AWD Vs. FWD

What is the best? Is it the Front-wheel drive (FWD), the All-wheel drive (AWD) or the Rear wheel drive (RWD) that performs the best to get around a track? Well this is an age-old question which has been rolling over for generations now. Besides front-wheel drive and an all-wheel drive being popular only in the section of SUVs, these systems are picking up fame in areas like pickup trucks, sports cars and other compact cars also. Having a FWD or an AWD systems as one of the option to choose, for a consumer all of them really gets confusing and more than that, it gets meaningless than the last one. Because all of these systems have their own merits to live up to and selecting the best of the lot is a tough deal. So to get an answer for the same, let's see the difference between AWD and FWD. But before that we'll see what does an all-wheel drive and a front-wheel drive individually mean.

All-wheel Drive (AWD)
AWD system offers both FWD (front-wheel drive) and RWD (rear-wheel drive). This system has been employed in many vehicles such as, wagons, cars minivans or crossover vehicles, etc. AWD is usually called the upgraded version of FWD, because the maximum power of the engine is channelized to a vehicle's front wheels. So whenever, the wheels of a vehicle detects a slippery condition or any sharp turns, some of the power from the engine is deviated to RWD (rear wheel drive). AWD is a powerful system supplying power to all the four wheels of a car. They rotate at different speeds and transmit the torque to the required wheel having traction.

Front-wheel Drive (FWD)
Most of the passenger vans and cars we see out in the market are front-wheel drive, in short most modern cars are front-wheel drive. In this system, the power from the engine is transferred to the front wheels in order for them to propel properly. An added advantage to FWD is that the entire weight of the engine is placed directly over the driven wheels. This layout in the system actually improves traction on snow-filled pavements and slippery roads. FWD systems are known to be the most economic and efficient system in terms of gas mileage. They are also known to be a wiser option in terms of traction control and cost.

Important Pointers on AWD Vs. FWD

Agreed both AWD and FWD systems perform similar operations in different vehicles and offer a traction under slippery conditions, but not necessarily every time and all for the same reasons. Take a look at the basic distinguishing points in these two systems.

AWD

Pros

• Cost wise and safety wise, AWD system proves to be efficient.
• AWD has no high or low gearing options and perform excellent in terms of traction control under terrible weather conditions.
• Due to the increase haul on the drive-train, AWD reduces gas mileage in a vehicle.
• AWD is not at all messy with any functions it offers and one can drive a car with this system installed in it pretty easily.
• In short, AWD is a far better option than a FWD. Only because of this system having an excellent traction control unit, cars which are driven in regions surrounded by a bad weather, terrible roads or rough terrains, these systems really show their efficiency.

Cons

• The all part in AWD system is a bit misleading, since most of the AWD cars employ the front wheels in the first place and then transmits power to the rear wheels only when the sensor notices the slipping condition of the front wheels.
• AWD starts similarly as the FWD vehicles, but takes seconds time to direct the power to the front wheels.
• With AWD system installed in a car, if the rear axles and the front axles are not locked together, stopping the car gets risky.
• AWD is very expensive as compared to other systems.
• Also one of the biggest downside of AWD is the weight of the system. If there is more weight, the vehicle uses more fuel to run and hence it's not fuel-economically fit.

FWD

Pros

• With FWD installed in a car, there are advantages like good economy, good mileage, fewer parts, easy installation and so on.
• The weight is very less in comparison to AWD because components like axle assembly and separate transmission is not present in FWD.
• FWD bags the prize to show a better traction control under extreme snowy and rainy conditions.
• Another added advantage of FWD is, the weight of the engine and other car components, rests on the wheel drive at the front, giving a good grip to the car.
• FWD shows its efficiency in ice or snow very well. The vehicle pulls in the forward direction, even if the driver is steering the wheel on either sides.

Cons

• How good FWD is in snow, when it comes to urgent stopping, the vehicle can prove to be dangerous. If a driver tries to stop the car by lulling on the gas pedal, the fast the wheels spin, the more the car keeps moving in the forward direction and hence, it would lose its balance and shift towards the rear wheels. That's dangerous.
• In extreme snowy or rainy conditions, FWD is not good for towing other vehicles because they are nose-heavy and wouldn't be able to handle the weight of another component.
• Since in FWD cars, the power is shoved to the ground, they are not too optimal for a sports car performance.
• Another con about FWD cars is, since they are high-powered systems, an ordinary car cannot handle the vehicle's direction on a high acceleration.
• FWDs are fragile because the constant velocity (CV) and half-shafts are prone to injuries on a higher scale as compared to any rigid iron axle.

Now if you are still in a fix as to what should you buy, a FWD or AWD? Well this question would only be answered if you ponder over the thought about the kind of driver you are. The conditions you usually drive in. And most importantly what would you expect your car to do at its best! If you have made up your mind on this aspect, perhaps your question is answered already!