So, the choice is yours, but let's start with some basics and discuss how these driveline choices line up. But back then a motorist had to get out of the truck and manually “lock” the front wheel hubs to send power to all four corners. The world's first car was front-wheel drive. If you have any questions about front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or any other drivetrain setup, don’t hesitate to speak with one of our Online Specialists or give us a call: Follow us for more useful information on buying, selling, and maintaining cars: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+. Cons (Front engine): Reduced foul-weather traction compared to FWD and AWD on equal tires and propensity toward oversteer; added mass, cost, friction, rotational inertia of driveshaft, and gearing. Not every Subaru all-wheel-drive system is created equal. Cons: Added cost, weight, rotational inertia, and friction reduce efficiency in all driving situations. For most drivers in most conditions, however, 2WD is all you need. Four-wheel drive, meanwhile, is usually disengaged — that is, until you flip a switch or pull a lever to engage it. Most cars and many crossover SUVs are front-wheel drive. As noted above, only AWD vehicles can take full advantage of every ounce of onboard mass in generating accelerative friction. All-wheel drive means that power is going to both the front and rear wheels of the vehicle all the time. The easiest way to tell them apart is that all-wheel-drive systems are always on, and they use electronic sensors to determine which wheel should get a car’s power. Today’s 4WD systems are much more sophisticated a… For off-roading and getting out of sticky situations, 4WD and AWD may be your best choice. All-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive vehicles help you get moving. Front-wheel drive has worse acceleration than rear-wheel drive, which is why most sporty and race cars use rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive means that power is going to both the front and rear wheels of the vehicle all the time. We sell a large inventory of front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive vehicles. Since all the weight is located in the front of the vehicle, front-wheel drive cars tend to understeer. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. During dry conditions, rear-wheel drive improves handling due to “load transfer” in acceleration and more even weight distribution. In vehicles with part-time AWD, the majority of the time the vehicle operates in two-wheel drive but when additional traction control is needed, all-wheel drive kicks in. CV joints/boots in FWD vehicles tend to wear out sooner than rear-wheel drive vehicles. In rear-wheel drivetrains, power is transferred to the two back wheels. This is particularly helpful if you live in an area that receives snow and ice for many months at a time. So, the most efficient drivetrain theoretically is a transverse (perpendicular to the direction of travel) engine located right next to the axle it's powering. Two-wheel Drive (2WD) Front-wheel Drive (FWD): On vehicles with front-wheel drive, the engine only sends power to the front wheels. As a result, four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive cars get worse fuel economy than their two-wheel-drive counterparts. All-Wheel Drive vs. Rear-wheel Drive (RWD): On vehicles with rear-wheel drive, the engine only sends power to the rear wheels. There are actually two types of four- wheel drive: True four-wheel and full time four-wheel. The 4 wheel drive technology was first used in large trucks and towing vehicles. The farther that energy must travel and the more times it must change directions before it turns the wheels, the less efficient the system is. This is good for traction when setting off in a straight line. An AWD system could break traction at either axle, depending on its design. If you notice symptoms and suspect a bad bearing, immediately drive … Traction: Rear-wheel drive vehicles have extremely poor traction in the rain and snow. AWD vs. 4WD: All-wheel drive, which the Subaru Forester has, provides the fewest compromises in ride and fuel economy on dry roads and delivers … Similar to four-wheel drive, AWD can be both part-time and full-time. If there is such an assembly on the car's rear axle, … We should also remember that most of a vehicle's weight is positioned higher than the axles, so when we accelerate forward, the center of mass shifts backward, momentarily adding to the load on the rear axle. Your information will be collected and used in accordance with our  Privacy Policy. We say under $1000, but you can easily spend more than that if … With all the weight up front, front-wheel drive can make handling more difficult. 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