The reasoning about the car with which drive is better to choose, rear, front or complete, refer to the discharge of disputes about which gearbox is better - mechanical, robotic and whether automatic, or on the advantages of a gasoline engine over diesel and vice versa.
But once the car enthusiasts of the year will mutate the topic of the drive, it means that they still have not yet realized that the advantages and disadvantages of each of the transmissions mentioned. In this article we will tell about the advantages and disadvantages of the front, rear and full drives, and let the reader on the basis of our arguments let them make a choice - the car with which transmissary it will be suitable.
Selection number 1. Rear drive
If only lists the brands that produce cars with rear-wheel drive, it will become clear why many motorists seriously think about buying a car with such a type of transmission. Just listen to these names - BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Bentley. Hands, as they say, they themselves stretch to stronger behind the wheel of cars of these companies.
Why such famous firms give preference to the rear drive? Of course, they have models in the cohort and with other types of drives (front and more often complete), but rear-wheel drive cars are most popular.
The answer is simple: it's all about comfort and better controllability than that of vehicles with front-wheel drive layout. Speaking about rear-wheel drive cars, it is impossible not to mention such sports cars as Nissan Skyline, Toyota Celica, Honda NSX - icons of lovers of automotive racing. That is, we make intermediate output, rear-wheel drive choose lovers of comfort or speed driving.
Now let's briefly stay on the design features of the rear drive. The design of the vehicle with rear-wheel drive can be with any engine layout: front-engine, medium-engine or rear-engine engineer. The power unit in such cars has a longitudinal or opposite location. The torque from the engine is transmitted to the rear axle, which is the leading.
In addition to various engine configurations, a feature of a car with a rear-wheel drive layout is the presence of a cardan, and accordingly, the tunnel walking along the bottom of the car and preventing the rear row passengers sitting on the sofa in the middle. However, since most of the modern cars with rear-wheel drive from the premium class, then the landing formula they have 2 + 2 - that is, behind two full chairs, separated by the tunnel, to which the table is placed.
Pluses of rear drive:
- almost complete lack of vibrations from the engine, which in rear-wheel drive cars has a longitudinal or opposite location and suspended on mitigating elements;
- great loading of the rear axle during overclocking, which allows you to unload the front wheels and provide the best grip with the road surface of the rear, drive wheels without slipping;
- a more controlled drift of the car, which occurs at a relatively low speed than the machines with other types of drive, and, therefore, easier to be fixed - it is enough to lose gas and turn the steering wheel towards driving;
- the lack of jet moments on the steering wheel when the car accelerates. This is explained by the fact that the front wheels that are conjugate with the steering mechanism are not leading;
- a wide variety of rear-wheel drive control techniques at speed - that racing lovers especially appreciate;
Reduced, compared with the front-wheel drive car, the rotation radius, which is due to the lack of limitations of the angles of rotation of the front wheels of the rear-wheel drive car with hinges of equal angular velocities; - the optimal distribution of torque between the front and rear axle: the front wheels are rotated, and the rear "push" the machine forward.
Cons rear drive:
- the cost of producing a rear-wheel drive car is higher than the front-wheel drive due to a more complex design; - the presence of a massive cardan shaft and a tunnel coming from the motor to the rear axle, beautifies the useful space in the cabin and increases the curb weight of the car;
- the worst, compared to the front and all-wheel drive vehicles, the patency on loose snow, a big tendency to drift on the icing road.
Choice # 2 Front Drive
Most modern cars have obtained an advanced arrangement mainly due to the simplicity of such a design and a lower cost in production. In addition, more compact motors were installed on cars with front-wheel drive, located not along the rear-wheel drive, but across the body.
And the absence in the design of the cardan makes the front-wheel drive car on one side more compact, and on the other, it allows you to get a more voluminous useful space in the cabin and the luggage separation of the machine.
Since the windows with the front-wheel drive are most common, more economical and relatively cheap, they choose a greater number of buyers.
A little about the design features of such cars. As can be seen from the name, the main feature of this type of drive is the transmission of torque from the power plant to the front wheels. The front-wheel drive layout allows you to create six variations of engine placement - three in longitudinal and transverse planes. At the rear-wheel drive layout of such variations four.
Transversely arranged motors at front-wheel drive cars can be located before the front axle, above it and behind it. Exactly the same installation options have a longitudinally located engine. In addition, the front-wheel drive cars have the ability to differently compose the power unit.
In a sequential layout, the engine is located the main transmission, behind it - the gearbox. In parallel layout, the motor and gearbox are located on parallel axes and at the same altitude, and, finally, in the so-called "floor" layout, the engine is above the transmission.
Pluses of the front drive:
- relative cheapness of production and maintenance;
- the absence of the cardan and the rear axle crankcase allows you to make a car compact, easier and spacious both in the cabin and in the luggage compartment;
- the best front wheel grip strength with slippery expensive due to the fact that the engine and transmission are located in the neighborhood, and not separated, like rear-wheel drive cars;
- the best dynamics and efficiency of front-wheel drive cars due to lower exhaust mass;
- the best, compared to rear-wheel drive cars, permeability on loose snow due to the fact that the front wheels have an optimal adhesion with a road surface due to the mass of the engine located in the front;
- excellent course stability and an easy degree of insufficient turning, in which the velocity car is trying to return to the straight trajectory of the movement itself. This is definitely affecting the best safety of the front-wheel drive car.
Cons front drive:
- due to the location of the engine on the front axle and its rigid "coupling" with the core, vibrations from the engine are transmitted on the body, which makes comfort inside the cabin below than in a rear-wheel drive car;
- the steering wheel are transmitted to the steering wheel when overclocking, which complicates the management of them;
- there is a torque of the wheel slip with a sharp acceleration of the car. This is due to the fact that when accelerating the weight from the front axle goes to the back, the front wheels lose the grip with the road surface;
- large load on the front tires that perform a major role when accelerating, braking, car corners. Accordingly, their life is reduced.
Selection number 3 four-wheel drive
Perhaps the most desired one of all drives for Russians is complete. It is great for riding on our, far from ideal roads, and is a reliable assistant when overcoming off-road. Currently, the popularity of cars with full drive is growing.
Moreover, this refers to machines that are involved in the system connected full drives, which allows such models to have good dynamics and be economical. The most optimal option is crossovers that the base is the drive to the front wheel, and the rear axle is connected (departure to off-road).
It turns out that all-wheel drive cars will come up by the one who often drives off the road.
A few words about the design features of all-wheel drive cars. The four-wheel drive allows you to transfer torque on both axes simultaneously, which ensures optimal clutch of the wheels with the road surface. Three groups of all-wheel drive transmissions are distinguished: a permanent four-wheel drive, connected four-wheel drive and automatically connected four-wheel drive.
A permanent four-wheel drive in its design has an inter-seed differential with locks, a transfer box. The automatically connected full drive in the design does not have an inter-axis differential, the master is only one axis (most often - rear), and the second connects automatically, as soon as the intelligent full drive system detects that the wheel of the drive axis has lost the adhesion with the road.
The full drive connected at the request is also there is also no mid-sieve differential leading is the front axle, and the rear is connected through multi-disc clutches.
Pluses of a full drive:
- excellent clutch of all wheels with a road surface, which ensures the absence of slipping when attaching on slippery surface, as well as high cargo vehicles;
- the best controllability at high speed due to optimal rapes along the axes (characteristic of all-wheel drive sports cars);
- high reliability of the design (especially in a permanent full drive);
- relative simplicity of designs in vehicles with connected full drive (cars with constant full-wheel drive construction is more complex);
Cons of full drive:
- increased noise of transmission;
- uncomfortable control in conditions of movement in the city streets;
- the high weight of the all-wheel drive transmission, which directly affects the dynamics and efficiency of such a car;
- high maintenance and repair.
So, weighing all the "for" and "against" cars with rear, front and full drive, every car enthusiast can make its reasonable and subjective choice.
Hello, dear blog readers website. In today's conversation with you, let's try to choose car drive and find out what drive is better: front, rear or complete? Car drive - this is one of its most important characteristics, so before deciding what to choose a drive, it is necessary to figure out than types of car drives differ from each other.
Car Drive Outlook:
What drive: front, rear or complete?
Car drive determines on which wheels are transmitted by the thrust of its engine. All modern cars have four wheels - two front and two rear, while the engine power in the vehicle can be transmitted either on all four wheels or one pair of wheels - frontor rear. What differ among themselves front, rear and four-wheel drive?
What drive is safer? What drive is most safe?
It is managed much easier, the front-wheel drive is harder to put into skid, so as first car it is better to choose the car exactly with front drive. On the other hand, skid rear-wheel drive cars It is easily corrected by intuitive gas discharge - let go of the gas and the car returned to the trajectory. A. front drive Bar means that the driver has crossed all the permissible borders. Here is a small example.
Calculate front-drive car more complicated than in the back, but also to get out of drift on front drive - You need much more skill. On the rear drive, the skid is the norm and it arises constantly, and to eliminate it, it is usually enough just to let go of the gas pedal. We can say that rear drive Immediately shows the driver all the danger of slippery road, and the front - until the last hides it from the driver. However, even for rear drive There is a speed limit, after which the gas discharge is not able to stabilize the car. See how the posterior car can be taken.
Concerning full drive, then with him still more difficult. All-wheel drive on slippery coating may behave as front or as rear, depending on which the wheel is slippery. Let's look at the example of the most popular model. Chevrolet Niva.how maybe a thing of permanent four-wheel drive, not equipped eSP system. This once again confirms that four-wheel drive only increases permeability and improves accelerating dynamics, but not at all does not improve handling.
And on this video, at a speed of 150 km / h, Audi car, equipped constant full-wheel drive QuattroIt gets into the oil puddle and breaks into skid. Only rich experience and steel nerves of the pilot allow him to get out of the water dry and unharmed.
For front drive Characteristic more high term stabilitythan the rear. On a snowy or dirty highway front-wheel drive It goes like a locomotive on rails, while with rear wheel drive We need to work on a slippery road very carefully - the car can deploy.
And here four-wheel drive Snowpall, like off-road, transfers even better than the front, but if there is no mid-sieve differential, then it is reluctant in turn. Be careful!
It makes it possible to accelerate faster, easily enters the skid, but it is also simply displayed, and all this makes ride on the rear-wheel drive car more interesting. On a slippery road rear drive It is not controlled at all as the front, but many drivers for it appreciate it. In general, if security is not in the last place for you, and you want not only to ride a car, but be able to manage them in any situation, then you will definitely look at this video from The main road:
So, what exact drive is more secure? Alas, but it is impossible to definitely answer this question. Everyone type of car drive behaves differently, each has its own pros and cons, each view of the drive We must skillfully use without violating the laws of physics. But one thing can be said with confidence: if you need safe car, then he can possess any type of drive, the main thing is that it was necessarily incorporated currency System - ESP. This intelligent program can slow down each wheel individually, thus correcting many driver errors.
What drive is the most passable?
Really, at the front drive patency is slightly higher than the rear And there is at least two reasons for it. Firstly, drive wheels At the front drive pressed to the ground weighing the enginewhich reduces slip. Secondly, drive wheels front drive, are steeringAnd this allows the driver to set the direction of thrust.
In the case of slipping the drive wheels, the driver of the front or full-drive car can pull the car from the snow captivity with the front wheels, while the rear wheels are followed strictly behind the front. The rear-wheel drive in such a situation behaves worse - the tail begins to demolish the control of this process is very difficult.
, on slippery ascent climbs confidentthan rear. Leading front wheels tourable, but pull the car to the top, and rear driveIn such a situation, dropping and strives to expand the car. The king of slippery lifts is undoubtedly His Majesty four-wheel drive, which the rises over the ice slope without slipping.
Nevertheless, driving around in the winter in slippery roads, it is impossible to hope only for four-wheel drive, because its ability is not limitless. With studded rubber, you can climb on slippery winter lifts on any drive, especially if the machine is equipped anti-sketching system ESP.
So, the most passing, of course, is a full drive. Rear-wheel drive, for the assault off-road suits the least, but also on the front drive from the solid coating is better not to move.
Suitable for you if you do not plan to leave the road limits with a solid coating. If sometimes you are going to make risky ripples in the field, then you need to take at least a car with front drive, and for serious excipients on the road you need a car, equipped with fully drive.
On dry asphalt rear drive accelerated faster than the front. When accelerating the weight of the car shifts on the rear axle, while the front wheels are unloaded, that's why front-wheel drive During overclocking, it allows strong slip. But the car accelerates faster with full driveNaturally, it should be equipped with a powerful engine.
So, if you need a car that accelerates others faster, then you need to choose a car, with rear, and better with fully drive And as a powerful motor as possible.
What drive is better? Front or rear-wheel drive?
wins the rear by such an indicator as fuel consumption. Average, front drive more economical Rear, and the difference can reach 7%. And here four-wheel drive, in terms of efficiency, occupies an honorable third place - he the most voracious one, in many ways because of this, most of all the motorists are chosen precisely front or rear drive.
In the rear-wheel drive cars, the front wheels do not have drive shafts, so the maximum angles of rotation of the steering wheels, on the rear drive, more, and reversal radius - lessWhat is very useful in the city.
Front drive in production is cheaper Rear, so the front-wheel drive machines are sold at more affordable prices. Lower price - This is the main advantage of the front drive before rear and complete. It is due to a low price, the front-wheel drive won the place of the most common drive of all types: the front-wheel drive cars produced morethan with rear and complete drive combined. The second cause of high popularity front drive is an simplicity Its use on a slippery road, its low demanding to the driver's skill.
If you choose front or rear drivethen in most cases front actuator is the best option. It is more accessible, more economical, easier in the device and is less demanding of the pilot skill. - Your option, if you have a decent experience over your shoulders, and now you want not just ride by car, but enjoy From the motor control process itself.
What car drive is better?
So, you need to sum up. If everything is strongly simplified, the conclusion can be done as: the best view of the drive is a four-wheel drive.paired with eSP course stability system. However, four-wheel drive costs more when buying and roads in service, yes I. consumes a lot of fuel. If you need something more economicalT. the optimal option will be the front-wheel drivewhich has an ideal combination of characteristics. well and rear drive It is worth choosing only if you have experience and the car needs you, first of all to enjoy driving.
Advantages of the front drive:
- Low price
- Low fuel consumption
- Patency is higher than the rear drive
- Holds well on slippery road
Advantages of the rear drive:
- Accelerated faster than the front
- Easier comes out of drift
Advantages of a full drive:
- Patency
- Accelerates even faster than rear-wheel drive
Cons of full drive:
- High fuel consumption
- High price
- Expensive repair and maintenance
The main types of drive we dismantled, now let's see what types of complete drive.
Types of complete drive
In this embodiment all four wheels are constantly connected to the engineEach of them always clings to the road and pushes a car forward and it is already in itself a big plus (for example, on a slippery climb).
But, permanent full drive It is truly good only when it is equipped with a course stability system ( ESP.), Which will slow down the desired wheel and does not give it to it, if it fell on a more slippery surface.
Disadvantage permanent full drive is an high fuel consumption, and the advantage - big reliability. Concerning penthood, then storming off-road exparment on a constant full-wheel drive can be, but only if it is provided in its design blocking Central and Arrange Differentials.
Advantages of a permanent full drive:
- Permanent readiness
- High reliability
Disadvantages of a permanent full drive:
- Increased fuel consumption
Manually connected four-wheel drive
This is the oldest and most inconvenient a variety of full drive, and here patency She, perhaps, the tallest. Such a car, in the usual condition, has rear drive, And the front wheels can be connected manually, but for this you need to stop. Constantly ride with a connected front axle, it is impossible for such a car, as it creates loads on the handout and speeds up the wear of the tires. Also, the disadvantage of this scheme can be considered pretty large fuel consumption, regardless of whether the four-wheel drive is turned on or off.
There is this type of full drive and their own advantages. First, such a drive is very good on off-road, and secondly, he also has very high reliability.
Pluses of the manually connected full drive:
- High passability
Cons of manually connected full drive:
- Inconvenience to turn on the full drive
- Large fuel consumption
It is very modern type of full drive and the most promising, but he has not yet been brought to perfection and does not very well tolerate a serious off-road. Implementation options automatically connected full drive There are a different, but general principle such that one pair of wheels is connected to the engine constantly, and the second is connected only as needed. Connection This occurs through a multi-disc clutch, and manages the computer to all this process. In this way, normally The car has drive on one axis, but full-driven becomes only when it really needs.
The main advantages of such a scheme are fuel economy and ease of use. The driver does not need to perform any actions, the computer itself connects the second pair of wheels when necessary.
On the other hand, multidiscian clutch far less reliablethan classic full drive. The automatically plug-in all-wheel drive allows you to not notice snow drifts in the city and without difficulty climbing the ice climb, but it is not intended for the assault of a serious off-road.
Pros of the automatically connected full drive:
- Fuel economy
- Ease of use
Cons of automatically connected full drive:
- Lower reliability
Now, friends, you know what different types of actuators are different and you can make the right choice. Be sure to evaluate the article, share it with friends and leave your comments.
Very often car enthusiasts argue about what type of drive is better. Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of each type separately.
Rear drive
Let's start with the rear drive, which is considered classic, this is due to the fact that a very long time cars had a rear-wheel drive and a longitudinal engine located in front.
Disadvantages of the rear drive:
1. High rise in production, which is reflected in the final price of the car.
2. Cars with rear-type drive is harder, they are usually always located in the center of the body tunnel, eating a useful volume of the cabin, and a reducing comfort of the rear passengers.
3. Patency in the conditions of snow and dirt is worse than the front or all-wheel drive machines.
4. Next to the rear axle car.
Front type drive
The engine is installed transversely relative to the axis of the car.
Advantages of the front drive:
1. The cheapest in production.
2. Due to the lack of a cardan shaft, as a rule, there is no central tunnel (but is present in case the car has an all-wheel drive version).
3. High passability in snow and dirt, congenital good term stability.
4. Lower vehicle mass.
Disadvantages of the front type drive:
1. Vibration from the motor due to the rigid attachment is transmitted to the body.
2. The steering wheel with intensive acceleration transmits reactive efforts (expressed by the shaks). Therefore, front-wheel drive cars with a capacity of more than 250 hp As a rule, they are not issued due to the inability to realize the potential of the engine.
3. With a sharp start, there is a redistribution of weight back, the front axle is unloaded, and leading wheels have a tendency to slip.
4. demolition of the front of the car.
Full type of drive
The leading are all the wheels, which ensures good course stability and permeability. There are several types of full drive permanent or connected.
Permanent full drive
When the car is equipped with a system of constant full drive torque continuously transmitted to all wheels. The car has a permanent readiness for complex road situations, the lacks can be considered the highest fuel consumption and the structure complex in technical plan.
Connected full drive
This type of drive assumes movement in conventional modes in the monolvodny (more often by-contained) mode with the connection of the full drive system only as needed. The advantage is low fuel consumption, a higher level of comfort, disadvantage - increased transmission wear and poor handling when the full drive system is enabled, since the front and rear axles will move with different angular velocities and the effort is not compensated.
Connected automatically all-wheel drive by type - thrust on demand
The type of drive when the automation connects the second axis when the sink is first by blocking the inter-seed clutch. There are two types of connected drive - with a Viscouft that is cheaper, but does not provide timely connection of the axis, that is, the car can get stuck or leave the trajectory, or with a multidisk coupling, which is more expensive, but provides a more efficient connection of the second axis as It closes much faster and allows you to accurately distribute traction over the axes in real time.
An example is the XDRIVE system installed on BMW cars, which is constantly redistributed by the torque, taking into account the testimony of the sets of sensors. For movement in off-road conditions, such systems are equipped with differential locks, when activated which the traction is divided by 50 * 50 axes. The advantage of this system is the low fuel consumption, a more enduring technical component, the disadvantage can be considered the cost and complexity in production.
Advantages of a full drive:
1. High term stability.
2. Best car handling.
3. The best among all types of driving permeability.
4. The most efficient start from the place, especially in low tire clutch conditions with expensive.
Disadvantages of the full type of drive:
1. The most expensive in production, repair and maintenance.
2. Increased noise due to two cardanov.
3. The central tunnel creates the same shortcomings and inconvenience that at the rear drive.
4. High mass and increased fuel consumption.
5. In the event of a critical situation on the road, the car slides all four wheels, which markedly complicates his return to the driver.
Although, in fact, the main types of drive 4 - four-wheel drive usually divide on the drive on 4 wheels and the drive to all wheels (when the car has more than two axes).
Which of these drive options is better: full, front or rear, depends on the manner of driving, the nature and coverage of the roads, on which driving is to have, such as the car itself (sports is a car or a full-fledged SUV) and a number of other conditions. But what type of drive is suitable for you, what are the differences in the rear, front and complete drive and how they all work. Let's look through separately the differences between these types of drive, and at the end we present a generalizing table with pluses and minuses of each type.
Front-wheel drive
The main mass of cars in our country, and in most countries of the world, made since the late 1990s, use front-wheel drive. First of all, it is due to the space efficiency of the front drive, its relative cheapness. The front drive of the car provides the engine, transmission and power drive in one compact location housing, which is conveniently placed under the hood, freeing the rest of the car for passengers and cargo.
Front-wheel drive
This allows, of course, to offer more internal space while maintaining the compactness and budget of the machine. Almost all the front-wheel drive cars have engines, installed across the length of the machine - thus the turret of the engine is transmitted to the tap of the wheels as compact as possible - with fewer details, gearboxes and other things.
Pluses of the front drive:
- The front-wheel drive has additional advantages in the snow and rain: the weight of the engine directly above the leading wheels gives the car the best grip on slippery roads. Thus, the front-wheel drive car is significantly less pronounced, and the critical speed in which the car will begin to put, higher than that of the rear-wheel drive car, with other things being equal. This is perhaps the main advantage of the front drive.
- Compactness. As mentioned above, the location of the engine next to the leading wheels simplifies the design of the machine and gives much more free space as under the hood and in the cabin and under the bottom.
- Compactness determines the budget - the front-wheel drive car is also significantly cheaper to design and build than rear-wheel drive and, moreover, the all-wheel drive.
Cons front drive:
- Although, despite the fact that the front-wheel drive car is less susceptible to the rear axis, if the front-wheel drive car was driving, then the car is much more difficult to remove from this drift by virtue of the same design.
- And more about the skid - if you remember the course of driving school, then when driving the rear axle on the front drive, you should increase the supply of gas to exit driving. And this for some drivers is instinctively impossible. The thing is that in the emergency panic situation, many drivers are especially inexperienced - the brake is appropriate, which is not acceptable to the front-wheel drive car and only aggravates the skid.
- Since the leading wheels are both swivels at the same time, it contributes its limitations, firstly, at the maximum angle of turning the wheels and on the wear of the increased number of mechanisms - first of all, the so-called "grenades", which provides the drive into the movement of the root wheels .
- Since the main components are under the hood in front of the car, then the front actuator makes its own adjustments to brake mechanisms. The fact is that when braking the main weight of the machine is transferred forward (when moving forward, of course). This means that without that heavy in front of the car, there is even more braking, which leads to a significantly more rapid wear of the brake mechanisms on the front axle of the machine - first of all, the brake pads. Often the rear pads change when the front pads have already been replaced twice.
- For the same reason, the weight transfer is forward, on the contrary, when the machine is accelerated, it is transferred to the rear wheels, which determines the worst clutch with the road leading front wheels. Thus, we obtain that the front-wheel drive is more prone to slip, which is simply a tragedy on charged powerful cars. That is why most sports cars are rear-wheel drive.
Rear drive
The rear-wheel drive most often means that the engine in front, located longitudinally the length of the car, leads its torque to the rear wheels through a long cardan shaft. Meanwhile, the most simplified components of the rear drive do as a whole cheaper than the front-wheel drive, contrary to the approval in the promotions of the front drive above, however, if you include all high technologies in the modern rear drive, then such cars are ultimately obtained much more expensive.
Rear drive
Previously, for a long time, almost all cars were precisely rear-wheel driven, because it seemed to be a very simple design due to the fact that the mechanics and vehicle designers were even vaguely represented how to equip the car with the front drive and at the same time leaving the turning front wheels.
Pluses of rear drive:
- Rear-wheel drive has its main key advantage - performance. Since when overclocking the car, the inertia transmits a significant proportion of its (car) weight to the rear wheels, which are leading, the probability of their slip is significantly less than in the case of the front-wheel drive. That is why most sports cars, such as Chevrolet Corvette, Ferrari, Lamborghini, oil-kara, such as Dodge Challenger, productive sedans, such as the BMW 3 series, and large luxury cars, such as Mercedes-Benz S-Class use precisely rear drive.
- In the front drive, one set of wheels provides both the movement of the machine and control. Rear wheel drive allows us to divide these duties between the front and rear wheels, and the spread of heavy mechanical components along the entire length of the car allows you to distribute its weight more evenly between the front and rear wheels, improving handling.
- Despite the fact that the rear-wheel drive lies on a slippery road, it is the rear-wheel drive that is also easier and removed, for which in the overwhelming majority of cases it is enough just to stop transmitting the drive to them, and, on the contrary, release the gas pedal and give the engine speed. Rear axle.
- Since the front wheels are not at the same time leading, then the simplicity of the design allows them to turn them to a larger angle, which reduces the total radius of the machine turning.
- Drift - of course, where without this plus! It is the rear-wheel drive that provides such an opportunity, thanks to the sinking rear wheels and turning front.
Cons rear drive:
- The main disadvantage is that the rear-wheel drive with the front engine requires the "tunnel" of the transmission, which passes in the center of the car, occupying the valuable space inside the cabin, although it has less importance in large cars.
- Rear wheel drive can also be less preferable for riding in the rain and snow. The thing is that since when turning it is the rear axle more pronounced, then the drive on these rear wheels makes them more slip along with a slippery road, which only increases the likelihood of driving. Therefore, in the theory, the rear wheel drive is easier to put into the skid (which is why drifting is possible only on the rear drive). Although currently electronic stability control systems (ESP) cancelly eliminate this problem, although not completely.
- Another significant minus rear drive lies in the fact that when turning it is required more effort from the engine, because the rear wheels pushed the car forward, while the front wheels are rooted to the side, because of which the power is lost slightly.
By the way, not all rear-wheel drive cars have a motor ahead. Some high-performance machines have a motor in the middle or in the rear. This car includes Ferrari, Lamborghini and other cars. And, of course, there would be a madness to place the engine in the middle or behind in such cars, while they would be an option.
Rear wheel drive with medium-mode engine location
Meanwhile, almost all trucks are equipped with rear-wheel drive, as when they are loaded, the bulk mass is also on the back, which reduces the ability to slip leading wheels.
Four-wheel drive
Technically, a four-wheel drive can be divided into three subgroups: permanent four-wheel drive, connected four-wheel drive and adaptive four-wheel drive. All these systems have the ability to supply power to all four wheels of the car, which improves the clutch in weather and in the rough terrain, and are installed more often on off-road vehicles, such as Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Land Cruiser. All types of full drive also offer a much better grip with an expensive, which allows the car to enter steep turns at greater speeds, so you can find all-wheel drive productive sedans in the catalogs, such as Audi RS7, for example.
Four-wheel drive (with a reccrotor or automatic connection system full drive)
Adaptive full drive Most often found on SUVs, crossovers and sports cars (and some family cars and minivans). This system can carry power from the engine between the front and rear wheels as needed. Moreover, most SUVs transmit 100% engine power to the front wheels; But when they begin to lose a clutch with an expensive (for example, on a slippery road), power starts to shift and on the rear wheels. And the distribution of power does not always occur in the shares of 50/50, although close to this value
Connected full drive - This is the simplest type of full drive, which is embedded on SUVs, such as Jeep Wrangler, Ford F-150 and Old Good Niva. These systems have a device called transfer transmissionThat allows the front axis to be connected (or, on the contrary, disconnect from the transmission manually). Most of the time, the car drives in rear drive mode; But when you need more traction, the driver manually switches to four wheels using a special lever.
Permanent full drive. In such a system of full drive, all the wheels have a traction effort from the engine all the time. Today, this system is rarely installed on modern cars.
Pluses of full drive
- Of course, the main advantage of the full drive is permeability.
- Much better handling, which allows you to quickly enter turns and more confidently feel on a slippery road.
Minuses of total drive
- The main disadvantage of all all-wheel drive systems is their additional mechanical complexity and, as a result, the high cost of production and design.
- All all-wheel drive cars, as a rule, are less efficient to consume fuel, as it is required to move in motion not only 2 times the wheels compared to the front or rear-wheel drive, but also of various kinds of gearboxes and shafts.
- Tires of all-wheel drive cars are already erased by all four, and not pair.
What is better for you?
The overwhelming majority of cars (and believe you or not, many crossovers) are equipped with a front-wheel drive. This is a suitable choice for most drivers, since it provides a good grip with an expensive in bad weather and decent interior space.
If you are a fan of sports cars or live in a place where the weather is usually good, you are recommended to consider the rear-wheel drive. Although there are many good front-wheel drive sports cars (such as Volkswagen GTI).
If you live where it rains and a lot of snow, where most roads are soils or off-road, then the SUV with a full drive is your choice. Many rear-wheel drive premium sedans are offered in full-wheel drive modifications, as well as many crossovers and SUVs can have front or rear-wheel drive in basic modifications, and in more expensive - four-wheel drive.
What is better: rear, front or four-wheel drive - comparative table
Let's consider the gradation of the estimates (badly, satisfactorilyGood, excellent) various sides and characteristics of full, rear and front drives.
| Conditions | Front-wheel drive | Rear drive | Four-wheel drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget car | Excellent | Okay | bad |
| Dry road handling | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Handling on slippery road | Okay | Satisfactorily | Excellent |
| Patency on blurred clay, snow | Satisfactorily | Satisfactorily | Excellent |
| Powerful behavior | bad | Okay | Excellent |
| Construction complexity, total system weight | Excellent | Satisfactorily | bad |
| Brake efficiency | Satisfactorily | Excellent | Excellent |
| Maneuverability | Satisfactorily | Excellent | Satisfactorily |
| Power loss (as a result, increasing fuel consumption) | Excellent | Satisfactorily | bad |
Many motorists are discussed about what drive is best: with rear, full or front. Some have long developed the opinion that the full drive is the best, the front is not the same, but not worth talking about the back.
Suppose if any of the drives and better than others, then why automakers are available cars with other drives? The drive, as such, in the vehicle means not all. Why then all racing cars rear-wheel driven?
If you say anything about new car models, then the main advantage of the rear drive, the ability to curb a large number of "horses". But the main lack of rear-wheel drive cars is that when driving, the possibility of driving is increasing.
By itself, the question arises, how the front-wheel drive cars differ from the rear-wheel driven. When the vehicle travels on a straight road, it seems to be a special difference as not, but it is worthwhile to enter a steep turn, then it is felt right away.
The front-wheel drive car turns along a straight trajectory, and the rear-wheel drive car turns sharp, because of which its rear lies. The front-wheel drive car can drive the front axis, but they are better to go along with a slippery road, since the car does not throw from one side to another and it does not see. Therefore, in direct areas, it is better to pull the car than to push.
What happens if both drives combine?
Most likely, it turns out the perfect all-wheel drive machine. This type of drive is equipped with all SUVs, since it makes them passable. However, it should be remembered that the full drive has borrowed its shortcomings from the front and rear.
All dealer salons say that the all-wheel drive machine is the most secure and reliable in extreme situations. But if the all-wheel drive car perfectly manifests itself at the time of overclocking and braking, then on steep turns, they show themselves not the most apparent way.
The type of actuator should be selected by the fact that the vehicle is bought, and on the conditions in which it is intended to be operated. The driving behavior affects the driving conditions. For drift, as a rule, rear-wheel drive cars are used, for cross-drive cross-drive, and for a rally - machine with a full drive.
It would be confident that any type of drive is safe and quite comfortable for the experienced driver, for it is from his driving skill that depends on both its itself and the safety of other people. Each motorist must be able to skillfully manage its "iron friend", and then any of the listed drives will become the best choice for it.
Pluses of full drive
The advantage of all-wheel drive cars is increased permeability. In addition, they have good dynamics, and they are more reliable on a slippery track.
True, it should be said that all the advantages of the full drive can be visible fully if the driver of his car as it should "feel". In other words, much depends on his professionalism.
Minuses of total drive
The negative quality of the full drive, strong wear of the transmission elements and noise. This can be explained by the design of the all-wheel drive system.
Pluses of front drive
The weight of the motor over the leading wheels allows the car better grip with slippery expensive. The front-wheel drive car is less likely.
Cons of front drive
If the front-wheel drive car was driving, it is more difficult to withdraw it from it because of the same design.
Since the leading wheels are rotary, it naturally makes some restrictions on their corner of turning.
Pluses of rear drive
The engine and gearbox are suspended on soft elements and the body does not feel their vibration. This driver creates comfort. The steering wheel does not feel any reactive effects during acceleration, and the drive wheels are practically not touched.
Cons rear drive
Auto with rear-wheel drive is heavier and they are endowed with poor courage in deep snow and dirt.
