All-Wheel-Drive is a popular option on many new cars these days, but Ford says sales of their AWD vehicles are up an astonishing 72 percent over AWD sales of 2009. The large growth even outpaces the 52 percent growth of AWD sales industry-wide.
Nearly 37 percent of Ford vehicles offered with AWD were purchased that way. Ford’s Intelligent AWD is available on five models: the Edge, Explorer, Flex, Fusion, and Taurus.
“All-wheel drive acceptance continues to grow in the East and Great Lakes regions, as expected, but nationwide AWD sales have grown, particularly in the Pacific Northwest over the past six years,” said Ford sales analyst Erich Merkle.
Ford states that AWD is the top purchase consideration for buyers of their small utility vehicles in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, surprisingly surpassing well-established factors such as reliability, value for the money, and fuel economy.
Improvements to the AWD system combined with maintaining a consistent price for the option are two factors Ford credits for the system’s popularity. It’s capable of sending 100 percent of engine power to a single axle if slip is detected, giving “the precise blend of handling and traction at all times.”
