Here's Proof RWD Is Just as Good If Not Better than FWD For Snow Driving
When it comes to handling the slip and slush that comes with winter temps, all-wheel drive is often seen as a requirement. That said, both front and rear-wheel drive layouts offer some benefits. A new video from the team at Tyre Reviews on YouTube sets out to determine which drivetrain layout is actually superior in the snow.
To get to the bottom of this age-old question, the Tyre Reviews made its way up to Goodyear’s Arctic Center outside of Ivalo in northern Finland. The crew brought a pair of cars together for the event, with an Audi A4 40 TDI serving as the front-driver and a BMW 320D serving as the rear-driver. Both cars are equipped with their respective automatic transmissions, with both powertrains also providing the same 187 hp 295 lb-ft. The two cars even weigh in at about the same amount, but the Audi keeps more weight over the nose than the rear-drive BMW. Both saloons are also fit with a set of Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 winter tires, which should help keep things as even as possible.
The first test saw the two sedans attempt a drag race down the snowy test track, making full use of the traction control system in the process. The sedans were basically tied the entire way down the run, despite a cheeky lane swap to ensure fairness. That’s not the most surprising result, considering the overall similarity in performance on offer. With the systems switched off, the BMW had no problem pulling away from the Audi, albeit with plenty of wheelspin involved. The BMW continued its dominance into the hill start test, which saw both cars attempt to climb a snowy 15 percent grade. The Audi wasn’t even able to move on the first pass, but was ultimately able to make it up the hill after a lane swap. And while the right lane posted a clear advantage, the BMW still made it up the climb on the left side. That’s something the Audi was unable to do.
Some laps around the snow skid pad didn’t highlight any meaningful advantages from one car to another, with the driver being the ultimate factor in that particular test. On the snow handling course, the Audi defaulted to understeer at almost all times. That’s partially due to the undefeatable traction control system, but is also a familiar tale with its Quattro all-wheel-drive counterparts. The BMW was more of a handful around the course, but it managed to make it across the line more than a second faster than the Audi.
Through the instrumented testing, the rear-drive platform was able to beat the front-driver. Of course, as the video points out, your tire compound will really matter more than which wheels you’re using to spin them when the snow is out in force. Still, we’ll take that as a win for rear-wheel drive.
You Might Also Like
