You often hear driving enthusiasts lament the decline of rear-wheel drive. They cite a separation of steering and power, proper balance and the undeniable boost of excitement that comes from every rear-wheel drive car as the reasons for their sorrow of its slow demise and speak nostalgically of a time when almost all cars were rear-wheel drive.
While enthusiasts certainly have a point about the merits of rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive proliferation came about for practical reasons. The majority of cars on the road today are front-wheel drive — the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord , Kia Optima and Chevy Sonic are all popular models that have front-wheel drive standard. This is true for two main reasons: cost and better traction in poor weather conditions.
Front-wheel drive cars may sometimes be cheaper to produce due to fewer components and less complex manufacturing and tend to get better gas mileage, making them a great option for most shoppers. These two factors have led to a very positive perception of front-wheel drive cars. The problems with front-wheel drive arise when the car is pushed to its limits. Additionally, front-wheel drive cars are prone to torque steering.
Generally speaking, good traction in snow and rain makes your drive safer than if you were in a vehicle with rear wheel drive RWD. The downside of an FWD vehicle is that the handling suffers somewhat.
Front-wheel drive vehicles may also feature all-wheel drive. Vehicles that feature rear wheel drive are a bit more complicated. Power is transferred from the transmission to the rear wheels by way of a long driveshaft to a differential. RWD vehicles handle much better than front-wheel drive vehicles and you will notice the difference in curves, turns, and when navigating through traffic situations. This will come in handy when you pop the clutch at rpm. RIP drivetrain!
Some RWD sports cars can be real handfuls. Getting the maximum out of them without unsettling the car requires a lot of skill but results in ultimate satisfaction.
Not having everything cramped into one square metre makes it easier to work on some drivetrain components. Making a habit of kicking the back end out will inevitably result in wrapping your car around a tree. Please confirm you agree to the use of tracking cookies as outlined in the Cookies Policy.
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