Standing on 80 centimeters of hard packed ice, Canadian automotive journalists prepared to put our 4MOTION® All-Wheel Drive system to the test.

On a beautiful day in February, we invited a crew of driving enthusiasts to Lac Sacacomie in Quebec. The reason: A day of carving on Quebec’s snow covered roads as well as on a closed slalom course right on the lake’s icy surface.

On hand for testing was our family of 4MOTION® All-Wheel vehicles, including the Atlas, Tiguan, Golf Alltrack, Golf SportWagen and the Golf R. Each model, apart from Golf R and Alltrack where 4MOTION® comes standard, gives drivers the option to upgrade to 4MOTION® All-Wheel Drive on base models. That means that Canadians looking for an affordable all-wheel drive option, don’t have to shell out as much cash to feel more confident behind the wheel.

If you’re not completely up to speed on 4MOTION®, this on-demand all-wheel drive system is powered by a Haldex multi-plate clutch designed to shift power from the wheels that slip to those that grip. That could mean shifting torque to the rear wheels or even side to side. Contrary to always-on all-wheel drive systems, 4MOTION® acts only when you need it, helping to reduce overall fuel consumption. All it takes is a fraction of a second for 4MOTION® to kick in. And the best part is, the switch is seamless, you don’t even feel it.

With a closed course before them, our testers could safely put 4MOTION® and its various drive modes through their paces. And that they did. You can read all about the experience at the sites listed below. And be sure to watch the video here

4MOTION® All-Wheel Drive reviews:

Laughing at Winter in 4MOTION

Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive an ideal driving partner

Winter driving according to Volkswagen