FWD or RWD? What's your preference?

[garethj]

Your RWD drift weapons aren't capable of anything a FWD car with a strong rear handbrake can't do.

How about holding a drift smoothly around 3 exits of a roundabout, rather than a few jerks between understeer and oversteer?

 

I prefer a good one of either - my FWD Alfasud Sprint was a weapon on the twistys, as was my semi-mid engined RWD Tatra. As pog pointed out, crap versions of each are available.

 

The Ginetta's a laugh, but on a greasy road caution is the quickest way.

[Mike D]

Personally, I prefer FWD, but I reckon that's because that's what i've driven the most. However, nigh on all the cars i have at present are RWD.. The Merc is a nice drive, it gets off the line quickly, and is fun if you want to play, but I think I have probably 'honed' my driving style to FWD over the years, and you can't drive them in the same way. I reckon in my old MX6, when it was lowered on the RX7 wheels, was sublime, you could haul that thing anywhere, the faster you went and kept it floored through the corners and the rear would dig in and it felt great. I've had a few hairy moments in the Merc trying that, and my XR4i tries to go sidewards when it's on a straight!

Like others have said though, the un molested steering on RWD is nice. Nothing launched off the line like my beetle though!

[seth]

As a general rule there has been a big age gap between the FWD and RWD cars I've driven perhaps clouding my judgment. On the whole I have been frustrated by FWD wheelspin in wet conditions and while the TD 306 could be provoked into a slide it wasn't as fun. I've never liked the steering being affected by acceleration either.

 

The only older FWD car I've driven was the Saab 95, but then those are bonkers in so many ways that its hard to say that the difference in driven wheels made a difference to the feel of the car. GR8 4 RALLYE

[Lacy]

FWD is generally more predictable and the average driver is far less likely to get in a mess than they would in RWD in an emergency situation......but, of course, everyone is an above average driver, right?

[whitevanman]

I've driven all sorts, Tanks, Trucks, Tractors, Buses, AWD, 4x4, FWD and RWD......RWD anytime anywhere for me, FWD is great for compensating for poor skills on ice or snow. Reality is most people don't give a damn or notice as they JUST drive from A to B...............

[dollywobbler]

I guess I like FWD because everything I drive with FWD has sod all power. A MINI COOPER (in huge letters, because it's huge) diesel is horrendous for torque steer. It also randomly seems to jump if it hits a bump while accelerating. That's certainly not fun.

 

The 2CV doesn't really do torque steer. Clearly this must be due to the equal length driveshafts.

[Angrydicky]

I'd definitely agree with the view that driving a RWD car (particularly on snow and ice) makes you a far better driver.

[dieselnutjob]

it's funny but a FWD diesel is the last thing an "enthusiast" would like, but in snow and ice I think that they are the ultimate get you home machine (short of 4x4).

A FWD diesel seems to be able to climb anything even sheet ice if you just stick it first and take your feet of the all the pedals and just let it grind its way up the hill with the engine idling.

[Mash]

I've been in the unusual position of owning both FWD and RWD versions of the same car at the same time ie the Triumph 1300 and Triumph Dolomite 1300 which makes for a unique comparison. Admittedly both of these cars are relatively low powered but this means you can drive them enthusiastically and explore the limitations without really getting into trouble.

 

To be honest I can't really say I have a preference; both have pros and cons. I find I can get the best out of the FWD car by deliberately going in a bit wider in fast bends and overcompensating a little for the understeer to bring it back on line for the exit though naturally you have to be able to see if anyone's coming across your side in the opposite direction! The steering's a lot heavier but nicely weighted at speed. Generally the handling is fairly well balanced despitebeing a bit nose heavy.

 

With the RWD Dolomite it feels a bit safer actually if I'm brutally honest because where you turn is the actual direction you're going and you can keep a much tighter line in a fast corner. I did have a near miss one icy morning though at walking pace when I got it 180 degrees pulling out of a junction which wasn't very funny at the time. Steering is magically light and probably rides a bit smoother than the FWD car but that's more to do with suspension set-up.

 

As a side note my Mazda 323 GT which is FWD goes round corners like it's on rails so a well engineered FWD car is great. The Starlet on it's skinny tyre understeers much more despite being a more modern car - it's definitely all subjective I think!

[HillmanImp]

I do prefer RWD but i have had more of them than FWD. Agree that on moderns it probably does not matter as they all handle so well there is no real driving experience. Instead of having a modern that can easily be driven round a corner at 100mph I would much rather have a RWD car that was going round a corner at 50mph but felt on the edge.

 

The first time I drove a FWD in the snow about 6 years ago i went to go round a corner but just carried straight on up the kerb and into someones hedge.

 

In the snow last year i drove the GT6 with a couple of bags of sand in the back (actual bags of sand not money) and it was great fun. Where only 1 lane of the duel carriageway was cleared all the traffic was on the inside lane so I had the outside one to myself all the way round the ringroad.

 

This is where RWD fall down these days, as they did seem to stuggle in the snow with a lack of weight in the back but just put dead whore in the boot and you are away.

 

I do generally feel more in control with oversteer, i really really dont like understeer. Never really got the hang of it. Before anyone reminds me I know I did this earlier in the year....

 

[dieselnutjob]

The worst cars of all in snow seem to be modern Lexus IS with modern BMW a close second.

I think it's the combination of RWD and wide tyres.

My 607 also has quite wide tyres and it's not great in slush / standing water at higher speeds. I would actually have narrower tyres if I could but 225s are the only things that fit 607 rims unfortunately

Our 806 diesel people carrier seems to be pretty much unstoppable in any weather.

[autofive]

Sorry, who says FWD means a crap turning circle?

 

 

turning circle doesnt usually included turning the engine

 

 

rigger bootz for the win

[Mr Lobster]

it's funny but a FWD diesel is the last thing an "enthusiast" would like, but in snow and ice I think that they are the ultimate get you home machine (short of 4x4).

A FWD diesel seems to be able to climb anything even sheet ice if you just stick it first and take your feet of the all the pedals and just let it grind its way up the hill with the engine idling.

 

Very true. Last winter (OMG SNOW CHAOS) I had a Vauxhall Combo van for a bit and it was bloody superb in snow. Skinny front tyres FTW.

 

This winter, I have a few old pallets that'll be going in the back of the Sprinter to keep it mobile if we get any snow.

[Guest]

Completely depends on what it is, I've got extremes of both sides. I quite like a car which isn't great to drive though, there's more decision-making required - I enjoy taking a poor-handling car down a twisty stretch and working within its limits. I probably lean towards RWD more, but mainly because I like the "loose" feel to the steering.

[Pete-M]

Tough one this.

 

If I know the road, then it's RWD every time, no question.

 

If it's a cold dark rainy night on a quickish B road I don't know, FWD is easier to catch when things don't go to plan. Ultimately not quite as quick as RWD, but a lot less lightly to end up in a hedge (*) as when something goes wrong the natural reaction is to lift off the throttle. In a FWD car, lifting off (**) just tightens things up a bit, whereas in a RWD car it can make the situation quite a lot worse. Same when it comes to a bootful of throttle, in FWD the car will just understeer straight on no matter what angle the steering wheel is on, but with RWD the throttle can make as much difference to direction as the steering wheel.

 

4wd is the best way to do things, but loses the fun value of both.

 

My favourite car of all to drive quickly down a tricky A or B road is still the Mk2 Escort RS2000. I have yet to find a car that I find as easy to drive quickly as one of those, so I suppose my vote is for RWD.

 

(*) 205 GTi not included.

(**) See (*).

[dieselnutjob]

end up in a hedge (*)

 

(*) 205 GTi not included.

 

There is an answer to that problem. Get a 309 GTI instead. It's a better car.

see http://www.309-gti.co.uk/

[Pete-M]

end up in a hedge (*)

 

(*) 205 GTi not included.

 

There is an answer to that problem. Get a 309 GTI instead. It's a better car.

 

Funnily enough, I swapped my 309 GTi for a 205 GTi 1.9.

 

The 309 is the better car, but it's nowhere near as nice to look at.

[mnde]

My experiences of RWD driving has been limited to driving my friend's shite that he's owned over the years: Lada Riva, Pug 504 Ti Auto, Hillman Super Minx.

 

Oh and I once reversed my dad's old TR7 off the drive to let mum's car out...

 

The Lada was fun, but had the most laughably poor turning circle I've ever encountered! My GSA has a way tighter turning circle, definitely better than the BX!

 

Mark.

[eddyramrod]

This winter, I have a few old pallets that'll be going in the back of the Sprinter to keep it mobile if we get any snow.

 

Sprinter? Snow??? Stay in bed! I once had a 1997 twin-wheeled Turbo Daily (still way better than a Sprinter) sideways on ice. This is where RWD falls down, because a van is just a big metal box and weighs nothing, so you have no traction empty. On the other hand, get it on a dry road and it's a huge laugh! Mind you I've also had a rear-engined VW pickup gliding gently down a back street, and that one was loaded up! Most of us, truth be told, probably have stories like these. Living to tell them is what matters...

 

Hillman Imp, I suspect you had a bit of a Freudian slip there with "duel" carriageway! While "duel" as in "fight" might be appropriate, I think the word you were looking for was probably "dual" meaning "a pair of..."