What considerations would you even begin with if you had to choose a car transmission (AWD vs FWD)? Would your decision be geared more towards fuel economy and efficiency, or the vehicle s ability to transport large numbers of people and goods, possibly over uneven terrains? Or a combination of all of the above. For some, a car is just a means to an end. To others, owning a big brand vehicle is something akin to a status symbol as an E Type Jaguar For Sale.
For performance vehicle enthusiasts, a RWD setup continues to exert a certain mystique. As if a RWD is what all FWD and AWD engines aspire to be, and might one day become, if only they d grow up. The reality is a little different though. In recent years, the majority of road users have been shifting gears towards the humble FWD, and much hyped AWD instead. Consequently, the throngs of classic race car aficionados have been left scratching their heads, wondering, Why?
Ever since Mini made FWD commonplace in the 1950s, and Audi Quattro brought attention to AWD in the 1980s, the popularity of these alternatives to RWD automobiles have been gaining steady momentum in the driving public s eye. To the extent that even manufacturers of exclusively RWD automobiles, like BMW, have begun including FWD and AWD alternatives, branded as xDrive by BMW, to their roster.
And like Honda with their preference for making affordable FWD production vehicles, most other manufacturers also stick to one kind of transmission when designing their full range of vehicles. Which might sound like laziness on the part of their design teams, but their actual motivations are purely economical. Vehicle manufacturers have a limited amount of resources for investing into new engine designs. It makes more financial sense for them to keep expanding on the automotive traditions they ve already established, than to, almost literally, try reinventing the wheel.
But with FWDs accounting for more than 50% of all cars bought, AWDs claiming around 30% of the market, and sales of RWDs only representing a miniscule 10%, is it any wonder a world renowned RWD manufacturer like BMW would be willing to shift gears to developing models with FWD transmissions? It would ve been foolish for them to do otherwise.
In addition to cost effectiveness, it seems efficiency is the average road user s primary concern when choosing a car for day to day usage. FWDs are cheaper to develop and engineer. Hence, the prevalence of that format on most entry level automobiles. Their smaller size also makes them lighter and, therefore, more fuel efficient than other drivetrain systems.
On the contrary, with its engine being expected to power four wheels at a time, AWDs have many more components included in their constructions. Making AWDs relatively overweight when compared to their FWD and RWD competitors. This additional weight is felt in terms of the additional fuel it burns. Which equates to higher costs at purchase and aftermarket. But with manufacturers making constant improvements to their day to day functionality and fuel efficiency, AWDs are fast becoming the vehicle of choice for a growing number of motorists.
Ultimately, when choosing the most suitable drivetrain, it s your daily routine and weather conditions encountered that become the biggest determining factors. So long as you re willing to fork out for a set of snow tires in winter, choosing a FWD vehicle over an AWD one makes negligible difference in a long run. But when compared to a RWD, front wheel drives and all wheel drives still come up trumps for handling well under adverse weather conditions, like in snow or rain.
For performance vehicle enthusiasts, a RWD setup continues to exert a certain mystique. As if a RWD is what all FWD and AWD engines aspire to be, and might one day become, if only they d grow up. The reality is a little different though. In recent years, the majority of road users have been shifting gears towards the humble FWD, and much hyped AWD instead. Consequently, the throngs of classic race car aficionados have been left scratching their heads, wondering, Why?
Ever since Mini made FWD commonplace in the 1950s, and Audi Quattro brought attention to AWD in the 1980s, the popularity of these alternatives to RWD automobiles have been gaining steady momentum in the driving public s eye. To the extent that even manufacturers of exclusively RWD automobiles, like BMW, have begun including FWD and AWD alternatives, branded as xDrive by BMW, to their roster.
And like Honda with their preference for making affordable FWD production vehicles, most other manufacturers also stick to one kind of transmission when designing their full range of vehicles. Which might sound like laziness on the part of their design teams, but their actual motivations are purely economical. Vehicle manufacturers have a limited amount of resources for investing into new engine designs. It makes more financial sense for them to keep expanding on the automotive traditions they ve already established, than to, almost literally, try reinventing the wheel.
But with FWDs accounting for more than 50% of all cars bought, AWDs claiming around 30% of the market, and sales of RWDs only representing a miniscule 10%, is it any wonder a world renowned RWD manufacturer like BMW would be willing to shift gears to developing models with FWD transmissions? It would ve been foolish for them to do otherwise.
In addition to cost effectiveness, it seems efficiency is the average road user s primary concern when choosing a car for day to day usage. FWDs are cheaper to develop and engineer. Hence, the prevalence of that format on most entry level automobiles. Their smaller size also makes them lighter and, therefore, more fuel efficient than other drivetrain systems.
On the contrary, with its engine being expected to power four wheels at a time, AWDs have many more components included in their constructions. Making AWDs relatively overweight when compared to their FWD and RWD competitors. This additional weight is felt in terms of the additional fuel it burns. Which equates to higher costs at purchase and aftermarket. But with manufacturers making constant improvements to their day to day functionality and fuel efficiency, AWDs are fast becoming the vehicle of choice for a growing number of motorists.
Ultimately, when choosing the most suitable drivetrain, it s your daily routine and weather conditions encountered that become the biggest determining factors. So long as you re willing to fork out for a set of snow tires in winter, choosing a FWD vehicle over an AWD one makes negligible difference in a long run. But when compared to a RWD, front wheel drives and all wheel drives still come up trumps for handling well under adverse weather conditions, like in snow or rain.
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