FWD vs RWD vs AWD, Which is Better

today we're looking at front-wheel drive rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles which system is the most efficient fastest safest best in snow we'll break down the differences between the systems see the pros and cons of each and best a common myth so buckle up and let's get going put simply each terminology refers to the wheels that an engine powers and drives for example in a front wheel drive car the engine drives the front wheels only in essence the front wheels pull the car and the rear wheels don't receive engine power most modern front wheel drive cars feature a transverse engine which is mounted so that the crankshaft axi is perpendicular to the direction of travel a front-wheel drive offers better traction than a rear-wheel drive when climbing hills since the engine's weight sits on the front wheels a front-wheel drive requires fewer parts is cheaper to make and is more space efficient than a rear-wheel drive it also has better fuel economy because it's lighter in weight that's why most passenger cars on the road today are front-wheel drive the disadvantage to front-wheel drive is that it's not as effective in low traction situations like gravel and ice also being nose heavy can make it harder to handle in high speeds or with heavy loads it can also under steer when the front wheels lose traction and the car drifts outside of the turn rear-wheel drive means the engine powers the rear wheels in other words the rear wheels push the car forward the front wheels don't receive any engine power and they're just free to steer and maneuver the car this used to be the most common configuration in cars to the late 1900s but nowadays it's usually found in pickup trucks truck based suvs sports cars and high performance and luxury sedans most rear-wheel drive cars feature a longitudinally mounted engine usually at the front of the car where the crankshaft is oriented along the vehicle axis from front to back in general rear-wheel drive provides better traction for trucks with a heavy load on a performance car rear-wheel drive improves handling that's because it balances the car's weight more evenly from front to rear also allowing the front tires to specialize in steering while the rear tires do the driving vastly improves both steering feel and ultimate cornering grip but rear wheel drive provides less traction on slippery roads and don't perform as well in poor weather conditions like snow and ice in an all-wheel drive car the engine powers the front and rear wheels there are two kinds of all-wheel drive systems the first is full-time all-wheel drive where both the front and rear axles are driven continuously meaning all the time the second is part-time all-wheel drive which mainly drives two wheels and then automatically powers all four corners when traction is needed an all-wheel drive is really useful in light off-roading with mud sand and loose surfaces or rapidly changing road conditions like intermittent snow and ice you can usually find all-wheel drive layouts and passenger cars crossovers and minivans but all-wheel drive requires more parts and therefore it's more expensive to buy and cost more to repair compared to front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive it's also heavier in weight and therefore has horror gas mileage some people use the terms all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive interchangeably but actually there is a difference a four-wheel drive is usually seen in trucks and large suvs it's not designed for paved roads but instead it's optimized for severe and serious off-road duty like driving across deep water climbing over boulders or steep hills with loose low traction surfaces four wheel drive systems use a series of front center and rear differentials among other things to provide torque to all four wheels when needed in most systems the driver can manually select low and high gear ranges the low setting gives maximum traction on off-road high setting is useful for slippery road conditions like snow ice sand or loose scrabble four-wheel drive is often paired with heavy-duty suspension resulting in a stiffer ride than you get in a two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicle these systems increase the vehicle's price tag and also take a toll on fuel economy there are two types of four-wheel drive a full-time four-wheel drive operates like a full-time all-wheel drive with all four wheels receiving power continuously in some designs the driver may have the option of controlling how power is apportioned to the front and rear axles through selectable modes then there's part-time four-wheel drive which powers two wheels off in the rear wheels and when additional traction is needed the driver can engage all four wheels when needed some systems allow the driver to lock the differentials for extra traction in extreme off-road conditions the overall disadvantage with the four-wheel drive is that it requires more parts and is more expensive to buy than a front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive it also weighs more which means lower gas mileage so which system is the most fuel efficient it's the layout where energy travels the shortest distance so this means a transverse engine located next to the axle it's powering put simply a front engine front wheel drive or rear engine rear wheel drive on the most fuel efficient all-wheel drives can never be as efficient as front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive with a traditional combustion engine although there are exceptions to all-wheel drive systems that incorporate an electric motor at either axle for example the electric tesla model wire the toyota rav4 plug-in hybrid which system is the most space efficient here to advantage goes to the transverse engine that's closest to the driven axle for example a front engine front wheel drive so there's a popular myth that an all-wheel drive is a safest choice in winter and that an all-wheel drive can handle absolutely anything but sadly that's not entirely true so what's the danger with that belief well it gives drivers of all-wheel drive cars a false sense of security which can result in drivers driving faster and braking too abruptly in snowy or icy weather another danger is that the all-wheel drive can mask how slippery the road really is so that the driver doesn't know that he needs to adjust his driving behavior whereas the driver of a front or rear-wheel drive car will notice his tires slipping some and sense the loss of traction on the road surface much sooner and slow down so let's be clear the reality is that no vehicle is infallible regardless of the drive system any vehicle can lose traction and spin both all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are designed to increase straight line traction and can give you an advantage but neither system aid in braking in fact when braking an all-wheel drive just adds an unhelpful mass and inertia which is why we see even all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive cars in the ditch after a snowstorm all-wheel drive is a performance feature not a safety feature braking or stopping all comes down to how much grip your tires have sending engine power to a tire doesn't make the tire develop more grip on slippery roads an all-wheel drive car can accelerate better than a two-wheel drive car with the same tires but it won't have more grip in fact research shows that a front-wheel drive with snow tires is more adept at handling a snowy terrain than an all-wheel drive on factory tires the secret is good old-fashioned snow tires that's because snow tires are designed to maximize traction especially wet and slippery conditions point is if you drive in an area with inclement weather it's worth investing in snow tires regardless of whatever drive system your car has of course the best traction solution is all-wheel drive with winter tires but remember when you're turning or breaking a wheel drive system only adds mass and inertia so in that sense the ultimate winter safety of a front-wheel drive car with winter tires can eclipse that of an all-wheel drive car are certain drive types more popular in certain locations you bet so there's an automotive market research firm called ic cars a couple of years back they analyzed over 11 million registered cars in the 50 u.s states plus washington dc they found for example that 72 percent of the cars on the road in montana are either far-wheel drive or all-wheel drive montana has over 100 mountain ranges mainly dirt roads lots of snow so that explains why many all weather cars are popular there and it's not surprising that the four states border in montana wyoming north dakota south dakota and idaho also made the list of states with the most four-wheel drive in all-wheel drive cars in america it should come as no surprise that states with the lowest percentage of all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive cars were mainly states with relatively flat terrain and temperate climates so which system is the best there's no one right answer because it depends on your road conditions driving behavior need and style each system offers different advantages and disadvantages so it depends on your situation and priorities in general front wheel drive is a good choice for the average driver who uses his vehicle to get from point a point b with fuel efficiency if acceleration and fun is a high priority and you live in an area where winters are mild and rear-wheel drive will probably work for you all-wheel drive is an excellent choice for the performance-minded driver who values dry weather handling and high-speed grip in a corner as much as being able to get out of this driveway when it snows don't forget to get winter tires though buy a four-wheel drive if you need a vehicle with serious off-road capability or you need to travel often on rural and unpaved gravel or dirt roads or if you live in an airy subject the severe winters where it's routine to have to drive through heavy snow or on on plowed roads otherwise it's probably a money waster in terms of higher repair costs and less fuel efficiency with the four wheel drive combustion engine car you often need large heavy differential and transfer cases this adds weight complexity and cost of the car that's why four-wheel drive isn't as common on mainstream combustion engine cars but in an electric car four-wheel drive is fairly common that's because electric motors are small this means it's easy and cost effective for car makers to position motors on the front and rear axles or one on each wheel in some cases of course not all four-wheel drive electric cars are true off-roaders but their systems can come in handy in wet or muddy surfaces but what do you think which one would you prefer and why please comment below and share your opinion if you like this video please subscribe to my channel for more videos on car technology and history thank you for your support

Channel: Scotty Kilmer

Views: 284,960

Keywords: auto, auto repair, car, car diy, car repair, cars, diy, how to, mechanic, repair, scotty kilmer, car review, car advice, buying a car, best cars to buy, the best car ever made, best cars, best car, best car to buy, best car to buy new, new cars, new car, the best car to buy now, fwd vs rwd vs awd, fwd vs rwd, fwd vs awd, awd vs rwd, what type of car to buy, different types of cars, types of cars, the best type of car to buy, buying a new car, car buying guide

Id: icqgT0xbHgM

Length: 10min 25sec (625 seconds)

Published: Sun May 09 2021