Auto.com Says RWD better than FWD in Snow/Ice?
03-04-2004, 04:49 AM
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Auto.com Says RWD better than FWD in Snow/Ice?
Rear or front drive, drivers can decide
March 4, 2004
QUESTION: Is rear-wheel drive safe on snow and ice? ANSWER: Yes. A rear-wheel-drive car with traction control and an electronic stability program (ESP) is as safe or safer than a front-wheel-drive car on snow and ice. Q: How do the systems work? A: Traction control senses when the rear wheels begin to spin and applies the brakes or reduces engine power until the tires grip.
ESP adds a sensor to tell if the car is sliding sideways. It applies one or more brakes and reduces engine power until the car straightens out. The systems can work so subtly that the driver never realizes they are active.
Antilock brakes (ABS) and traction control are optional on the base model 300 and Magnum and standard on the mid-range models. ESP is standard on higher models of both cars. Q: What advantages does rear-wheel drive have? A: A rear-wheel drive car's weight is more evenly distributed from front to rear, which gives it better handling, like a skier crouched for balance.
This is because a rear-wheel-drive car's engine is at the front, followed by the transmission, driveshaft and some sort of axle and differential at the rear. All that is near the nose on a front-wheel-drive car.
A rear-wheel drive car also has room for a bigger engine and has better acceleration and control, because the front wheels don't have to balance two different jobs: steering and putting the power down.
Q: What are the drawbacks? A: The transmission and driveshaft leading to the rear wheels run through a tunnel that reduces passenger space slightly. Those components also add weight. Q: What advantages does FWD have? A: Most of the car's weight is over the front axle, which can help getting traction when starting out on snow or ice. The engine usually is mounted from right to left in the hood, which leaves more passenger room. Q: Why do police officers and cabbies prefer rear-wheel-drive cars? A: Because they have good handling, excellent acceleration, big backseats and trunks. They also have bigger, more rugged transmissions, because the rear-drive layout gives engineers more room to work with.
March 4, 2004
QUESTION: Is rear-wheel drive safe on snow and ice? ANSWER: Yes. A rear-wheel-drive car with traction control and an electronic stability program (ESP) is as safe or safer than a front-wheel-drive car on snow and ice. Q: How do the systems work? A: Traction control senses when the rear wheels begin to spin and applies the brakes or reduces engine power until the tires grip.
ESP adds a sensor to tell if the car is sliding sideways. It applies one or more brakes and reduces engine power until the car straightens out. The systems can work so subtly that the driver never realizes they are active.
Antilock brakes (ABS) and traction control are optional on the base model 300 and Magnum and standard on the mid-range models. ESP is standard on higher models of both cars. Q: What advantages does rear-wheel drive have? A: A rear-wheel drive car's weight is more evenly distributed from front to rear, which gives it better handling, like a skier crouched for balance.
This is because a rear-wheel-drive car's engine is at the front, followed by the transmission, driveshaft and some sort of axle and differential at the rear. All that is near the nose on a front-wheel-drive car.
A rear-wheel drive car also has room for a bigger engine and has better acceleration and control, because the front wheels don't have to balance two different jobs: steering and putting the power down.
Q: What are the drawbacks? A: The transmission and driveshaft leading to the rear wheels run through a tunnel that reduces passenger space slightly. Those components also add weight. Q: What advantages does FWD have? A: Most of the car's weight is over the front axle, which can help getting traction when starting out on snow or ice. The engine usually is mounted from right to left in the hood, which leaves more passenger room. Q: Why do police officers and cabbies prefer rear-wheel-drive cars? A: Because they have good handling, excellent acceleration, big backseats and trunks. They also have bigger, more rugged transmissions, because the rear-drive layout gives engineers more room to work with.
i think this is just some propaganda as auto.com is detroit based and very big 3 friendly who are coming out with a onslaught of rwd v8 models
03-04-2004, 06:09 AM
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Yeah Joel...that's propaganda. FWD is so much easier to control in deep snow/slush. I drove an 04 Lincoln LS V8 with traction and yaw control and all that BS in a heavy snowtorm, and it was lots harder to control than my Accord. The electronic aids helped the car to stay in line, but it was hard t initially accelerate and once you lost traction and started to slide you were DONE.
03-04-2004, 12:47 PM
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Well, when Detroit was pushing front wheel drive it was saying the same thing about front wheel drive being better in the snow.
Even with traction control, a rwd car is not going to be that great in the snow unless it has reasonably good tires. Also not every traction where rwd is at a disadvantage can be helped by traction control.
Oh well. We all know you need snow tires to get proper snow traction.
Even with traction control, a rwd car is not going to be that great in the snow unless it has reasonably good tires. Also not every traction where rwd is at a disadvantage can be helped by traction control.
Oh well. We all know you need snow tires to get proper snow traction.
03-04-2004, 12:52 PM
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The first car I ever owned was a 1985 Buick Regal with a carbed version of the 231 and a 3 speed auto driving the rear wheels. I had studded snow tires and 100 lbs of sand in the trunk and I still had trouble getting up hills in snow. RWD is not bad once you are going (just don't make a sudden move with the steering wheel), but getting going was always a chore. Granted, in the days when that car was built (and before) no one had a FWD car, so people made due. So you learned how the car works in bad weather and you drive accordingly. That thing certainly didn't have traction control or ABS. I think I could still get along with a RWD car, though. Like I said, you just have to drive cautiously (and only go down the hill).
03-04-2004, 01:25 PM
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The worst thing about RWD in snow and slippery conditions is when the rear of the car goes in its own way perpendicular to the direction your going, even at moderate speed in a straight line and/or turn.
With FWD, you can just easily give it a little gas when your car starts to fishtail and it'll correct itself right away (just don't make sudden brakes). With RWD, it involves tricky steering and more time and area (and hope you don't hit the car around you) to fix a fishtailing car.
With FWD, you can just easily give it a little gas when your car starts to fishtail and it'll correct itself right away (just don't make sudden brakes). With RWD, it involves tricky steering and more time and area (and hope you don't hit the car around you) to fix a fishtailing car.
03-04-2004, 03:10 PM
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The only way I can get my RX to move in the snow is to let it go about 10-20 degrees sideways. After about 10mph it straightens itself out.
All while the little Civics don't even have to think, just gas and go.
All while the little Civics don't even have to think, just gas and go.