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Unless you are driving insanely over the speed limit, a FWD car will handle quite adequately for most drivers. I've spent my life driving on curvy mountain roads that would scare the hell out of most flatlanders. I've never lost control on a curve with a FWD car on those roads, despite driving rather, uh, enthusiastically at times. The key is understanding the tool you are using--in this case, the tool being the car. In quite bad winter driving conditions, I've never spun out in a FWD car, either. A FWD has different braking issues on slick roads compared to a RWD car, but, again, it's just a matter of understanding the tool you are using. I will freely admit here, I'm not talking about out-and-out race car driving, but operating a vehicle in real world road conditions on the public roads.
I've spent just about as much time in 4WD's as RWD's or FWD's, again driving 4WD's in some of the most challenging conditions and challenging "roads" (and I use that term broadly) that one can imagine. A 4WD also has its advantages and disadvantages, and must be driven differently than a FWD or RWD vehicle. Again, know the tool that you are using.
As for engines, all have their advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I prefer diesel engines, partly because I've spent much of my life around them. I've also driven about every configuration of engine, 4 cylinder, inline 6, small displacement V-6, large displacement V-6, small block V8, large block V8, turbocharged gas engines, and turbocharged diesel engines, OHV engines, OHC and DOHC engines. All have good and bad points, and each may have an application for which it is best suited. So, "this engine is the best and forget the rest" statements are just shallow and stupid.
My impression is that the front wheel drive is better in the snow than rear wheel, but it seems like some posters think differently. I've never driven a rear wheel drive car so I don't much about the differences.
FWD does tend to go where you steer it when sliding around in snow, at least as long as you are going forward. For non-enthusiast drivers that don't "push the envelope" any at all, (what the Brits call "numpties") it's easier. But when you start sliding, with FWD you have to stay on the gas at least some, and the "numpties" probably won't do that, making it worse to "come around" on them.
Going up hill the weight transfer is all wrong, so you tend to lose traction with FWD sooner than RWD.
Likewise going down a slick hill, you are just about screwed from the get-go - the car is nose heavy, if you leave it in gear all the braking force is on the front wheels, if the rear starts to come around, you just about have to shift into neutral or get on the gas some. If you use the hand brake (assuming it works on the rear wheels only like most FWD setups) unless you are just the soul of skillful and careful control manipulations, you'll lock one or both rear tire and again it wants to come around.
Either RWD or FWD can be made to work, VW and Audi FWD cars have better balance and feel than most.
Surprised no one has mentioned so far the only thing I really don't like about Hondas - they tend to have no steering "feel" at all, at least the ones I have driven. It's like the steering wheel on an arcade game. Most RWD have so much less "stuff" on the front wheels so they tend to have decent feel - even my old Chevy Impala has decent steering feel.
Manual steering tends to have better feel IMHO than power - outfits like BMW take pains to make PS systems that are not at all "numb" but manufacturers aiming for a lower price point and with a less discerning core clientale - not so much.
Likewise going down a slick hill, you are just about screwed from the get-go - the car is nose heavy, if you leave it in gear all the braking force is on the front wheels, if the rear starts to come around, you just about have to shift into neutral or get on the gas some. If you use the hand brake (assuming it works on the rear wheels only like most FWD setups) unless you are just the soul of skillful and careful control manipulations, you'll lock one or both rear tire and again it wants to come around.
On very slick roads, the same thing can happen with a RWD car, but for a different reason, especially if the car has an automatic transmission and does not have ABS. When one applies the brakes on a RWD car, the front wheels, not being driven, will tend to lock easier. This removes steering control from the front wheels--meanwhile the brake application is likely insufficient to lock the still-driven (with an automatic transmission) rear wheels. The usual result is that the vehicle slides off of the road or into another vehicle. ABS can overcome this problem, but stopping distances can be long. The simple solution is to put the automatic transmission in neutral, removing the energy being sent to the rear wheels. Now, the front and rear wheels are being braked evenly and the front wheels are less likely to lock up. I've used this trick in RWD vehicles for 40 years with great success, but probably 99 out of 100 drivers don't know the trick.
Another problem can occur with 4WD's on slick downgrades. If left in 4WD (and many modern 4WD's leave you no choice), as soon as one turns the front-wheels, the front and rear wheels are no longer going the same effective distance, and the "back end may try to pass the front end" as they say. I always shift into 2WD on slick downgrades to prevent this problem, so that the front wheels are not "dragging." This is not nearly the issue with a FWD car, since the rear wheels are not driven, but "front-wheel dragging" on slick downgrades is admittedly a handling circumstance that FWD car drivers should keep in mind.
ABS will correct a number of sins on very slick roads, but it usually comes at the expense of much lengthened stopping distances. Far too many drivers make the mistaken assumption that ABS will shorten stopping distances on very slick roads, and many times that just is not true. The stop may be far more controlled and orderly, but shorter?--likely not.
Unless you are driving insanely over the speed limit, a FWD car will handle quite adequately for most drivers. I've spent my life driving on curvy mountain roads that would scare the hell out of most flatlanders. I've never lost control on a curve with a FWD car on those roads, despite driving rather, uh, enthusiastically at times. The key is understanding the tool you are using--in this case, the tool being the car. In quite bad winter driving conditions, I've never spun out in a FWD car, either. A FWD has different braking issues on slick roads compared to a RWD car, but, again, it's just a matter of understanding the tool you are using. I will freely admit here, I'm not talking about out-and-out race car driving, but operating a vehicle in real world road conditions on the public roads.
I've spent just about as much time in 4WD's as RWD's or FWD's, again driving 4WD's in some of the most challenging conditions and challenging "roads" (and I use that term broadly) that one can imagine. A 4WD also has its advantages and disadvantages, and must be driven differently than a FWD or RWD vehicle. Again, know the tool that you are using.
As for engines, all have their advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I prefer diesel engines, partly because I've spent much of my life around them. I've also driven about every configuration of engine, 4 cylinder, inline 6, small displacement V-6, large displacement V-6, small block V8, large block V8, turbocharged gas engines, and turbocharged diesel engines, OHV engines, OHC and DOHC engines. All have good and bad points, and each may have an application for which it is best suited. So, "this engine is the best and forget the rest" statements are just shallow and stupid.
Your previous post I pretty much completely disagreed with, and this post I pretty much completely agree with.
When I lived in Central New York in the early 90's and had to endure those lake effect snow storms with three feet of snow, I had a little FWD Dodge Omni...that thing got in and out of snow banks in the parking lots with ease. Never got stuck once. Same couldn't be said for my RWD vehicles (Olds Cutlass, and Ford T-Bird) which could never give me good traction in the snow or ice. RWD may have a better ride or drive better, but I'll take FWD for four seasons of driving any day.
rwd is even worse. With the engine weight OVER the drive wheels this happens even less then a rwd with no weight over the drive wheels. You are 100% incorrect. (Let it be known, I say FWD is only good for every day driver, NOT performance cars)
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
I have a couple of problemsm with FWD. First, on slippery conditions, with a stick, if you just barely touch the brake, it tends to lock the drive wheels, and may kill the engine, unless you clutch first, giving away your traction control. That might not be the case with anti-lock braking, I haven't had a car that new yet.
My impression is that the front wheel drive is better in the snow than rear wheel, but it seems like some posters think differently. I've never driven a rear wheel drive car so I don't much about the differences.
Anyone care to explain?
no, only a few think you are incorrect. FWD is superior to rwd in the snow. NO QUESTION.. You are correct. Hundreds of lbs ON the drive wheels tend to make for better bad traction in bad weather.. Simple physics..
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