These Midwest winters are not known for being forgiving. According to the U.S. Department of Transporation – Federal Highway Administration, approximately forty-seven percent of all weather-related crashes on U.S. roadways are due to conditions involving: snow, sleet, icy pavement, and snow/slushy pavement. Accidents caused by winter weather amount to roughly 138,735 injuries and 1,705 deaths. Those are some sobering facts and wanting to know how you can keep yourself and your passengers safe while out on the road this winter is understandable.
Which is better for you and your passengers this winter season, all-wheel drive (AWD) or front-wheel drive (FWD)?
All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive is a lighter-duty system for cars and SUV’s than the heavier duty four-wheel drive meant for true off-roading adventures. Acceleration is seamless when driving in slippery road conditions over a front-wheel drive system where much of the weight is distributed to the front of the vehicle rather than equally to all four wheels making it a great option for winter driving. AWD operates continuously and will automatically vary power delivery to the front and rear wheels when needed. Some systems remain in front- or rear-wheel drive mode until a slip is detected, then power is routed to all four wheels. This is known as full-time and part-time AWD systems:
Full-time All-Wheel Drive
- Both front/rear axles are driven all the time.
- Dry pavement – can help vehicle handle better on the road.
- Slippery Conditions – provide additional traction for safer, confident handling.
Part-time All-Wheel Drive
- Normal road conditions – sends torque to two driven wheels, front or rear, depending on make/model.
- System automatically engages other two wheels when road conditions demand extra traction.
- Modern part-time AWD systems use various electronic sensors that feed information to a computer which controls the amount of power directed to each wheel.
Curious to know what Webb Brands offer AWD?
Cons of AWD. Typically, vehicles equipped with all-wheel drive tend to be costlier due to being more complex to build and design than front-wheel drive systems. Vehicles with AWD see lower fuel efficiency compared to FWD because they are heavier. Regardless, the differences in these numbers aren’t significant enough to sway those away from an AWD option as it can be worth the additional money to get optimal handling year-round.
Just like people, not all AWD systems are built the same between brands. We're talking full-time and part-time AWD system options. If you are considering all-wheel drive in your next vehicle, you’ll want to know how the system in your desired vehicle works.
Front-Wheel Drive
A front-wheel drive train option is by far the most common option you can expect to see out on the market today with a majority of vehicles have this option standard. Front-wheel drive is not just found in cars but can also be found as an option on most minivans, wagons, and SUV’s.
FWD vehicles are a great option if you are a shopper on a budget. They tend to be more affordable since they come with less complexity to design and build. Beyond that initial price tag, FWD tend to have a better fuel economy rating than that of heavier drive train options like AWD, or 4WD (Four-Wheel Drive), allowing you to save a few more bucks when out on the road this winter. Overall, vehicles equipped with front-wheel drive provide better traction than vehicles equipped with a rear-wheel drive option due to much of the weight being in the front the car where the power also is.
If space is of concern to you, vehicles with FWD have more room for rear-seats and trunk space due to the drive shaft not extending to the rear of the car.
Curious to know what Webb Brands offer FWD?
Cons of FWD. On average, vehicles equipped with front-wheel drive see a shorter lifespan of their front tires due to the additional weight, handling of steering forces and much of the braking forces the tires take on. With its many practical advantages, FWD does have several performance disadvantages. One of those being torque steering. This occurs when unequal power is applied to one of the front wheels causes the vehicle to pull to one side or the other under heavy acceleration. Technicians recommend pairing winter tires with any vehicle equipped with a FWD system to help reduce performance issues with slipping on roadways during those nasty winter months.