Toyota RAV4 2013 vs Nissan X-Trail 2014

Toyota RAV4 2012: It has proactive automatic four-wheel drive with Auto, Lock and Sport modes. In Auto mode, the car has front-wheel drive under normal conditions. If wheel slip is detected, torque is transferred to the rear wheels via an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch. In Sport mode, torque is transferred almost instantaneously between the front and rear wheels to improve cornering performance, with up to 50 percent of engine power going to the rear wheels. Lock mode can be activated at speeds below 40 km/h and provides constant four-wheel drive.

Nissan X-Trail 2014: It has selectable four-wheel drive with Auto, 2WD and Lock modes. In Auto mode, it has front-wheel drive under normal conditions, the rear axle engages when the front wheels start to slip, and power is distributed variably up to 50:50 front to rear. In 2WD mode, the transfer clutch is permanently unlocked, but the electronic control unit can engage the rear wheels occasionally, for example during hard acceleration. In Lock mode, the transfer clutch is permanently locked, providing a constant 50:50 power distribution. When vehicle speed increases above 30 km/h (20 mph), it switches to Auto mode, but when speed decreases, it switches back to Lock mode. The system also switches to 2WD mode in the event of overheating.