FWD vs AWD in Snow?

[Jonny44]

I've used General Altimax Arctic for the last 8 years and they're incredible in the snow. Ran them on a Kia Soul downsized to 215/70R15 and it would power through snow up to a foot deep (not bad for a car riding 6 inches over the pavement). You'll sacrifice about 3-5 mpg while using them, but they're essential in the northland. It had to be damned embarrassing for all of those 4 and all wheel drives that couldn't keep up with the hamster . Winter tires on a fwd will outperform any awd sporting AS tires.

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[oljackfrost]

Tire chains.

Unfortunately not legal everywhere. Only for low speed situations.

 

[JsnMrd]

I've used General Altimax Arctic for the last 8 years and they're incredible in the snow. Ran them on a Kia Soul downsized to 215/70R15 and it would power through snow up to a foot deep (not bad for a car riding 6 inches over the pavement). You'll sacrifice about 3-5 mpg while using them, but they're essential in the northland. It had to be damned embarrassing for all of those 4 and all wheel drives that couldn't keep up with the hamster . Winter tires on a fwd will outperform any awd sporting AS tires.

FWD FTW!

 

[neosolidus]

I see, seems like masochism is a thing.....

 

[gorignak]

AWD with all season tires is not even close to FWD with snow tires. You don't just need to be able to go, you need to be able to stop. I have a 4WD vehicle and when I lived in a place with lots of snow I always used snow tires through the winter, but I never used 4WD on the roads.

 

[8211badger]

Winter tires are obviously a must for you. While I think the FWD hybrid can handle alot, if you are regularly facing unplowed/unmaintained roads AWD is probably the way to go. It gives you that buffer. But if you are getting by with the jeep on a/s the hybrid with snows should also be more than capable.

 

[LDProductions]

Grew up in Rochester NY, where the OP lives and have been in New England since I was in college. I’ve never had AWD or a 4x4. Honestly never felt the need. Had dedicated snow tires on an ‘03 Focus ZX5 and a ‘05 Malibu Maxx and those might have been the best cars I’ve ever had in the snow. The ‘96 Ranger I had for a bit with RWD, that was basically a death trap.

You’ll likely be fine in a FWD Maverick with a half decent set of snow tires, especially in Rochester. They plow the roads pretty well and I don’t ever remember having to deal with more than a few inches of snow on the roads before it was salted/plowed, except in blizzard conditions. And at that point, why leave the house?

 

[Wire4money]

Personally, if I still lived in snow country I would definitely get awd. Yes, 98% of the time fwd is ok, but when I need traction, I want it. I could get by without abs or traction control, too, but I like to have any available tool to do the job.

 

[DucFae]

Snow tires help a lot but honestly I think most snow driving comes down to experience and practice. We don't get too many big snows down here in WV, but I've lived in areas that can drop a few feet and putzed around Western MD quite a bit as well. FWD can do it just gotta know how and when to use momentum, how to react when you lose it, and what to expect. Obviously AWD is going to handle it better, but FWD can be fine. If you're planning on doing a lot of snow road travel then maybe go AWD instead, though iirc somewhere else it was posted that they're getting rid of that option unless you get the FX4.

 

[stoptothink]

As posted in another thread https://shift.com/articles/all-wheel-drive-versus-front-wheel-drive-in-snow-which-one-is-better

"When it comes to steering, stopping and performing in winter conditions in general, experts tend to agree that there's actually little difference between AWD-equipped vehicles and their standard front-wheel drive counterparts...All-season or winter tires, on the other hand, can improve a vehicle's traction anywhere from 25 to 50 percent..."

Traction, which is provided by the tires, is exponentially more important for control in inclement weather than how many drive wheels you have. The huge majority of accidents have nothing to do with the ability to initiate forward movement or accelerate quickly in the snow (what AWD would help with), they involve braking and steering issues. This is not debatable, every test comes to the exact same conclusion. There are definitely some instances where having AWD is a benefit in the snow, but unless you have a steep driveway or regularly head to the slopes, you'll probably rarely encounter them.

 

[FirstFord]

I've been driving for 45 years. Big time skier and former ski patroller. Never had an AWD or 4WD vehicle. Used to drive a RWD with tire chains up the mountain for work. Worked fine but was a PITA.
Been driving FWD with snow tires for the past 23 years and I frequently pass AWD vehicles that are in the ditch!

As an earlier poster said, if you need to drive unpaved or unplowed roads, there is some argument for AWD. Otherwise, save your money; stick with the hybrid and get a second set of wheels/tires.

 

[mrchips0401]

I ordered a XLT Hybrid so I will be getting FWD. I'm concerned about how it will do in the snow. I live in Rochester, NY.
Some background- I currently drive a Jeep Renegade 4x4 and luckily we haven't had much snow last winter but in 2WD I was sliding and In 4WD I was sliding. I didn't have snow tires. Previously I lived in Buffalo, NY and I had a Honda Element AWD without snow tired and that thing was a TANK in snow. I could drive through a foot of fresh snow easy and I never got stuck. Before that I drove a Toyota Camry FWD without snow tires in the North Country of NY (so mountains, back roads, local guys with trucks would plow the roads because the town couldn't) and I slid all over, fish tailed, the whole thing.
Would any snow people with more driving experience (I'm 25) give me their thoughts on the FWD Maverick in the snow? Based on my research AWD helps best with starting/getting traction and going up hills but snow tired are what actually help with sliding and driving.

Lea, you won’t have any sliding/slipping with the fwd hybrid….if you do these …..mount 4 new snow tires (I prefer Scandinavian brands such as Vredestein or Gislaved Frost or Nordfrost models). You’re right AWD is really only good at starting the inertia of moving car forward at a dead stop, snow tires are best at braking and steering your vehicle on snow and ice. Also anytime a snow event occurs, fill up the gas tank (full tank is maybe 50 -100 lbs heavier than 1/4 tank) and i would keep some bagged material ( cat litter, landscaping stone/mulch) handy to throw in the bed to also add weight over the rear wheels. Keep some older rubber grippy floor mats or carpet remnant and a short snow shovel in your vehicle ( mats to put behind slipping wheels, back up until on top of mats- then drive slowly forward)

 

[oljackfrost]

Lea, you won’t have any sliding/slipping with the fwd hybrid….if you do these …..mount 4 new snow tires (I prefer Scandinavian brands such as Vredestein or Gislaved Frost or Nordfrost models). You’re right AWD is really only good at starting the inertia of moving car forward at a dead stop, snow tires are best at braking and steering your vehicle on snow and ice. Also anytime a snow event occurs, fill up the gas tank (full tank is maybe 50 -100 lbs heavier than 1/4 tank) and i would keep some bagged material ( cat litter, landscaping stone/mulch) handy to throw in the bed to also add weight over the rear wheels. Keep some older rubber grippy floor mats or carpet remnant and a short snow shovel in your vehicle ( mats to put behind slipping wheels, back up until on top of mats- then drive slowly forward)

You don’t really want to add weight over the rear wheels in a FWD vehicle, you would actually be removing weight from the drive wheels. Not a bad idea to keep something gritty in a container that’s easy to open for the instance that you may be stuck on ice. Always a good idea to keep the gas tank full in the winter to avoid condensation that can freeze up and possibly clog your fuel line.

 

[Bushmaster2000]

I went the opposite way. As much as i was intrigued with the hybrid, where i am we get WINTER and i wasn't going to do that with a FWD only vehicle. So I went the 2L AWD with FX4 package which gives me more traction modes as well.

Traction modes was something I wanted in my next vehicle whatever that was it was a feature I needed to see on the spec sheet. So i was glad to see it here on the Mav.

I suppose the heavy batteries on the bottom of the FWD Hybrid might improve traction though, you don't get that extra weight in the 2L.

 

[Rkbrumbelow]

You don’t really want to add weight over the rear wheels in a FWD vehicle, you would actually be removing weight from the drive wheels. Not a bad idea to keep something gritty in a container that’s easy to open for the instance that you may be stuck on ice. Always a good idea to keep the gas tank full in the winter to avoid condensation that can freeze up and possibly clog your fuel line.

I was wondering myself why you’d want weight in the back, but the only thing I could think of was to increase braking in the rear if it were sliding and then I thought but antilock brakes have been around for decades.

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