Front Wheel Drive vs Rear Wheel Drive

You’ve probably heard the terms front wheel drive and rear wheel drive before — maybe in contrast to all wheel drive, or maybe on their own. Here’s what you need to know about each:

• Front wheel drive is often the standard driveline of choice for small SUVs and compact cars like the Mazda CX-30 and MAZDA3, respectively.
• Most SUVs (but not most cars) often provide all wheel drive as an upgrade for enhanced performance during inclement weather and rough road conditions.
• Sports cars, on the other hand, like the Mazda MX-5 Miata, usually are powered by rear wheel drive. But what is each of these driveline technologies, exactly, and how does each work? Learn more below.

 

Powertrain vs Drivetrain vs Driveline

Before we explain how FWD vs RWD vs AWD differ, we should note that these technologies are all commonly referred to as types of “drivetrains.” That’s technically true. But really, they are, more specifically, types of “drivelines.” No matter how you slice it, they’re part of a given vehicle’s powertrain. Learn the difference here:

• Powertrain: A car’s powertrain includes the engine, transmission, and all driveline components.
• Drivetrain: A car’s drivetrain includes the driveline plus transmission.
• Driveline: This is what people usually are usually referring to when they talk about RWD or FWD; it’s basically all the pieces that transfer power from your car’s engine and transmission to the wheels. How it does that is dependent on whether you have FWD, RWD or AWD.

 

The 3 Main Car Driveline Types, Explained

Now that you know what a driveline is, foundationally and technically speaking, here’s how the three most common types, rear wheel drive vs front wheel drive vs all wheel drive, work.

What is Front Wheel Drive?

Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles transfer vehicle power to the front wheels only. When you “hit the gas,” only the front wheels spin. Having the wheels under the engine may improve traction in the snow, but a hidden advantage is that it frees up interior space since FWD cars don’t require a driveshaft tunnel.

What is Rear Wheel Drive?

The engines of most cars are in the front of the vehicle, rather than the back. So then why did most early vehicles use rear wheel drive (RWD)? Because it was cheaper. Most modern sportscars use RWD for another reason, as U.S. News and World Report notes: each set of wheels (front vs rear) only has one job to do: either turn or provide power.

What is All Wheel Drive?

At the most basic level, all wheel drive (AWD) cars send power from the engine to all four of the vehicle’s wheels.

MAZDA I-ACTIV AWD®

Mazda I-ACTIV AWD® is a type of intelligent AWD that takes a “proactive approach to controlling drive to all four wheels.” It:

• Continuously monitors road conditions to watch for small variations in wheel speed a human driver would never notice
• Controls torque to intermittently send power to all four wheels or divert power to wheels that need it most when conditions like wheel slippage are detected
• Assesses driver intentions to enable “secure takeoff, acceleration, cornering and braking, without letting the tires slip in any direction”
• ...And more!

 

Experience the Difference Between Front Wheel vs Rear Wheel Drive Today

Visit Westcott Mazda for a test-drive in a front vs rear wheel drive car like the Mazda CX-5 or Mazda MX-5 Miata, respectively. Or, take a model with MAZDA I-ACTIV AWD® out for a spin!

Did you know that unlike most auto manufacturers, Mazda offers AWD on its sedan and hatchback models as well as its SUVs? It’s true, the Mazda3 sedan and Mazda3 Hatchback are available with MAZDA I-ACTIV AWD®!

Shop for your next new Mazda in National City today at Westcott Mazda.