Snow and Front Wheel Drive

[Dave Allen]

I haven't driven in the snow with only front wheel drive. Would appreciate any insights or unusual problems others have had. We live on top of a fairly steep grade.

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[icegradner]

I've never driven in anything that wasn't FWD in the snow. No usual problems, and it's much easier to correct oversteer in a FWD, while being more likely to have understeer. Get good winter tires if snowfall is the norm for winter in your area. The only time I've had issues in snow was due to having the wrong or worn down tires.

This happened the first winter, I was fine.

 

[dadd75]

I drove with FWD most of my life, including 21 years in northern Michigan right on Lake Michigan, which is known for its lake effect snow. A good set of snow tires all the way around will get you most everywhere. I always had Bridgestone Blizzaks, great tire!

 

[Benilla]

Get winter tires and you'll be fine

 

[Prickly Pear]

My last front wheel drive car (Subaru 2WD wagon) could go anywhere till the snow was so deep the skid plate lifted the front wheels enough to lose traction. Don't think that will be a problem with the taller Mav.

 

[zen_]

Get winter tires and you'll be fine

Yep, or the all weather ones that are basically a snow tire that can be driven year round have also become very capable. I would take either of those any day over AWD with standard all season tires for snow and ice.

 

[Meintc]

Others have said it so I'll repeat, snow tires.

 

[notfast]

Yep, or the all weather ones that are basically a snow tire that can be driven year round have also become very capable. I would take either of those any day over AWD with standard all season tires for snow and ice.

If I visited the snow and didn't necessarily live somewhere where it snows, I think all-weather tires are a good compromise. Other than that, nothing can beat dedicated winter tires when having to drive through snow squalls regularly.

If I was sticking to paved roads, I'd prefer a FWD car with winter tires over a 4x4 truck with all-terrains.

 

[Stonyman]

I put on front snow tires last year with no issue. I have a used set of steelies with the snows on the front and all season on the back and I switch them out for the season.

 

[Mike1597]

Before FWD this was the preferred vehicle for snow.

 

[dlhort1955]

69 years old and driven in snow all my life. FWD means all the weight is in the front and none in the back, so you have no traction in the back. Never had to change tires. Just use all season radials. Most important is be aware that you will lose traction in snow and ice. The car or truck will slide, so you have to drive accordingly. When you turn the wheel the car might take a second before it grips and the car starts turning. I personally think rear wheel driving is better than FWD, but then I am used to driving a Volvo and not an Escort. Weight over the wheels makes a big difference.

 

[Johnny maverick]

As most of you said install snow tires. Always install 4. You will drag the rears during heavy braking because they don't have the same traction as the fronts and they become unweighted. Could cause you to spin out and loose control.

 

[Deleted member 5597]

I drove to Buffalo from my home in Florida from Sept '23-Sept '24 visiting my mom and relatives. I drove my Maverick in snow all winter last year with the tires that came with it. I didn't have any problem driving in snow. The biggest problem you're going to have is the salt on the roads. I had a deluxe monthly membership to a car wash that had under carriage wash, and I took my Maverick there at least a few times a week. I dried it off, especially inside the doors and lift gate area.

 

[topgun/goose]

I haven't driven in the snow with only front wheel drive. Would appreciate any insights or unusual problems others have had. We live on top of a fairly steep grade.

I have driven in snow a lot with two different FWD cars, first was Geo Metro and second is my current Ford Focus. In both cases as long as you don't get behind people who have no business on the road in those conditions they do very well. Stopping with them was never a problem but getting rolling from a stop is an entirely different matter. You have to use a very light foot and even then you can actually feel through the steering wheel as either the left or right tire gets a little slippage. I did get into a habbit of buying new tires just before the snows came.

I am so looking forward to having AWD on my Maverick for sure. I once had to drive from Dodge City Kansas to Trinidad Colorado in a blizzard and I was in my Jeep since I was expecting the snow storm. I drove it as long as possible in just 2WD so I didn't get to over confident in it but eventually had to put it into 4 hi it was getting so loose, I passed two snow plows and lots of traffic heading east but the west bound lane was by now covered in deep snow. At one point came to a town that had plowed all of its lanes and had to go back to 2WD. After clearing that town got back onto nasty road surfaces and kept having to get off the gas with rearend getting loose, finally realized I hadn't placed it back into 4 hi... As soon as I pulled the lever it started driving like the road was clear again. So anyway the point is while you can get around with 2WD/FWD if you know how to drive in snow there is just nothing like the feeling of having all four wheels doing their job in the heavy stuff.

 

[Master Blaster]

Unless you do a lot of offroading, just get the FWD. Get ice-rated tires like Blizzaks or X-Ice instead of chunky-tread offroad tires. Offroad tires actually have less road contact area and will slide more easily than even summer-only tires. The AWD Mav is actually FWD until the fronts slip and then it engages the rears. I drive on maintained roads with my FWD with 7% grades and have never had an issue. I used to have issues with my RWD Rangers because you couldn't steer into a slide like you can with FWD. AWD and 4WD does nothing for anyone on maintained roads, and IMHO people who claim to need it are not used to driving in winter. Put it in slippery mode to mitigate a heavy foot issue.

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