2024: a record year for Mitsubishi in Canada
The story of Mitsubishi's Canadian division is an incredible one. Established in the early 2000s, it has gone through difficult times, but has always bounced back stronger than ever. Today, it is a...
Not all all-wheel-drive systems have been designed uniformly across the industry. Some are more effective than others. This is the case with the Mitsubishi approach, which is recognized as one of the best in the automotive world.
And the company's rally successes are there to prove it.
Now, the system has its nuances as well and does not necessarily work the same from model to model. Let's briefly see how it presents itself.
Initially, there are two main configurations, namely the AWC and S-AWC devices. The first refers to the term All-Wheel Control, which Mitsubishi simply calls Full Control. The second stands for Super All Wheel Control, Super All-Wheel Control. The AWC system is exclusive to the RVR model and can serve the Outlander. For the S-AWC approach, it can be fitted to the Eclipse Cross, as well as some versions of the Outlander and the Outlander PHEV.
What both offer are different driving modes. Let's go with the AWC configuration first.
With the RVR, there are three settings (Traction, Auto, and Lock). The first lets the vehicle operate as a front-wheel drive, the second operates automatically and kicks in when needed, while the third applies more torque to the rear wheels to maximize performance on slippery surfaces.
Now, for the S-AWC technology which wants to be more sophisticated, it acts in a more precise way with a distribution of the torque more targeted and more varied.
With the Eclipse Cross, there is also an automatic adjustment, but also one designed for driving on snow, as well as another for hiking on gravel.
The Outlander also takes advantage of the snow and gravel modes, in addition to serving an Eco mode that automatically sends torque to the rear wheels when the front cannot provide the necessary traction. It increases the stability of the vehicle despite a basic setting aimed at fuel economy. A Normal mode is also offered, which takes care of distributing power equally to all four wheels for maximum traction and good fuel economy.
For the plug-in hybrid version of the Outlander, we find Normal mode, but also a lockable mode that maximizes traction at all times. In this case, the entire system operates electrically.
Finally, it's important to know that Mitsubishi's all-wheel-drive systems work in concert with an array of safety features like active stability control and anti-lock brakes, all with the goal of providing maximum grip and feeling. security which is just as important.
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