In what model year did subaru make the change from 4WD to AWD ? Also, did they change all their vehicle models in the same year ? Thanks !

wasnt really a specific year. The AWD legacy was introduced in late 89 as a 90. The Loyales last year, which was 4wd, was 94. The Impreza was introduced in 93, and that was awd. In 1996 they droped FWD and just made everything AWD.

I have wondered this myself, becayse I have seen plenty of legacies badged as 4wd instead of awd

The Legacy was the first Subaru with AWD. It was badged 4WD because the term AWD wasn't really widely accepted yet...

 

No USDM Subaru Legacy or any later model, ever came with 4WD... Yes I believe the 4WD ended with the 80's generation in 1994...

a while ago the subaru of japan site had their official defo. of what AWD was. Without remembering it word for word, it basically said, "The on-road version of 4WD", and that is why the Legacy was badged as 4WD first. As they realized they could bank hardcore on the AWD system in America, they got the word out as to what it was, how it worked, and how it was different than 4WD.

MY 91 had a badge on teh dash that said "Full Time 4WD" with "ABS" below it. Since it was not really AWD but it was fuill-time 4WD with an automatic viscous locking center diff. (Would have rocked if they had added in a diff lock like they did on the older FT4WD, since that viscous lock took some considerable wheelspin for it to engage.)

All Wheel Drive was available as early as 1987 (maybe even 86)on some GL (Loyale) and XT vehicles, however most of these models sold were shift on the fly 4wd.

 

The Legacy's AWD/4WD logo was designed so that the A would look like a 4 and the 4 would look like an A if you get my drift.... No one understood AWD back then...

 

"Full time 4wd" Legacy's are All Wheel Drive, and they in fact use the same clutch pack system as used in current models. The 1989 Legacy 4EAT/AWD transmission was used until 1997/98 when a major revision was introduced, and the 5MT with its viscous center differential from 1989 is virtually unchanged (aside from 8 bolt mounting).