The Escudería
It can get confusing at times, and even car companies themselves have had a hard time explaining to drivers what both front and rear wheel drive mean. When it comes to buying a car, this is seldom asked. When, in fact, it is one of the most important elements of a vehicle.
Therefore, below we will explain the main differences between front and rear wheel drive, as well as the advantages and differences that each of them present.
What are front and rear wheel drive?
Most cars are front-wheel drive. Generally, the engine and transmission of front-wheel drive cars are mounted, as the name suggests, transversely at the front of the vehicles. It is these parts that send the energy to the two front wheels, which are the ones that pull the car.
On the other hand, we have rear-wheel drive cars that transfer only engine power to the rear wheels. Most of these cars have the engine mounted in the front, but some rear-wheel drive vehicles have it in the middle or at the rear of the engine. And you are going to find this design mainly in sports cars.
For most of automotive history, rear-wheel drive has been the default setting for cars - the front set of wheels steers, while the rear handles power. That is why high-performance cars now use this system.
But, on the contrary, many mid-range or low-end cars have front-wheel drive because they are more economical and space efficient. Additionally, front-wheel drive powertrains are also lighter than rear-wheel drive ones. So you get better fuel economy or you can even travel further with a full tank of fuel.
Once these differences are known, and before seeing the main advantages and disadvantages, you could already recognize which cars have one or the other traction. Therefore, it is important that you go through Opinions Spain to know which are the best and worst car brand reviews before taking the plunge and buying one. And it is that, in addition to the characteristics of a car, its handling is one of the most important elements, which you will only know through the reviews of drivers who have it or, at least, have tried it.
The advantages and disadvantages of front and rear wheel drive
One of the main advantages that you will find in front-wheel drive cars is their improved traction, which makes for a better distribution of the vehicle's weight. As we have mentioned, the engine, which is at the front, is connected to the front wheels, which means that no mechanical transmission components are needed at the rear.
Thanks to this, there is more space in the rear seats for the occupants. You are already beginning to clear up some doubts as to why sports cars are, in general, two-seater, right?
Front-wheel drive cars are also cheaper to make, as there are fewer components. Another benefit to your driving is that, in wet conditions, that weight of the engine on the front wheels means there is more grip than in a rear-wheel drive car.
However, one of the drawbacks is that they are much heavier at the front of the vehicle, since all the mechanical parts are there. In addition, in these cars you will have heard the expression that the vehicle "Pull, instead of pushing." This makes them less fun to drive for car lovers.
But, on the other hand, we have rear-wheel drive cars, which are more balanced than front-wheel drive. This is for a reason: the engine is at the front, but the power is sent to the rear, which distributes the vehicle's weight more evenly between the front and rear of the car.
In general, rear-wheel drive is better for performance, although of course it is much more expensive to manufacture. Rear-wheel drive cars are also more prone to oversteer, which is when the rear wheels try to overtake the front wheels.
