For those with rear wheel drive cars, how bad is it in the snow?

[Alpine]

I'm in the market for a passenger sedan and a couple of the choices I've narrowed down to are rear wheel drive (no awd option). I live in Pennsylvania which gets a good amount of snow during the winter months so traction is a concern.

I know a front wheel drive car has better traction in the snow due to the weight of the engine over the drive wheels. However, is a rear wheel drive with a separate set of snow only tires comparable or better?

If anyone has been through this dilemma first hand, please post your comments. Thanks.

[PCBruiser]

I am an experienced 4-wheel off road enthusiast, with 40 years of first hand driving experience in both PA and upstate NY with rear wheel, front wheel and full time 4-wheel drive vehicles. I would NEVER get a rear wheel vehicle again. Not only for snow, but rain as well. In light rain, when the roads get slippery, real wheel vehicles tend to skid out as well.

Given the choice, full time 4-wheel is even better still than front wheel.

I have had Jeeps, Chevys, Subs, Saabs and Land Rovers (I have 2 Land Rover Freelanders now). There is no question in my mind that I will never again own a real wheel vehicle for on road driving. And, while snow tires do help, the added traction and vehicle control you get from front wheel and preferable full time 4-wheel still significantly out perform rear wheel.

[Gbud]

If you are going to have snow tires... I wouldnt worry about it.
Yes front wheel drive is better in snow, for the masses. Some people couldn't drive four wheel drives in the snow.... So it sort of depends on your driving ability. Front wheel drive makes it easier, 4x4 even easier still. But I prefer rear wheel drive over front.

[garnet_abx]

I drove nothing but front wheel drive cars from 1980 to 2000. (I did have one 4x4 in '92-'93). In 2000, I got a BMW 540i V8 rear wheel drive sedan. Now this car has one of the best traction control systems available for rear wheel drive cars, but is no match for front wheel drive for getting moving in snow. It's pretty good on snowy roads with 4 snow tires, but is a real dog when trying to start from a stop in snow. The rear tires spin too easily.....without snow tires you don't move at all, even in a couple of inches of snow. I never had to put anything but all season tires on the front wheel drive cars.
I drove this car to my office everyday (a round trip of over 100 miles) in all weather! I expect our winter weather is a little more harsh then in PA.
That being said, a front wheel drive car is definitely better for getting around in snow than rear wheel drive cars.

[Ozzie]

I drive 4 wheel drive vehicles too...but if you are an experienced driver there is a lot of fun to be had with a rear wheel drive in the snow...

I wouldn't get one for my wife though...they can spin out around corners and curves if you aren't paying attention.

Front wheel drives also have their own quirks...like they hang on in the curves up to a point...then it's 'see you later' and you're in the ditch.

[Logan_abx]

It also depends on the weight of the car, weight of the engine, and torque... I have a 5.0 1993 Mustang, and I've driven it in the snow... But, very, very carefully. There is so much weight directly over the front tires, and so little over the rear drive tires, that in even a small amount of snow, you just CAN'T get it moving.

Now, maybe with chains -- but, I'd still prefer a front wheel drive or 4x4 for snow driving.

However, I do have a funny story about that. I was picking my wife up from work one day, and it was snowing. There was probably 1/2" of hard-pack on the road, and I was driving very, very carefully. After picking her up, I was driving down the highway behind a Jeep Cherokee 4x4, which was behind a tractor trailer. The woman driving the Jeep, apparently, confident that her 4x4 could handle anything (forgetting, I suppose, that it doesn't MATTER how many drive tires you have for braking), was driving very close to the rear of the tractor trailer. I was allowing lots of distance, fully expecting the Jeep to wreck. Well, we came to a stop light, the truck stopped, and so did the Jeep -- after spinning around in a COMPLETE 360. Funniest thing I've ever seen. I, of course, slowed down gradually, and stopped about 4-5 car lengths behind the Jeep. The woman even got out and walked around the Jeep, staring at it like it was to blame.

Moral -- the driver makes more of a difference than the car. But, all things being equal, a front wheel drive generally does much better in slick conditions.

Logan

[dddibley]

Better to pull than push.

Only caveats with front wheel drive is front end damage. Drive maintenance is higher priced too. Transmission is a lot smaller.

Have to agree with Ozzie though. Rear wheel is WAY more fun in the snow.

ddd

[balls]

if its a sports car it has to be rear wheel drive. That includes miata (an excellent car which grown men if they know, drool over); del sol no match w/ its fwd. everything else is a bus w/ 4 wheels - and such be treated as such. This is the law. most never know the diff. again, adding more driving wheels is a good thing, but no reason to go out and buy a Subaru.

This post is in reference to the drivetrain only, and is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

[grsamf]

Having driven rear wheel drives and then front wheel for years, I can say that I wouldn't trade my current four wheelers for either. I am getting too old and there are too many idiots on the road for me to enjoy the "fun" of rear wheel. Of course, it seems that a healthy percentage of the idiots are drivers of 4-wheel rigs who think the 4-wheel drive, ABS, computerized steering control, etc., etc., means they don't have to be careful and can drive 70 mph on glazed ice. My conclusion is the 4-wheek drive is very dangerous in the hands of other people.

[FB]

Originally Posted by grsamf

Having driven rear wheel drives and then front wheel for years, I can say that I wouldn't trade my current four wheelers for either. I am getting too old and there are too many idiots on the road for me to enjoy the "fun" of rear wheel. Of course, it seems that a healthy percentage of the idiots are drivers of 4-wheel rigs who think the 4-wheel drive, ABS, computerized steering control, etc., etc., means they don't have to be careful and can drive 70 mph on glazed ice. My conclusion is the 4-wheek drive is very dangerous in the hands of other people.

i agree with that

[VSEKH]

My first car was I got from my dad when I first got my driver's license was a rear wheel drive car, which gave me a lot of problems on snowy days. Since then, I have only gotten front wheel drive cars. I will never go back to cars with rear wheel drive.

[balls]

people who know this buy say, Blizzak for the winter. Ya, it can get bad, amd depending on where you are coming/going may be wrong. but how many days a year is there real snow 3% (10 days)?

However, the slowest Ferrari 2 door beats the fastest 4 door Ferrari. There is only one 8 cylinder Ferrari regular production model and a 2 door it is.

The best ride one ever took in the back of the Porsche is to the end of the driveway. Longest trip I'd ever go on!

[Briton]

I agree with PCB here. I have a rear wheel drive car with snow tires on it right now (it's an toyota SR5) and I have to say it took me a while to get used to compared to my last car which was a front-wheel drive vehicle. In the rain (even with snow tires) and snow you slide around very easily--you need to learn to break far before you would normally do so in a front wheel drive car and not only that, but you must take turns at half the speed you normally do or your rear end flies out. It ISN'T a problem if you drive slowly and carefully under these conditions (as in good weather conditions I've never had any problems driving fast and taking corners) but if you drive recklessly under such conditions you're going to have some problems.

[balls]

ya, but you're going 4x as fast to begin with. I'm not supporting one way or the other, by the way. I could tell you everything everyone has already said.

you may have better luck asking in alt.autos.corvette, rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata, etc. Sports car enthusiats will tell you its possible, and how. Remember the ground clearance, and the awe factor there. These auto are groups by no means limited to this type of discussion.

[SupDawg]

Rear wheel sucks on the snow. I owned one, and I won't go back. If I purchase another car that is mainly rear wheel drive, it must have AWD or I will not purchase.

I had too many close calls in the snow and in the rain, and I won't take those risks anymore.