RWD with 4wd. RWD handles 95+% of driving just fine. I only really need to switch into 4wd for specific situations like driving in certain offroad conditions or snow/ice. AWD is less effective in those specific scenarios and less efficient the rest of the time.
There have now been way too many Subaru and other truly "cars" sold with AWD, with at most lets say 1% of them having any option for a low range, for that statistic to hold up.
Majority of AWD vehicles sold (at least in the states) are still SUVs, and from what I have seen they have all-time AWD, and 4L and 4H almost always. AWD cars probably less likely to offer anything other then AWD, but the number of Subarus is dwarfed by number of domestic SUVs like Explorers, Durangos, Traverse, Tahoes, whatever that have AWD and 4H and 4L selections. I probably overstates the %, but in the US I would still say safely in the majority as we buy more of these types of vehicles.
Check the sales number and config of small SUV's equipped with AWD again---- The majority are transverse engined, and having low range with a transverse FWD based drivetrain is incredible scarce. Poke around how the power transfer unit / power take off units work and you'll see how they're such a cheap/compact way to add AWD, and make it impossible to give a low range option.
This is not true for most vehicles. Some can be sure, but I consider those to be 4WD and not AWD. I’m not talking about GX470s, but something like a crosstrek or a RAV4
What AWD cars have 2 speed transfer cases? Ive never seen one. Ive only been in Subaru, Lexus, BMW, Audi, and Honda with AWD so maybe I'm missing a AWD car maker somewhere.
Having said that, my Audi was incredible in the snow going through the Million Dollar Highway to Ouray and through to Telluride in 14" of fresh snow a couple years ago.
Who’s taking a Subaru in 2 feet of snow? Most talk of driving in snow” is snowy road conditions. Snow covered, maybe an inch or two, rarely even touching bumpers. I can do donuts all day in my AWD VW golf with snow tires in 4-6” of snow. And drive right around all the Buicks skidding all over. But I’m not busting a 2’ drift and that’s ok lol
AWD is not 4x4. An AWD system allows the front and rear axles to spin at different rates. With 4x4 the front and rear axles are locked together. For example, making a tight turn in a 4x4 on pavement will cause the tires skip and cherp.
This is an old and tired argument. Awd is a lot more capable nowadays than it was 20-40 years ago. It is still true that dedicated 4x4 is better in offroad scenarios for the most part, but there are actually some scenarios where a modern awd system is actually more capable than 4x4, even for extreme scenarios. Is a subaru going to go rock crawling? Hell no. But in soft trail material conditions (mud, sand, snow, slush) a lot of times modern awd with selectable modes can perform better.
Most people in the world won’t encounter snow when driving. However when you live in a place with snowy mountains, the difference between 4x4 and AWD is important.
I grew up in Vermont. I get it. Some of my friends kept a shitbox truck with a plow just to get out of their own driveway sometimes lol. Anecdotally though, I drove my friend’s Subaru Impreza once with studded snow tires, holy shit that thing was a beast.
Yeah I did that in my mom’s fwd Chevy lumina minivan in high school too lol. But it was flat or a little downhill and had good tires. Uphill in heavy wet snow forget about it.
That's a clearance problem and has nothing to do with the drive train.
I've also driven a ridiculously heavy Lexus GS350 AWD in 18 inches of freshly fallen snow for like 50+ miles passing lots of 4WD trucks with no weight in their bed on multiple occasions, so I'm not the best person to ask.
Double lockers sure, but you would be HELLA surprised what a wrx with winter tires can handle. Most people would think 2ft of snow is a death sentence and it really isn't most of the time.
Plus I dont have to stack sandbags in the back to get traction lol
I'd take a Forester with snow tires in 2ft of snow over a truck unless we're like, trying to climb a mountain or tow something through the snow. The clearance is good enough and they've got a better weight distribution.
It's the lockers there that make the difference (and the ground clearance. The 4wd vs awd is essentially no difference. Once the module on my rear axle engages the clutch, the rear axle is mechanically linked to the front much the same as a transfer case setup. Definitely not as robust a setup, but fpr traction purposes it's no different. Open diffs, on either setup, will definitely still allow wheel slippage across axles.
I've taken my trucks through some pretty rough shit without mud tires and never got stuck. Either way, the conditions that awd provides a benefit, rwd can handle just fine. For conditions that are too extreme for awd, 4wd handles it.
I think maybe my bias is the fact that mine is a manual so I have more control on top of awd. I will agree 100% that ground clearance plays a major factor and anything with 4wd wins that over my wrx lol. Double locks also would secure the w there.
Also maybe the manual wrx is simply more capable than pretty much anything else that's awd so it could just be an outlier for the category. It's incredibly capable.
We all have our biases, but yeah a manual wrx is a major outlier for most awd vehicles. Awd is great for a lot of situations. My bias is just the conditions I drive in. Like most of the time its normal road conditions, but occasionally its driving around an unpredictably muddy jobsite or washed out trail, through heavy snow storm, etc.
Yea you had it at washed out trail lol. I'd get high centered in a hurry out there without a lift, and even then it's not like I'm lifting a wrx 6in 🤣
I am curious tho, with modern vehicles being cvt and most vehicles with 4wd being built as pavement princesses from factory, which one (base package) do you think gets stuck first in most situations for the average driver? Still awd?
I mean "stuck" kind of puts it squarely on the 4wd. Even with road tires, 4wd shoukd keep all the wheels spinning which will outperform any awd system that I'm familiar with in getting out of a "stuck" situation. Awd shines when its either helping you get around quickly in slippery conditions, or keeping less capable drivers from having problems in slippery conditions.
People who haven't driven an old AWD Subaru don't give them the credit they deserve. They'll never 100% compete with a 4WD, but they can handle some stupid shit, lol.
Oh, I'm not arguing with anyone, just saying. I have a '98 Forester with skidplates and a 2" puck lift, and a '02 Forester woods toy with the same, it's not just the WRX that are very capable off road.
Searching for "subaru offroad" on YouTube shows how tough and capable the old Subies were/are.
You don’t want to drive something with a locked center differential on snowy roads. Deep snow, getting out of a parking lot, steep driveway, sure, lock as many as you can. But any kind of speed and you need open diffs to turn or you could spin.
Locked center is fine for winter roads. The speed difference between the axles is small enough that it won't cause you to spin. It's just axle lockers that are dangerous.
Tell that to the Jeep Liberty I spun once lol. Luckily it was a fairly level side road and nobody was around. It was way more capable than I ever expected in deep snow with good tires tho.
For less than 8' of snow I actually preferred my Subaru over my Tacoma (i now drive an SUV). The locked centre diff in 4x4 gives you less control going around corners than the open diff in an AWD. For heavier snow and driving up logging roads, the 4x4 all the way.
For handling my favorite is usually Subaru style all wheel drive, for inclement weather and off roading I want real 4x4 with a transfer case. Daily driver or low power fun cars I'm happy with FWD.
Awd launches are amazing and winters are horrible where I’m at so rwd would be useless, wouldn’t consider buying a Fwd car in the first place and if I could I’d get a Rwd I would100%, just not very practical for me personally
AWD with front bias. 95% of people would be fine with a FWD for almost the entirety of the year. But for the days where the weather turns to crap (snow mainly) or you take it on a dirt road, then you have the AWD to give you a little extra help.
My 24 Terrain has adjustable dive that you can change. 2wd normal for better gas mileage, AWD for bad weather. Then AWD low. My previous 17 only had no options but did not get the same gas mileage, My Frontier has the normal 4WD. Makes not much difference. The type of tires you have will have some effect on your travel. With snow on the ground, why go out? You get all that brine on you vehicle and hasten it rusting out. Plan ahead.
I have never driven an AWD car but if I can't drive in the snow with FWD I'll drive my truck with 4WD. If that doesn't work I should probably stay home.
Depends on the context but almost always AWD. It’s best of both worlds and then some. More traction, only a small efficiency penalty in most cases and better handling.
Unfortunately there aren’t as many options for AWD so my second choice is FWD. I know as a car guy I’m supposed to say RWD, and it has its place, but for most things on the street FWD is better. It performs better in low traction like rain and snow, it’s more predictable, and generally it’s better packaged. It can also be easier to work on.
Fwd with all season tires have worked well in the Midwest for me. If the snow is above the bumper, not so much, otherwise I'm good. It is underrated in comparison.
There's a couple different flavors of AWD, some handle more like FWD and some more like RWD.
My ranking is: RWD, rear bias AWD, true AWD, front biased AWD, FWD.
The reason is, the dynamics of sending the power to the rear wheels is just simply better. It's More balanced, and you can get oversteer at the limit. Even when you're not at the limit, you can feel RWD in the way the car handles corners.
Fwd. I live in an area where we get normally 6” of snow. Have seen 3 ft, have seen less.
I drive 120 miles round trip to work. If it starts snowing when I leave home, I take the fwd. I have yet to get stuck (keep chains in the back just in case… they’ve never been open)
If there was a foot of snow and the roads haven’t been plowed yet, I would take my 4wd suv.
I’d rather have fwd in slick conditions than rwd. My normal trip doesn’t take me places where I can lock in 4wd and leave it.
I could go awd but would rather not suffer the efficiency hit for the 2% driving that I could use it over fwd.
I enjoy rwd the most when I rent one. I only owned fwd cars until two years ago. I own a Giulia Q4 now, it's 100% rwd until tires lose traction. Probably not as effective as always-awd cars. I actually floored it a couple of times on two inch snow and the car stayed straight the whole time. I guess front wheels kick in pretty quickly. Anyway, I'll probably go for a rwd car when it's time for the next move.
All my cars have been rwd, so my preference is rwd, limited slip diff, front or mid engine. My wife's first car was fwd, and she said she couldn't feel the difference. Having rwd all my life, whenever I drove a fwd, it felt noticably weird to me having the power and driving together. She liked there was more room inside and no tunnel. It seems more stable to me to separate the power and steering with the weight transfer to the back when accelerating. Now she has been driving a rwd, she can definitely tell the difference and prefers rwd, even if smaller inside because of tunnel.
I drive a fwd car. In sim racing i prefer FWD, its just easier to control and more predictable than rwd and much harder to oversteer and spin out. fwd cars are also cheaper.
Or we ignoring Honda racing history. Their is reason why the type R is so popular. It fine if you don't prefer but it isn't crazy to race a fwd car. Matter of fact if you just starting to learn how to race it make sense to go FWD
For a fun focused car with a manual, I prefer RWD, but also enjoy FWD hot hatches/sport compacts. Call me a weirdo, but I actually like the drama/wheelspin of 2WD. AWD gets boring to me on the street because it feels too easy to just mash the gas and let the AWD figure out where to put the power, no matter what, when, or how you do it.
For a daily though, boring is the name of the game. Hard to beat AWD/4WD for convenience, especially speaking as someone who has to deal with Canadian weather.
RWD for the fast fun car, AWD for the family wagon so I don't have to worry about a little snow or mild offroading for camping and stuff, FWD for my little sporty daily.
If I had to pick just one it would be AWD in something like a WRX wagon.
AWD. So nice to have when you have to pull out onto the highway from gravel or in rainy conditions to not slip. Also very nice to not get stuck when you come to a stop in snow.
Depends on situation, but if I had to pick one AWD. Traction is fun. That being said, depends on application and needs. Had a 1100+hp rwd car for years, sold it and now have a 850hp AWD car, and it is so much more fun.
In a perfect world optional AWD with a driven rear wheels.
If it needs to permanently be one of those it's AWD with at the very least a 40:60 split by default and 20:80 possible. Rear diff 100:0 split. I really want to try the new AWD system of the RS5.
I really don’t care. I’m good with any drive type but my current and previous 2 vehicles have been AWD, even though I live in a warm climate where it only snows 1-2 times a year.
I’m the least likely to own RWD, simply because most of the vehicles that come RWD just aren’t my bag. I’m a CUV/hatchback guy, I’m just not that into coupes, sedans, or pickups.
Car itself makes a big difference. There’s cars that feel great to drive and are fwd. there’s cars that suck to drive and are rwd. But all else equal, rwd
People also have to remember that not all AWD cars are the same. Some claim AWD but it’s like still %80 front wheel, and under certain conditions one or 2 wheels aren’t even spinning.
True AWD with lots of torque is incredible. Instant grip and rip. For regular spirited road driving, the cornering is the same. For a track I’d probably stick with RWD for twisties.
I have a 2020 Mustang GT. I get beat at the light by regular traffic. I have better tires too. But 460hp/420ftlbs in 1st and 2nd gear will spin every time.
queefymacncheese@reddit
RWD with 4wd. RWD handles 95+% of driving just fine. I only really need to switch into 4wd for specific situations like driving in certain offroad conditions or snow/ice. AWD is less effective in those specific scenarios and less efficient the rest of the time.
ceeday2156@reddit
Awd is definitely not less effective in snow/ice/wet conditions. Thats either operator error or bad tires
boofskootinboogie@reddit
Depends on how deep the snow is. A Subaru is not going to be as effective in 2ft of snow as a truck with 4wd and double lockers
JCC114@reddit
Most AWD vehicles can be put in 4wd low/high or AWD. Will still have your 4x4 options with a AWD 95% of the time.
qkdsm7@reddit
There have now been way too many Subaru and other truly "cars" sold with AWD, with at most lets say 1% of them having any option for a low range, for that statistic to hold up.
JCC114@reddit
Majority of AWD vehicles sold (at least in the states) are still SUVs, and from what I have seen they have all-time AWD, and 4L and 4H almost always. AWD cars probably less likely to offer anything other then AWD, but the number of Subarus is dwarfed by number of domestic SUVs like Explorers, Durangos, Traverse, Tahoes, whatever that have AWD and 4H and 4L selections. I probably overstates the %, but in the US I would still say safely in the majority as we buy more of these types of vehicles.
qkdsm7@reddit
Check the sales number and config of small SUV's equipped with AWD again---- The majority are transverse engined, and having low range with a transverse FWD based drivetrain is incredible scarce. Poke around how the power transfer unit / power take off units work and you'll see how they're such a cheap/compact way to add AWD, and make it impossible to give a low range option.
boofskootinboogie@reddit
This is not true for most vehicles. Some can be sure, but I consider those to be 4WD and not AWD. I’m not talking about GX470s, but something like a crosstrek or a RAV4
ceeday2156@reddit
Yea I left this one alone bc it's patently false
voidedwarantee@reddit
Every time I ask someone on reddit what makes 4WD and AWD different, I get a different answer. Sometimes a truly wacky answer.
I've also seen the same vehicle be advertised as AWD in the US, and 4WD in other countries. So I think the confusion comes from the top.
FLOHTX@reddit
What AWD cars have 2 speed transfer cases? Ive never seen one. Ive only been in Subaru, Lexus, BMW, Audi, and Honda with AWD so maybe I'm missing a AWD car maker somewhere.
Having said that, my Audi was incredible in the snow going through the Million Dollar Highway to Ouray and through to Telluride in 14" of fresh snow a couple years ago.
voidedwarantee@reddit
Subaru sold some 5 speed manual foresters with a 2 speed transfer case outside the US.
Big77Ben2@reddit
Who’s taking a Subaru in 2 feet of snow? Most talk of driving in snow” is snowy road conditions. Snow covered, maybe an inch or two, rarely even touching bumpers. I can do donuts all day in my AWD VW golf with snow tires in 4-6” of snow. And drive right around all the Buicks skidding all over. But I’m not busting a 2’ drift and that’s ok lol
boofskootinboogie@reddit
A Subaru is completely adequate for snow on street. My fiancé has a forester and the thing is a beast.
I’m just saying that AWD is not as capable in a lot of situations as a 4x4
normaldeath2@reddit
Subaru AWD is 4x4 obviously clearance is a important part of snow driving so lower Subarus can still be screwed in the snow at some point.
LiveMarionberry3694@reddit
Awd isn’t 4x4.
4x4 is almost always referred to as a vehicle with a transfer case and low range
CicadaHead3317@reddit
My ex-girlfriend had an older subi with a transfer case and low range.
LiveMarionberry3694@reddit
Yeah but those are 4wd/4x4, now they’re all awd
EnlightenedCorncob@reddit
AWD is not 4x4. An AWD system allows the front and rear axles to spin at different rates. With 4x4 the front and rear axles are locked together. For example, making a tight turn in a 4x4 on pavement will cause the tires skip and cherp.
ShittyPhoneSupport@reddit
This is an old and tired argument. Awd is a lot more capable nowadays than it was 20-40 years ago. It is still true that dedicated 4x4 is better in offroad scenarios for the most part, but there are actually some scenarios where a modern awd system is actually more capable than 4x4, even for extreme scenarios. Is a subaru going to go rock crawling? Hell no. But in soft trail material conditions (mud, sand, snow, slush) a lot of times modern awd with selectable modes can perform better.
Big77Ben2@reddit
Situations most people avoid or won’t encounter.
boofskootinboogie@reddit
Most people in the world won’t encounter snow when driving. However when you live in a place with snowy mountains, the difference between 4x4 and AWD is important.
Big77Ben2@reddit
I grew up in Vermont. I get it. Some of my friends kept a shitbox truck with a plow just to get out of their own driveway sometimes lol. Anecdotally though, I drove my friend’s Subaru Impreza once with studded snow tires, holy shit that thing was a beast.
Ragnar-Wave9002@reddit
And a truck with trax on it is even better.
ceeday2156@reddit
When I have a couple hundred grand to blow, I'll get it lol
boofskootinboogie@reddit
Goals af
FlashlightBattle@reddit
I have gone through snow that was coming over the hood. I simply don’t stop. If I did I may have gotten stuck.
Big77Ben2@reddit
Yeah I did that in my mom’s fwd Chevy lumina minivan in high school too lol. But it was flat or a little downhill and had good tires. Uphill in heavy wet snow forget about it.
Opposite-Program8490@reddit
That brings back some fun memories.
There was nothing like riding through a snowstorm in a lumina van. That insanely angled windshield made it seem like riding in a space ship.
Unable_Try1305@reddit
That's a clearance problem and has nothing to do with the drive train.
I've also driven a ridiculously heavy Lexus GS350 AWD in 18 inches of freshly fallen snow for like 50+ miles passing lots of 4WD trucks with no weight in their bed on multiple occasions, so I'm not the best person to ask.
ceeday2156@reddit
Double lockers sure, but you would be HELLA surprised what a wrx with winter tires can handle. Most people would think 2ft of snow is a death sentence and it really isn't most of the time.
Plus I dont have to stack sandbags in the back to get traction lol
Adorable-Reward8523@reddit
Lol bull shit.
ceeday2156@reddit
👍🏻
Adorable-Reward8523@reddit
Ground clearance matters .
ceeday2156@reddit
👍🏻
Adorable-Reward8523@reddit
Weight matters as well.
boofskootinboogie@reddit
I know they’re capable af, my lady has a forester and that thing rips through the snow
psuwxman@reddit
Yeah but this is a ground clearance issue and not a 4WD vs AWD issue.
MtHood_OR@reddit
99 out of 100 ski days, but then there the unforgettable storms and a lot of Suubs stuck, and boy those are the best ski ski days.
fireball_jones@reddit
I'd take a Forester with snow tires in 2ft of snow over a truck unless we're like, trying to climb a mountain or tow something through the snow. The clearance is good enough and they've got a better weight distribution.
TheGrandTiax@reddit
It's the lockers there that make the difference (and the ground clearance. The 4wd vs awd is essentially no difference. Once the module on my rear axle engages the clutch, the rear axle is mechanically linked to the front much the same as a transfer case setup. Definitely not as robust a setup, but fpr traction purposes it's no different. Open diffs, on either setup, will definitely still allow wheel slippage across axles.
Ragnar-Wave9002@reddit
I've seen Subarus do some crazy shit. IUf there is so much snow a subaru can't get through it, you should probably not be driving.
queefymacncheese@reddit
Its absolutely less effective in thick snow and heavy mud.
ceeday2156@reddit
Heavy mud wasn't one of the conditions we were talking about. And unless you put offroad/mud tires on, a truck is just as screwed
queefymacncheese@reddit
I've taken my trucks through some pretty rough shit without mud tires and never got stuck. Either way, the conditions that awd provides a benefit, rwd can handle just fine. For conditions that are too extreme for awd, 4wd handles it.
ceeday2156@reddit
I think maybe my bias is the fact that mine is a manual so I have more control on top of awd. I will agree 100% that ground clearance plays a major factor and anything with 4wd wins that over my wrx lol. Double locks also would secure the w there.
Also maybe the manual wrx is simply more capable than pretty much anything else that's awd so it could just be an outlier for the category. It's incredibly capable.
queefymacncheese@reddit
We all have our biases, but yeah a manual wrx is a major outlier for most awd vehicles. Awd is great for a lot of situations. My bias is just the conditions I drive in. Like most of the time its normal road conditions, but occasionally its driving around an unpredictably muddy jobsite or washed out trail, through heavy snow storm, etc.
ceeday2156@reddit
Yea you had it at washed out trail lol. I'd get high centered in a hurry out there without a lift, and even then it's not like I'm lifting a wrx 6in 🤣
I am curious tho, with modern vehicles being cvt and most vehicles with 4wd being built as pavement princesses from factory, which one (base package) do you think gets stuck first in most situations for the average driver? Still awd?
queefymacncheese@reddit
I mean "stuck" kind of puts it squarely on the 4wd. Even with road tires, 4wd shoukd keep all the wheels spinning which will outperform any awd system that I'm familiar with in getting out of a "stuck" situation. Awd shines when its either helping you get around quickly in slippery conditions, or keeping less capable drivers from having problems in slippery conditions.
somewhatsentientape@reddit
People who haven't driven an old AWD Subaru don't give them the credit they deserve. They'll never 100% compete with a 4WD, but they can handle some stupid shit, lol.
ceeday2156@reddit
He did say the manual wrx is a huge outlier. The rest of the awd category tho... does get smoked by 4wd
FLOHTX@reddit
I have an S4 with Quattro, and have driven BMW X drive. Their LSD and torque vectoring are really quite capable.
somewhatsentientape@reddit
Oh, I'm not arguing with anyone, just saying. I have a '98 Forester with skidplates and a 2" puck lift, and a '02 Forester woods toy with the same, it's not just the WRX that are very capable off road.
Searching for "subaru offroad" on YouTube shows how tough and capable the old Subies were/are.
Big77Ben2@reddit
You don’t want to drive something with a locked center differential on snowy roads. Deep snow, getting out of a parking lot, steep driveway, sure, lock as many as you can. But any kind of speed and you need open diffs to turn or you could spin.
Gubbtratt1@reddit
Locked center is fine for winter roads. The speed difference between the axles is small enough that it won't cause you to spin. It's just axle lockers that are dangerous.
Big77Ben2@reddit
Tell that to the Jeep Liberty I spun once lol. Luckily it was a fairly level side road and nobody was around. It was way more capable than I ever expected in deep snow with good tires tho.
queefymacncheese@reddit
I'm not bothering with 4wd unless its extremely heavy snow or deep mud. RWD works just fine on everything else.
Big77Ben2@reddit
Especially with good tires!
stacksmasher@reddit
This is the correct answer.
Grreatdog@reddit
I understand your point. But then I'm a land surveyor that actually needs 4WD occasionally.
Most of the time RWD is fine. Especially with offroad traction control so good now.
But there are times when I need low range with the transfer case mechanically locked.
powe808@reddit
For less than 8' of snow I actually preferred my Subaru over my Tacoma (i now drive an SUV). The locked centre diff in 4x4 gives you less control going around corners than the open diff in an AWD. For heavier snow and driving up logging roads, the 4x4 all the way.
Danielle_is_the_hole@reddit
There is no legal definition of 4wd vs awd. Many cars that are now called awd were initially marketed as 4wd. In europe, 4wd is used more commonly.
I know the traditional distinction in the usa, but that is just marketing.
Ground clearance and full locking drivelines would obviously be better. Still just a version if awd
LandCruiser76@reddit
This is the way.
No_Yogurtcloset_9605@reddit
Horses for courses.
For handling my favorite is usually Subaru style all wheel drive, for inclement weather and off roading I want real 4x4 with a transfer case. Daily driver or low power fun cars I'm happy with FWD.
Tidyb0wl@reddit
RWD, then FWD then AWD. AWD is boring, no drama, and I live where there is no snow.
Affectionate-Web164@reddit
Awd launches are amazing and winters are horrible where I’m at so rwd would be useless, wouldn’t consider buying a Fwd car in the first place and if I could I’d get a Rwd I would100%, just not very practical for me personally
Middle-Gas-6532@reddit
All I have driven is FWD. Where I live RWD cars are almost non-existent and AWD are not in my budget.
CurveComfortable3212@reddit
AWD with front bias. 95% of people would be fine with a FWD for almost the entirety of the year. But for the days where the weather turns to crap (snow mainly) or you take it on a dirt road, then you have the AWD to give you a little extra help.
Spacekook_@reddit
I rather a rwd but in a car I would take awd
CicadaHead3317@reddit
Rear biased awd. Quattro with sports diff
Beautiful_Ad_4813@reddit
Greatly depends on manufacture, whether im just cruising, off roading (like trails) or getting mg ass out of deep snow
Sweatyfatmess@reddit
RWD on dry pavement. AWD everywhere else. Duh.
jayfbm@reddit
RWD, love the handling dynamics.
AWD is only fun in a straight line from a stop. Really dislike the handling dynamics of AWD.
FWD can be fun in the handling dynamics department too if you have a car set up right
No_Mushroom3078@reddit
It depends on the application. Daily driving FWD, track/performance applications are RWD, rally/desert/snow/rain AWD.
FreeSp1r1ted@reddit
NWD. No Wheel Drive. I want to fly!!!
Superb-Photograph529@reddit
Oh boy, do the Wright brothers have an invention for you!
Superb-Photograph529@reddit
If you're answer isn't RWD then you are wrong.
radomed@reddit
My 24 Terrain has adjustable dive that you can change. 2wd normal for better gas mileage, AWD for bad weather. Then AWD low. My previous 17 only had no options but did not get the same gas mileage, My Frontier has the normal 4WD. Makes not much difference. The type of tires you have will have some effect on your travel. With snow on the ground, why go out? You get all that brine on you vehicle and hasten it rusting out. Plan ahead.
Which-Priority-5177@reddit
Fork spoon or knife argument. But rwd for me.
0peRightBehindYa@reddit
I love my RWD modern land yachts.
BeastyBaiter@reddit
RWD, fwd should be banned as being inherently unsafe. It's just a cost cutting measure. AWD and 4wd are great in the snow and dirt though.
Total-Improvement535@reddit
RWD until it snows and then I wish I had one of the other two
411592@reddit
How much HP we talkin?
BroodingSonata@reddit
AWD for daily; RWD for fun car.
HungryYeastStarter@reddit
FWD with that real time AWD.
I had a 1st gen CRV that had it, and the thing just tanked whatever bad weather was thrown at it.
External-Age7446@reddit
Awd
KittiesRule1968@reddit
AWD for my daily and RWD for my fun cars, although I do have a 51 year old front wheel drive car in the fun car collection.
LiveMarionberry3694@reddit
4wd
treadmarked24@reddit
RWD
MentalTelephone5080@reddit
In a sedan or minivan FWD makes sense.
In a truck or big SUV RWD with 4x4 makes sense.
I have never driven an AWD car but if I can't drive in the snow with FWD I'll drive my truck with 4WD. If that doesn't work I should probably stay home.
Sweet_Speech_9054@reddit
Depends on the context but almost always AWD. It’s best of both worlds and then some. More traction, only a small efficiency penalty in most cases and better handling.
Unfortunately there aren’t as many options for AWD so my second choice is FWD. I know as a car guy I’m supposed to say RWD, and it has its place, but for most things on the street FWD is better. It performs better in low traction like rain and snow, it’s more predictable, and generally it’s better packaged. It can also be easier to work on.
maybach320@reddit
AWD, 4WD, RWD, and FWD in that order
bflave@reddit
Anyone want to give me a brief easily understandable comparison of all three? I know the basic difference, but what would the preference be for?
joebobbydon@reddit
Fwd with all season tires have worked well in the Midwest for me. If the snow is above the bumper, not so much, otherwise I'm good. It is underrated in comparison.
Outlier70@reddit
AWD for me. I live in North East US. If I was in the south maybe RWD. But FWD might be okay depending on the car.
gutentight69420@reddit
There's a couple different flavors of AWD, some handle more like FWD and some more like RWD.
My ranking is: RWD, rear bias AWD, true AWD, front biased AWD, FWD.
The reason is, the dynamics of sending the power to the rear wheels is just simply better. It's More balanced, and you can get oversteer at the limit. Even when you're not at the limit, you can feel RWD in the way the car handles corners.
Never_mind_honey@reddit
RWD for all applications. Even in the snow, snow much fun.
Khidorahian@reddit
RWD w/ toggable 4ws. best all of all worlds.
lucerndia@reddit
Grew up in WI with FWD mainly. Finally bought an AWD last year and wow do I love it for the snow.
iAmAsword@reddit
Yes
backflip14@reddit
A rear biased AWD system is pretty ideal in my book. Got the AWD capabilities for when I have to deal with snow and primarily RWD for everything else.
PerformerBrief5881@reddit
there is a reason most modern supercars run awd with the ability to adjust %.
LightningMcqueen2011@reddit (OP)
Same too
firm_hand-shakes@reddit
Fwd. I live in an area where we get normally 6” of snow. Have seen 3 ft, have seen less.
I drive 120 miles round trip to work. If it starts snowing when I leave home, I take the fwd. I have yet to get stuck (keep chains in the back just in case… they’ve never been open)
If there was a foot of snow and the roads haven’t been plowed yet, I would take my 4wd suv.
I’d rather have fwd in slick conditions than rwd. My normal trip doesn’t take me places where I can lock in 4wd and leave it.
I could go awd but would rather not suffer the efficiency hit for the 2% driving that I could use it over fwd.
mehmetunalb@reddit
I enjoy rwd the most when I rent one. I only owned fwd cars until two years ago. I own a Giulia Q4 now, it's 100% rwd until tires lose traction. Probably not as effective as always-awd cars. I actually floored it a couple of times on two inch snow and the car stayed straight the whole time. I guess front wheels kick in pretty quickly. Anyway, I'll probably go for a rwd car when it's time for the next move.
J-Rag-@reddit
FWD is fine with me. I have no use for RWD or AWD on a daily driver.
Ragnar-Wave9002@reddit
Have AWD. It's nice in the snow.
Otherwise, don't care. I can drive a RWD truck in the snow. It's not that hard. FWD is the easiest though.
Narrow_Track9598@reddit
AWD for sure by me. If I was in a more tropical climate it'd be rwd preferably but fwd would be acceptable
JackGeiselPhD@reddit
Not sure
DoomDash@reddit
Rwd for a fun weekend toy, awd for a daily
pretti@reddit
All my cars have been rwd, so my preference is rwd, limited slip diff, front or mid engine. My wife's first car was fwd, and she said she couldn't feel the difference. Having rwd all my life, whenever I drove a fwd, it felt noticably weird to me having the power and driving together. She liked there was more room inside and no tunnel. It seems more stable to me to separate the power and steering with the weight transfer to the back when accelerating. Now she has been driving a rwd, she can definitely tell the difference and prefers rwd, even if smaller inside because of tunnel.
cormack_gv@reddit
FWD. It's the most efficient. And perfectly adequate.
Downtown_Reward_6339@reddit
RWD I won’t explain or justify. If it’s not your preference I’m ok with that
KittehKittehKat@reddit
It’s like the car is being pushed and you get to wiggle wiggle sometimes.
Adventurous-Depth984@reddit
60/40 rear/front AWD.
My WRX was the most fun car I ever drove
ProMasterBoy@reddit
I drive a fwd car. In sim racing i prefer FWD, its just easier to control and more predictable than rwd and much harder to oversteer and spin out. fwd cars are also cheaper.
OldeWorldWays@reddit
Then there's the real world......
withsexyresults@reddit
Applies in real world too
Various_Variety419@reddit
Who the hell would race using a front drive?
fish_helicopters@reddit
i track a mazdaspeed3 super fun. screams around corners
OldeWorldWays@reddit
Only a keyboard warrior
BassWingerC-137@reddit
The uninitiated.
FWD is not a preference in any top series.
withsexyresults@reddit
Amateurs race them, time attack or hpde them
MarsupialNo1278@reddit
Or we ignoring Honda racing history. Their is reason why the type R is so popular. It fine if you don't prefer but it isn't crazy to race a fwd car. Matter of fact if you just starting to learn how to race it make sense to go FWD
UpYourAsteroid@reddit
Rally car drivers
ExchangeApart2144@reddit
I like the way fwd handles on track as well, I went from an s2000 to a 2024 integra type s. When I spin it’s less dramatic.
JohnJohnTurboTron@reddit
AWD for me since 2011 I have had a Wrx, a GR Corolla, and now a Golf R.
bmxracers@reddit
XDrive is my favorite. RWD bias xDrive that is.
UForgotYourBumper@reddit
Fun car, or daily?
For a fun focused car with a manual, I prefer RWD, but also enjoy FWD hot hatches/sport compacts. Call me a weirdo, but I actually like the drama/wheelspin of 2WD. AWD gets boring to me on the street because it feels too easy to just mash the gas and let the AWD figure out where to put the power, no matter what, when, or how you do it.
For a daily though, boring is the name of the game. Hard to beat AWD/4WD for convenience, especially speaking as someone who has to deal with Canadian weather.
mc_nibbles@reddit
RWD for the fast fun car, AWD for the family wagon so I don't have to worry about a little snow or mild offroading for camping and stuff, FWD for my little sporty daily.
If I had to pick just one it would be AWD in something like a WRX wagon.
QLDZDR@reddit
AWD, RWD and FWD is the bottom of the list.
Admiral_Pantsless@reddit
RWD
It doesn’t snow around here and there aren’t any hills or mountains to climb, so I have no need for AWD or 4WD.
ShoeFree5756@reddit
I live in the south where it doesn’t snow, and I grew up driving RWD in the rain. I don’t need anything else.
Br0boc0p@reddit
Awd for commuting because of snow in the winter. RWD for my goof off car.
Big77Ben2@reddit
Drove fwd most of my life. Had a couple rwd cars mixed in for about 5 yrs. Now I have AWD and I’m really liking it.
Complex_Solutions_20@reddit
AWD. So nice to have when you have to pull out onto the highway from gravel or in rainy conditions to not slip. Also very nice to not get stuck when you come to a stop in snow.
jacoballen22@reddit
When I was 20, FWD, now AWD.
kyrosnick@reddit
Depends on situation, but if I had to pick one AWD. Traction is fun. That being said, depends on application and needs. Had a 1100+hp rwd car for years, sold it and now have a 850hp AWD car, and it is so much more fun.
_eg0_@reddit
In a perfect world optional AWD with a driven rear wheels.
If it needs to permanently be one of those it's AWD with at the very least a 40:60 split by default and 20:80 possible. Rear diff 100:0 split. I really want to try the new AWD system of the RS5.
LightningMcqueen2011@reddit (OP)
Same with mine
LXLuther08@reddit
In California, I prefer rear wheel drive. In Minnesota I prefer AWD.
Serious_Lettuce6716@reddit
I really don’t care. I’m good with any drive type but my current and previous 2 vehicles have been AWD, even though I live in a warm climate where it only snows 1-2 times a year.
I’m the least likely to own RWD, simply because most of the vehicles that come RWD just aren’t my bag. I’m a CUV/hatchback guy, I’m just not that into coupes, sedans, or pickups.
MinuteExcitement200@reddit
Rwd, but that's mostly because I enjoy going sideways ;)
PhysicsAndFinance85@reddit
RWD all day every day
SenorISO54@reddit
I have had good and bad experiences with all three. Cars are so much more than the driven wheels.
CC7015@reddit
Rwd sports car
Awd rally car
Fwd ... ? grocery car
AstronomerDry7581@reddit
I'm poor so fwd
COS1970@reddit
AWD
Tuques@reddit
Easily awd. But I will always love rwd too. I dont take fwd seriously.
UpYourAsteroid@reddit
AWD vs RWD has nothing to do with top speed. It’s almost exclusively power/drag related
Tuques@reddit
You've clearly never played forza horizon /s
Various_Variety419@reddit
No
withsexyresults@reddit
Car itself makes a big difference. There’s cars that feel great to drive and are fwd. there’s cars that suck to drive and are rwd. But all else equal, rwd
Player4Ready@reddit
AWD all day
JCDU@reddit
Horses for courses, each has its own strengths and we're not picking a religion here.
The_RealestOmar@reddit
I enjoy RWD all the way up to heavy rain then I miss a good AWD system
MarsupialNo1278@reddit
Honestly depends. For a daily driver i prefer fwd with the exception of winter time. If I'm having fun rwd and or AWD would he prefer.
ceeday2156@reddit
Depends what I want it for.... i have awd and LOVE it. But I'd also really like rwd sometimes.
And if it's a truck/sun then obviously red but 4wd mandatory, and preferably manual 4wd rather than button push.
floof29@reddit
I like FWD. Becose it can be exploited in So many Fun ways.
WhiteBeltKilla@reddit
I have RWD but I love AWD.
People also have to remember that not all AWD cars are the same. Some claim AWD but it’s like still %80 front wheel, and under certain conditions one or 2 wheels aren’t even spinning.
True AWD with lots of torque is incredible. Instant grip and rip. For regular spirited road driving, the cornering is the same. For a track I’d probably stick with RWD for twisties.
I have a 2020 Mustang GT. I get beat at the light by regular traffic. I have better tires too. But 460hp/420ftlbs in 1st and 2nd gear will spin every time.
Infamous-Bed9010@reddit
For fun, RWD. But practically wins in the snow belt; AWD.
jules083@reddit
RWD as a driver and a FWD work beater.
If I could only have one car it would be RWD.
lucidexium@reddit
FWD for daily because I live in a region with snowy winters. RWD for fun.
OldeWorldWays@reddit
4wd
RealSprooseMoose@reddit
I would prefer RWD but since I live in Canada I bought a WRX to cover the winter driving.
Quirky-Airline7578@reddit
Rwd but fwd is good too