicle, however, it’s easier to maintain traction and control of the vehicle in slippery or off-road conditions. If one or two wheels lose traction, you still have two or three powered wheels to keep you moving.
Many four-wheel drive vehicles are actually part-time four-wheel drive. This means that, under normal conditions, the vehicle only sends power to two wheels and behaves like a two-wheel drive vehicle. If four-wheel drive is needed, however, the driver can switch to four-wheel drive with the press of a button.
Four-wheel drive vehicles haven’t been around forever. They didn’t really become popular until Willys manufactured the first Jeeps® for the United States military during World War II. Willys began to make the first four-wheel drive vehicle for non-military uses when it created the CJ-2A in 1945.
Today, Jeeps® are still known for their amazing off-road abilities. If you’re wondering where the name came from, it turns out that many people believe the name was given to the vehicle by military personnel who compared it to a cartoon character named Eugene the Jeep.
Eugene the Jeep starred in E.C. Segar’s Popeye comic books. He was Popeye’s jungle pet who was small and seemed to be able to solve problems most thought were impossible. Military drivers thought the same thing about their new four-wheel drive vehicles, so they began to call them Jeeps®. The name has stuck ever since!
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I was wrong! Today’s wonder of the day was not about compasses!
That’s OK, Rahul! We think you are a GREAT guesser…your guess about compasses was super smart! LOTS of people use compasses when they go off-road four-wheeling! We hope you have a WONDERful day today!
P.S: I think that tomorrow’s wonder is about tie-dye.
That’s a GREAT guess, too, Rahul! Have you ever explored past Wonder #385 – What Is a Hippie? (http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-hippie/). It has a GREAT activity link that shows you how to make your own tie-dye shirts! COOL!
I wonder how that car gets out from deep mud. Let’s find out from wonderopolis.
We WONDER how cars and trucks get “un-stuck” from deep mud, too, Levi! Thanks for stopping by today’s Wonder…we appreciate your comment!
A four wheel drive is a truck can get up a hill better than a usual truck.
We like that explanation, Jacob! We’re glad you visited today’s Wonder of the Day® and shared something cool you learned by exploring it!
What is a four wheel drive?
Hello, Jenna! Thanks so much for visiting Wonderopolis! We encourage you to re-explore today’s Wonder of the Day® to learn what four-wheel drive means, and why it’s more helpful than two-wheel drive for getting out of some pretty sticky (and slippery) situations!
Wow, I want a four-wheel but I heard that it is expensive to buy!! I hope you have a nice weekend I will come back soon!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Friday, Barbara! Thanks for letting us know you stopped by today’s Wonder by leaving us this cool comment! We hope you have a WONDERful weekend, too!
We think tomorrow’s wonder of the day will be about paint splatters or kaleidoscopes.
Those are both really COLORFUL guesses, KD and Stefani! We can always count on you guys to leave us a really clever comment about what you think the next day’s Wonder will be! YOU ROCK!
A Four-Wheel Drive is when you can drive fast. A four-wheel drive vehicle — often called a 4WD or 4X4 (“four by four”) — is a vehicle in which all four wheels receive power from the engine.
Hello, Gloria! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts about (and your favorite part of) today’s Wonder! We think your comment is AWESOME!
The video is kind of boring.
Thanks for letting us know what you thought about the video for today’s Wonder, Caelah! We really appreciate your opinion and your comment! Have a FANTASTIC Friday!
I’m really, really, really, really sorry to tell you this wonderopoplis. I don’t like this wonder, it’s boring. Sorry to tell you this.
Hey there, “Wonder!” You shouldn’t be sorry for not liking today’s Wonder…we all like to WONDER about different things! Thanks for letting us know you didn’t care for it, though. We know you explore every Wonder of the Day® you can, and we really appreciate your opinion!
I know that Mrs. Russell’s Kindergarten class loved this wonder, too! We both have Jeeps! You are either a Jeep person or not a Jeep person. We always joke that Jeep means Just Empty Every Pocket because you can put a lot of money into a Jeep buying bigger tires and other cool stuff. Did you know in Ohio that Jeep people always wave to other people driving a Wrangler? This is a lot of fun!
We think it’s REALLY AWESOME to learn so much about Jeeps today, Mr. Flinn! Thank you for teaching us some great new stuff! We bet your Jeep (and Mrs. Russell’s Jeep, too!) are super COOL! We hope you and your students have a FABULOUS Friday and a WONDERful weekend!
Hi, Wonderopolis! Our next door neighbor, Ms. Thomasson, just started posting on the site. We think tomorrow’s wonder might be about a kaleidoscope. We miss seeing the donuts and wanting to take a bite. That video was cool but Mr. Draper’s car would have broken down if he tried to climb. Some of us have been off-roading. Do all of the wheels on a 4WD work at the same speed? Have a super tasty taco day!
Mmmm! A super tasty taco day sounds YUMMY, Mr. Draper’s Class! You guys always leave us the best comments! Thanks for introducing Ms. Thomasson and her class to Wonderopolis! You guys are GREAT ambassadors of WONDER!
We’re not sure if all wheels on a 4WD vehicle work at the same speed…now you have us WONDERing more about four-wheeling, too!
Ethan wants to know: Do the military make the Jeeps and are they made in America?
That’s a really awesome question, Ethan! We’re glad you’re WONDERing more about Jeeps after exploring today’s Wonder about four-wheel driving! We think the Chrysler Group makes Jeeps now, and we’re pretty sure they are made in America. Here is a link to the Jeep website that gives a little more JEEP-specific history: http://www.jeep.com/en/history/. Happy WONDERing!
Thanks Mr. Flinn and Wonderopolis! We loved talking and learning about 4 wheel drive vehicles like Jeeps today! We also enjoyed talking about Popeye and Eugene the Jeep. We even talked about how Mr. Flinn looks a little like Popeye!
We wondered if Jeep Wrangler drivers in other states waved to other Jeep drivers when they pass?
Happy Friday!
Mrs. Russell Class
Jeep “waving” is a super fun thing to WONDER about, Mrs. Russell Class! We WONDER if drivers of other types of cars do that, too? We think some motorcycle riders do it! Thanks for sharing some of the awesome things you guys learned and talked about today! We thought it was cool to learn about Eugene the Jeep, too!
I think it’s a Jeep/Truck.
I think tomorrow’s wonder will be about how we remember things.
Keep it WONDERing
Bryce G.
Thanks for reminding everyone to keep WONDERing, Bryce! We like your idea for what the next Wonder might be about…let’s both REMEMBER to visit Wonderopolis tomorrow to see if your guess is correct, OK?
That was a wonderful wonder! I really liked the video! I ride dirt bikes, quads, and a dune buggy! Lots of people say to me it’s not lady like, but I have five brothers of course it’s not lady like. Do you have any wonders on dogs and how hard it is to train them? Hope your next wonder is this wonderful!
We’re glad you stopped by today’s Wonder, “Cute Girl!” Thanks for leaving us another AMAZING comment and sharing your personal connection to riding dirt bikes, quads and that dune buggy of yours! Having five brothers must be so cool! We bet they think you are the best sister ever!
We don’t have a wonder about training them, but we do have some Wonders about dogs (and a fun one about training a goldfish!)! Check these out:
Wonder #539 – Why Do Dogs Chase Their Tails? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-dogs-chase-their-tails/
Wonder #491 – Do Dogs Really Eat Homework? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/do-dogs-really-eat-homework/
Wonder #18 – Can You Train a Goldfish? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/pavlovs-fish/
Hi Again, I L-O-V-E your background!!!!!!!!
Thanks for letting us know that, Soccer Geek! We like the bright, beautiful colors in the background this week, don’t you?
We liked watching this video in library today. We can’t wait to see tomorrow’s wonder.
It makes us REALLY happy to know that you guys explored today’s Wonder together in the library, Mrs. Kerr’s class! Do you know what? We can’t wait for tomorrow’s Wonder, either! We LOVE learning new things every single day in Wonderopolis!
Cool. My mom has a Jeep and my dad has a truck, so they are both 4 wheel drive!!! I love riding off-road!!!
We’re glad you like to ride off-road with your mom and dad, Jenna! Thanks for sharing your really cool personal connection to today’s Wonder of the Day®! Have an AWESOME weekend!
Cool wonder!!!
We’re SUPER glad you liked it, Paige! Thanks for being a WONDERful Wonder Friend!
That was a really cool video. I have gone ATVing with a camera attached to the top, but I have never seen a Jeep go off-roading from the bottom. That was an awesome wonder!
How cool that you have videotaped a ride on an ATV, Colin! We are glad you liked today’s Wonder and that you thought it was AWESOME! Thanks for letting us know!
Can 4WD vehicles climb up really steep hills?
We’re not sure how steep the hills have to get before they give the 4WD vehicles trouble, Mrs. Foster’s Class, but we have seen some off-road vehicles do really cool stuff! Thank you all for checking out today’s Wonder together…have a SUPER day!
Hey, I think that’s pretty cool. My dad has a jeep like in the video! I’m sorry I wasn’t here yesterday. I bought a punching bag with my dad. Thanks soooo much for teaching me awesome stuff! BYE
Caleb
Thanks for checking out this Wonder of the Day®, Caleb! We think it’s cool that your dad has a Jeep! It must be fun to go four-wheeling as a family!
I’m Levi. Vehicles can go in 4 wheel drive
all of us can get out from mud and we can
survive.
Hello, Levi! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on four-wheel driving!
It reminds me of a truck that is stuck. Ari
It reminds me of driving in a truck with my dad. Caleb
This reminds me of going on a go cart ride. Shyanne
I want to know how do those big wheels get on that rock. John
We really like the SUPER comment you left for us today, Mrs. Utter’s Class! Thank you! We like hearing about the neat things this Wonder reminded you of, Ari, Caleb and Shyanne! We also like the extra WONDERing you did about wheels and rocks, John! Way to go, guys!
Are there lots of different kinds of cars that have 4 wheel drive?
We think so, Madyson! We know there are Jeeps (different styles), trucks, and lots of different SUVs. We WONDER how many different car manufacturers make 4WD vehicles?
Dear Wonderopolis,
You might remember me from last wonder of the day. I said that I was scared of horses and today I want to share my opinion because I love jeeps. I think they look cute and I think they look like little baby cars. I also wanted to say that I wonder what the wonder of the day is tomorrow and also I like your website. It keeps people thinking.
Your wonder friend
Yamel,
Thanks for sharing such a WONDERful comment with us, Yamel! We appreciate hearing your thoughts about Jeeps AND about Wonderopolis! You really are an AWESOME Wonder Friend!
Do you have a wonder about iron?
We don’t have a Wonder about iron yet, Cesar, but we think that would be a GREAT idea for a future Wonder of the Day®! Thanks so much for suggesting it!
Can it go down a hill safely?
That’s a good question, Emerson! We’re not sure, but we think as long as the driver is being careful and slow, the 4WD vehicle can go downhill just as safely as it went uphill. We’re WONDERing about that now, too!
Wow, I wonder how they got the camera to stay. That’s a really good video.
We WONDERed the same thing, Monnie! We think maybe the driver bolted the camera to the bottom of the vehicle, or maybe he had a special harness to hold the camera. Either way, you’re right…it WAS a really good video!
Is there a wonder about juice? It makes me crazy.
We don’t have a Wonder about juice yet, Jada, but we think it’s an AMAZING idea for a future Wonder! We think it would be FUN to WONDER about all the different types of juice, and maybe even learn some recipes to make our own juice!
I thought it was GPS, but I was wrong. It was very cool. Thank You WonderOpolis.
We want to thank YOU for hanging out in Wonderopolis with us today and learning some cool new stuff about 4WD, Morgan! You’re a GREAT Wonder Friend!
Why is there such thing as 4 wheel drive?
Do you have a 4 wheel drive car?
Do you know any one who has a 4 wheel drive?
We like those questions a lot, Avril! There are many Wonder Friends who have four-wheel drive vehicles. We think it can be a good thing to have four-wheel drive to help navigate slick roads or bumpy terrain! Thanks for leaving us a comment today!
Do you have a wonder about Candy Land?
Hello, Jada! Thanks for leaving us another awesome comment to ask if there is a Wonder of the Day® about Candy Land! Check out the reply we left for you on Wonder #592 – Why Do Kids Need Braces? (http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-kids-need-braces/) to find out! There is a really cool link to some more WONDERful Wonders that we shared with you, too!
Nice video.
Thanks for leaving us a comment on this Wonder of the Day®, Christian! We’re glad you enjoyed the video!
I THINK THE WONDER OF THE DAY WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY COOL, AND I ACTUALLY THINK OFF-ROADING IS COOL. ALL MY OLDER FRIENDS ALL HAVE LIFTED TRUCKS AND THEY ALL GO OFF-ROADING AND IT’S ACTUALLY PRETTY FUN TO DO WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY GET ALL MUDDY AND WE GET STUCK IN THE MUD AND IT’S FUN TRYING TO GET OUT.
How fun that you have older friends who like to go off-roading, Cody! We WONDER how many other Wonder Friends would enjoy getting muddy that way? Thanks for letting us know you thought this Wonder was COOL!
My mom has a Jeep and me & her love it very much. (:
We think that’s AWESOME, Tejauna! Thanks so much for sharing your personal connection to this Wonder of the Day®!
I FOUND OUT THAT THE JEEP DID GET ITS NAME FROM A CARTOON CHARACTER AND I PROVED MY DAD WRONG. HA, BUT I LOVE HIM SOMETIMES KIDS ARE SMARTER THAT PARENTS HA, HA, AND I KINDA KNEW MOST OF THE STUFF. BECAUSE I STUDIED JEEPS BECUASE I WANT ONE WHEN I GROW UP.
PLUS THEY DO HAVE 4 WHEEL DRIVE!
We really like your comment a lot, Jazzi! Thank you for sharing it with everyone in Wonderopolis! It reminds us of this cool past Wonder about kids teaching their parents things:
Wonder #394 – What Can Children Teach Their Parents? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-can-children-teach-their-parents/.
We think you will enjoy that Wonder after the cool story you told us about teaching your dad where the word “JEEP” came from!
Wow, that’s was pretty cool. I know all about the military and vehicles, so this was a piece of cake!! (:
Thanks for sharing that you already had some background knowledge about Jeeps and other military vehicles before you explored this Wonder of the Day®, Patrick! We appreciate your comment and hope you have a WONDERful Wednesday!
Jeeps have got swag. I learned a lot of new things that I didn’t know.
Your comment makes us SUPER happy, Tavaris! We’re glad you learned some cool new facts about Jeeps and other four-wheel drive vehicles today! Thanks for letting us know and THANKS for visiting Wonderopolis!
That was a boring article.
Hello, Ketchup! We sorry you didn’t care for this Wonder of the Day® about four-wheel drive. We appreciate your comment and respect your opinion. We hope you’ll visit another Wonder of the Day® super soon to see what other cool stuff there is to WONDER about and learn in Wonderopolis! Have a GREAT day!