I can think of no better way to test it than in the same car on the same day...
RWD? FWD? AWD? What's best in snow, by how much?
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I can think of no better way to test it than in the same car on the same day...
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Wondering how you could say FWD is just as good as AWD yet you've never had an AWD?
Not my experience. I prefer the ability to pick and choose when I want 4x4 as an option like in most 4x4 pick up trucks. I've lived in the Northeast and have been driving for 34 years; extensive time behind the wheel is snow in northern New England states. For a non-truck IME nothing compares to AWD vehicles. The ones I've used are BMW X Drive system and the AWD on Subaru. I had winter tires for the BMW and oh my that vehicle was insanely good in snow.
Currently we only have 1 FWD vehicle in the fleet (12 RAV4) and it does well but can't hold a candle to the Outback and we won't compare it to the F150 as that isn't reasonable.
Excellent video. Really liked the drone shots. To be honest, that snow was packed down nicely. In unpacked snow, the front wheel drive would have pulled ahead of the rear wheel drive. Also, up a steep hill from a stop that rear wheel drive would have been dead last.
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4 wheels with power is almost always better than 2 wheels.
Between 4wd and Awd - depends on the system.
Between 4wd and Awd - depends on the system.
I would own AWD in the desert. As a high performance car set up for hitting the corners, I way prefer AWD over RWD or FWD. I raced a FWD car when I was younger, so I can feel what I gained between the two. Even when the AWD car has the cheaper FWD bias system that I have. Having Audi's top tier Torsen system would even be better.
As far as pro road racing, back in the 80's, ( I will start the video at the proper place for you) Audi was banned in both SCCA Trans-Am Series and then the next year in IMSA GTO Series because they were 4WD. AWD/4WD has been banned ever since, just too much of an unfair advantage in race cars.
As far as pro road racing, back in the 80's, ( I will start the video at the proper place for you) Audi was banned in both SCCA Trans-Am Series and then the next year in IMSA GTO Series because they were 4WD. AWD/4WD has been banned ever since, just too much of an unfair advantage in race cars.
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Packed down snow is a lot slicker than fluffy snow. I can do all sorts of hoonery in fluffy snow. Cars stick to it like they're on dry pavement. That packed down stuff? Oh...she slide.
On ice-FWD, manual transmission beats all of them! Loose snow, above the rockers/hubs-then it’s AWD/4X4 time (not common here). The 4WD issue, in my book, is high center of gravity combined with driver overconfidence (AND the wrong OEM tires)!
Some people will still tell you they'd bet on a 3-legged horse in a race...
That video is Worthless because it doesn't show real world driving on the snow.
People don't see how fast they can drive, or in the case of the video, drift around a snow covered course free of other vehicles, telephone poles, curbs, pedestrians..in the real world.
People don't see how fast they can drive, or in the case of the video, drift around a snow covered course free of other vehicles, telephone poles, curbs, pedestrians..in the real world.
Many drivers don't realize that All Wheel Drive is not All Wheel Stop or All Wheel Turn.
I have a AWD enclave and traverse with OEM all season tires does great in snow. My beater fwd G6 with snow tires does just as good and much better in turns and braking
But many do, realize it. If not, they get pushed into a learning curve within seconds and then again the next time within seconds if they thought the first indecent was a fluke until they learn. I see just as many dumb-ars drivers with 2WD in the ditch/snowbank as AWD. And I have a good handle on what vehicle have what drive systems. But I will give you 4WD truck guys with the big tire seem to have a longer learning curve. Example: A week or two ago it rained here in Minneapolis and in my area there was a 1/4 inch of 100% ice rink on the back roads and a truck came down it at about 40 mph. I looked and said "Idiot".
FWD is last in snow. I've had / have all forms of drives. I'll drive a RWD with snow tires places a FWD with snows can only dream about. Once a FWD loses traction steering goes away along with forward drive. I've done many a hill skewed with rear tires spinning and up we go.
Modern traction control is more of a hinderance than a help when you have winter driving skills. It kills your speed and momentum when you need it.
My FWD only got studded snows, only thing that made them drivable in more than a couple inches.
Best is AWD or 4x4 with a posi rear if you want to go uphill. Then you have at least 3-wheel drive.
Steering on slippery roads is all the same as well as braking no matter the drivetrain.
Engine braking is always better with all 4 wheels being driven though.
Modern traction control is more of a hinderance than a help when you have winter driving skills. It kills your speed and momentum when you need it.
My FWD only got studded snows, only thing that made them drivable in more than a couple inches.
Best is AWD or 4x4 with a posi rear if you want to go uphill. Then you have at least 3-wheel drive.
Steering on slippery roads is all the same as well as braking no matter the drivetrain.
Engine braking is always better with all 4 wheels being driven though.
