AWD Sucks. Especially In The Snow.
Now, before you say, “this guy is friggin’ nuts,” let me explain. AWD is great: it’ll get you going in many situations where the same tires on a FWD or RWD car will leave you sitting and waiting for AAA or a plow truck. But, at the same time, AWD offers little or no benefits in turning, braking, or in moving drivers of FWD or RWD cars out of your way when you get going too quickly for road conditions.
The worst part about AWD, in my book, is the false sense of confidence that it gives people (myself included, on occasion). I can remember a time when I was in high school where I was driving down a curvy, steep hill on a snowy day, in my good old RWD car with summer tires. I had a 4WD Blazer in front of me, and of course, he was going at a pretty good clip. I got to the bottom of the hill long after he did, but I did so on the road, whereas he was in a ditch.
Because of all this, I’ve decided that I’d rather have a RWD car with snows or all-seasons than a AWD with the same. Sure, I wouldn’t be able to get going in more than a few inches of snow, but:
1. It’s not often that I’m going to see more than a few inches of snow and need to be somewhere (VPNs rule).
2. I’d rather feel comfortable in my abilities to brake and corner being comparable to my abilities to go.
3. A RWD car is going to oversteer if you give it too much gas in a corner. An AWD car? Ask your center differential while you’re in the corner.
I’d get an AWD car again, but it wouldn’t be my first choice, and it’s most certainly not the end-all be-all solution for winter driving that way too many people think it is. I’m sure I’ll be reminded of this tomorrow morning…
