I am starting to look at Explorers and was wondering if the Eddie Bauer or Lariat edition have high/Low and neutral or just AWD all of the time?

 

i thought all the newer EXP had AWD which basically you can put it in 4 HI, 4 LO, or AUTO and let the computer determine when the front wheels are moving to slow compared to the back, and it send power to the front end (back end slipping).

 

i own a 00 mercury mountaineer, and it's equipped with the AWD, you don't have any options about weather it's on or off and there is no low range. I didn't like adjusting to it from my 95 f150 with manual 4wd and manual locking hubs

 

It depends on what years you are looking at:

1st gen ('91-'94) have a basic part time 4WD system with 2H, 4H, and 4L
2nd gen ('95-'01) have two options. Those with a V6 (OHV or SOHC) came with a control trac 4wd system. Depending on year, you have three of the four positions: 2H, 4Auto (sometimes called AWD), 4H, and 4L. Those with the 5.0 V8 came with an AWD system without any selectable options (basically 4A all the time).
I'm not familiar with the 3rd gen ('02+) but I understood that they were all the control trac 4wd type (4A, 4H, 4L), but I'm not sure.

 

4-auto is not the same as AWD, it actually will engage the transfer case when there is wheel slip detected. AWD is engaged all the time. In the case of the 5.0L with AWD it was a limited slip transfer case that did the work... unlike the A4WD where when it detects slip it then engages the transfer case to send power to the front axle.