A control system for an electrically all-wheel drive (eAWD) hybrid vehicle (100,200) having an electric traction motor (176, 204b) and an engine (104, 204a) provided respectively to a first axle and a different second axle, wherein the first axle is a rear axle of the vehicle (100,200) and the second axle is a front axle of the vehicle (100,200), wherein the engine (104, 204a) comprises a belt-driven starter generator unit configured to start the engine (104, 204a), the system comprising: an input device configured to receive a driver torque request (T REQ); and a controller configured to: operate the hybrid vehicle (100,200) in an electric-only mode wherein during the electric-only mode only the electric traction motor (176, 204b) is providing drive torque to said first axle of the hybrid vehicle (100,200); receive, from the input device, the driver torque request (T REQ); determine to transition the hybrid vehicle (100,200) from the electric-only mode to a parallel mode based on the driver torque request (T REQ), wherein during the parallel mode the electric traction motor (176, 204b) is providing drive torque to the first axle and said engine (104, 204a) of the vehicle (100,200) is providing drive torque to said different second axle of the hybrid vehicle (100,200) via a transmission (116,212); said controller being configured for always maintaining a torque reserve for the electric traction motor (176, 204b), during the electric-only mode; and when the driver torque request(T REQ) exceeds a maximum drive torque that the electric traction motor (176, 204b) is capable of generating, increase the drive torque provided by the electric traction motor (176, 204b) to the first axle by depleting said torque reserve while simultaneously synchronizing speeds of the engine (104, 204a) and transmission (116,212) during the electric-only to parallel mode transition, without providing a traction motor associated with the engine (104, 204a) on the front axle. an input device configured to receive a driver torque request (T REQ); and a controller configured to: operate the hybrid vehicle (100,200) in an electric-only mode wherein during the electric-only mode only the electric traction motor (176, 204b) is providing drive torque to said first axle of the hybrid vehicle (100,200); receive, from the input device, the driver torque request (T REQ); determine to transition the hybrid vehicle (100,200) from the electric-only mode to a parallel mode based on the driver torque request (T REQ), wherein during the parallel mode the electric traction motor (176, 204b) is providing drive torque to the first axle and said engine (104, 204a) of the vehicle (100,200) is providing drive torque to said different second axle of the hybrid vehicle (100,200) via a transmission (116,212); said controller being configured for always maintaining a torque reserve for the electric traction motor (176, 204b), during the electric-only mode; and when the driver torque request(T REQ) exceeds a maximum drive torque that the electric traction motor (176, 204b) is capable of generating, increase the drive torque provided by the electric traction motor (176, 204b) to the first axle by depleting said torque reserve while simultaneously synchronizing speeds of the engine (104, 204a) and transmission (116,212) during the electric-only to parallel mode transition, without providing a traction motor associated with the engine (104, 204a) on the front axle. operate the hybrid vehicle (100,200) in an electric-only mode wherein during the electric-only mode only the electric traction motor (176, 204b) is providing drive torque to said first axle of the hybrid vehicle (100,200); receive, from the input device, the driver torque request (T REQ); determine to transition the hybrid vehicle (100,200) from the electric-only mode to a parallel mode based on the driver torque request (T REQ), wherein during the parallel mode the electric traction motor (176, 204b) is providing drive torque to the first axle and said engine (104, 204a) of the vehicle (100,200) is providing drive torque to said different second axle of the hybrid vehicle (100,200) via a transmission (116,212); said controller being configured for always maintaining a torque reserve for the electric traction motor (176, 204b), during the electric-only mode; and when the driver torque request(T REQ) exceeds a maximum drive torque that the electric traction motor (176, 204b) is capable of generating, increase the drive torque provided by the electric traction motor (176, 204b) to the first axle by depleting said torque reserve while simultaneously synchronizing speeds of the engine (104, 204a) and transmission (116,212) during the electric-only to parallel mode transition, without providing a traction motor associated with the engine (104, 204a) on the front axle.