Teaming these advantages with a set of good winter tires can turn your FWD vehicle into a very capable winter ride. RWD is common on sports cars, muscle cars, trucks and truck-based SUVs, and usually allows a more even weight distribution and better handling in ideal driving conditions.
This is because the front wheels are responsible for steering while the rear wheels are tasked with sending power to the road. Rear-wheel drive is less than ideal for driving in the snow.
If you live in an area where measurable snow is infrequent or even rare — southern states, for example — driving a RWD vehicle is less of an issue. In most situations, RWD vehicles have less weight over the driven wheels than a FWD, AWD or 4WD vehicle, so they will have more difficulty accelerating on icy roads and a greater possibility of losing control of the rear of the car.
A good set of winter tires can be a tremendous help in giving these vehicles secure traction and handling in snowy and icy conditions. Where you live should determine the type of drivetrain you look for in a vehicle.
If you live in an area with heavy snowfall, the best option will be AWD or 4WD coupled with good winter tires. The tires themselves aside, you also need patience to prep your vehicle for the snowy season.
That means setting aside time to have your three-season tires swapped with the winter tires, waiting for the work to be done and properly storing your three-season tires. Do you need four winter tires or just two? The biggest advantage of all-wheel drive systems is their superior traction. Since all four wheels are capable of propelling the vehicle forward, it can continue to drive even if one or two wheels lose traction due to slippery surfaces such as ice, snow or mud. Some all-wheel-drive cars and minivans only direct power to the rear wheels when the front wheels begin to slip, but even this part-time application is useful as it provides added traction when it is needed.
Performance and handling are additional reasons for some cars to be equipped with all-wheel drive. Sports cars take advantage of the additional traction even on dry surfaces to achieve faster acceleration times.
In these cases, four-wheel-drive wheels means that more of the engine's power can be transferred to the road immediately. Steering is also improved in all-wheel drive vehicles, as the front wheels can be more devoted to steering gaining sideways traction than driving gaining forward traction.
Part of the performance advantage of all-wheel drive systems comes from their better weight distribution. One of the reasons many people buy a traditional sport-utility vehicle is for the extra security and traction of four-wheel drive.
Though having power delivered to all four wheels increases straight-line traction, it does nothing to improve braking, and most systems have little to no effect on cornering. Drivers can be fooled into traveling too quickly in slippery conditions with an AWD or 4WD vehicle, only to discover they are going far too fast when trying to stop.
Because the added traction of 4WD can allow a vehicle to accelerate more quickly in slippery conditions, drivers need to be more vigilant, not less. Slippery conditions demand extra caution, no matter what you drive. In many cases, having good tires is more important than the drive wheels. Photo: Acura Photo: Acura. Since , Consumer Reports has been testing products and working to create a fairer, safer, and healthier marketplace. Click here to learn more about Consumer Reports' mission as a nonprofit organization.
To help support our work, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. You can also show support by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter. We respect your privacy. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. How It Works: 2WD vs. AWD vs. By Consumer Reports. July 17, Photo: Stellantis. As for 2WD vs. Front-Wheel Drive. Rear-Wheel Drive. All-Wheel Drive. Four-Wheel Drive.
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