These cars are technically AWD, Ford just advertises it as Intelligent 4wd, why I don’t know. The transfer case uses clutches to engage or disengage the front wheels. The front wheels are usually getting power at low speeds, when accelerating, or when slip is detected, then get disconnected at cruising speed. I don’t think anything happens to how the AWD system works when you change drive modes. It changes just traction control, throttle response, cluster cosmetics, and some other little things.