My BMW had only rear wheel drive and (with 4 wheel snow tires) had quite good traction in snow. But deep snow was a problem (which came up about once a year in Edmonton, Alberta). AWD wouldn't have made any difference. On those few days I drove my Honda Accord which had a bit more ground clearance.
Why are there so many AWD cars now?
- Thread starter Elkins45
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You’d be surprised. Sometimes AWD cars are pretty good at plowing the deep snow out of the way, as long as it’s light and powdery enough.
You don't have to replace all 4 if you have to replace one. Try to get a used identical one within +-2/32 of the average of the rest and put a pair on the back that averages slightly less tread depth than the front pair. Or get a different used tire and look up the rotation per mile of it and your other 3 tires, then do some math to account for the tread depths, and put the a pair on the rear that average a rotation or two per mile more than the front pair.
I am with you though, I don't buy AWD vehicles just because its "better" or "safer", if I had no need of one, we wouldn't have one. It does nothing for you once you are up to speed on the highway, it just keeps you from getting stuck in extreme snow or off road and allows you to accelerate like normal in moderate snow.
Being able to power through wasn't the issue. I had plenty of power and grip. I just preferred not to drag the body in deep snow.
I never thought driving a FWD car makes me a better driver than the AWD car next to me but I guess if I want to make myself feel superior to a stranger, sure.
For those bragging about 4x4, I hope you have front, center, and rear lockers otherwise you have nothing better than an open diff 2wd car.
You drive a 4x4 with only a rear LSD at best. Might as well drive a camry.
For those bragging about 4x4, I hope you have front, center, and rear lockers otherwise you have nothing better than an open diff 2wd car.
You drive a 4x4 with only a rear LSD at best. Might as well drive a camry.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
Yep - I shut down young guys in a 2WD trying to use a 250 Vmax SHO to help with that problem (+/- 5000 RPM’s)
gave them a free tug up the ramp saving hundreds …
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Spot on.
Speaking as someone with an AWD car and a selectable 4x4 truck with 4 hi, 4 lo, & rear locker… I disagree. AWD and locker-less 4x4 are still more capable than 2WD.
The AWD car with ATs is better in the snow than my FWD car with snow tires.
The truck handles most situations fine without the rear diff locked. Only in the very deepest snow or in the trickiest off road situations (such as when climbing loose grades) is the locker necessary. I consider a rear locker a requirement for true off roading, but I won’t pretend that standard 4x4 is the same as 2wd.
I'm not one to suggest anyone needs AWD, but a good AWD system like Subaru is nice in bad weather with good tires. I've driven mostly FWD cars and have gotten through some tough winters. A Subaru with a good set of snow tires is awesome in the snow.
I have a rear lsd, locking center dif, and open front dif. I rarely use any of them, most of my offroading experience is on rocks, where i scrape the bottom before I spin tires. I did use 4x4 in sand a few days ago, just for fun. And you're right, if it was snow i could just drive a Camry, but im afraid that the undercarriage would get all smashed up doing what I do. AWD is for when you're at the limit of what your vehicle can do, and many people with awd are far from the limit and never need it.
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A couple extreme examples.
AWD with summer only tires in ice or snow (I’ve witnessed seeing an X5M in snow).
RWD with all seasons in snow (my own car when caught in only 2” of early snow)
That’s one of each drivetrain with the wrong tires for the conditions. Neither work effectively.
Have you actually driven in snow or mud? open diffs or not, 4wd or AWD will get you through stuff that 2wd with even much better snow tires isn't going to make it... Also in any 4wd or AWD car without too much electronic interference, you can drag the brakes lightly while using the throttle and it acts a bit like an LSD, but that's more of an off road maneuver. Now on public roads, in a fairly flat place, sure fwd and good snow tires does everything you need except driving when you really shouldn't be.
Add some bigger slopes, or unplowed roads, then AWD and 4wd do much better than 2wd just for staying mobile. Locking diffs isn't really an asset until you get off road or have much different grip on one side of the vehicle than the other.
Snow plenty of times. The only time I have had issues with 2wd and snow tires is when the snow is too high when I've come to a stop. My issue is not with AWD or 2wd, it's with the people who claim to be better drivers purely because they think AWD is only for "lesser" drivers.
For me the benefit of AWD is the better handling in bad weather and avoiding the other numbskulls on the road that cannot drive worth beans.
Who tows a heavy boat with a Subaru or a CX-30?
I happily accept the 1MPG less and the increased maintenance costs on our 3 4WD vehicles for the one or three times every 2 years that we actually need it. The 4Lo on 2 of them has actually came in handy a few times.
Who said AWD/4WD is only in these vehicles?
So if you’re buying something bigger to tow with then just buy a Bronco or an F150 or similar large 4x4?