The Difference Between Driving FWD, RWD & AWD Cars

To the average driver, the acronyms FWD, RWD and AWD don’t mean much, but they explain a fundamental difference in how your car drives.  In this GM Outlet Parts blog, we explain some key differences between the two systems.

Front Wheel Drive (FWD)

In Front Wheel Drive (FWD) cars, the power from the engine and transmission drives the front wheels of the car, pulling the rest of the car forward with it.

There are some advantages in the FWD design:

• The engine and transmission can be mounted horizontally, creating a less bulky design.
• This allows for more cabin space in the car as there is no transmission or differential running under the floor.
• The simpler FWD design uses less parts, is cheaper to make and simpler to maintain.
• The FWD design allows for more predictable city driving.

There are also some disadvantages to the FWD design:

• High powered FWD cars may pull to one side or the other due to Torque Steer.
• Large engines cannot be fitted vertically.
• Slower acceleration compared to RWD.
• The engine bay is more cluttered making it more difficult to work on and perform maintenance.
• A heavy front end and very lightweight tail end may result in understeering.

Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)

In Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) cars, the power from the engine drives the rear wheels of the car, pushing the rest of the car forward.  This design is more complicated than FWD as it sends power from the engine to the car’s gearbox, that uses a shaft to transfer power to the vehicle’s differential on the rear axle.  This design was used to power the first automobiles and is still popular today.

Here are some advantages to the RWD design:

• Maintenance is easier and cheaper to perform as there is better access and cheaper parts.
• Acceleration is uninterrupted at straight lines, does not experience Torque Steer like FWD design.
• Weight is distributed more evenly throughout the car as the engine is in the front, gearbox in the center and differential at the back axle.
• The steering radius of RWD is better as there is no need for a bulky complex axle on the front wheels.
• There are less complex parts to wear out, giving RWD cars better track performance.

There are a few disadvantages to the RWD design:

• Less interior space as there are moving parts under the floor of the car.
• RWD cars can be unforgiving to drivers who don’t know how to handle them.
• Increased weight due to added parts.
• There are more parts that could break, with a need for regular maintenance.

All Wheel Drive (AWD)

All Wheel Drive (AWD) cars have the most advanced and complex design to drive a vehicle.  The engine power passes through the gearbox and then through a Transfer Case or Center Differential which distributes power to both the front and back axles.  This design allows the power to reach both axles to power all 4 wheels.

Here are a few advantages of the AWD design:

• Increased traction in any weather condition.
• Wheel spin is minimized as the power is spread between all four wheels.
• Turning is more accurate at higher speeds, with less chance of understeer or oversteering.
• More control makes sit easier to avoid collisions.

The AWD design also has a few disadvantages:

• AWD vehicles are more expensive to make and more expensive to maintain.
• The more complicated design has added parts which could be prone to failure, more parts that have the potential to break.
• AWD vehicles tend to be heavier than FWD & RWD designs and have a higher rate of fuel consumption.

Drivers should be familiar with the design of their cars to know how their cars will handle on the road.  This is especially good to know if you find your car stuck in the snow or on an uneven surface – you need to know which wheels spin to make sure they have traction to get you unstuck. If you’re driving an AWD vehicle, you’re less likely to get stuck in the first place!

Whether the car you drive is FWD, RWD or AWD, GM Outlet Parts has a wide selection of OEM replacement parts for your GM vehicle!