Many parts of the country will have to deal with snow sooner or later. While driving in snowy conditions can be dangerous in any vehicle, some are worse than others. Here is what you should know about your car's potential performance in the snow.
WORST
Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) - RWD vehicles are considered the worst and most dangerous when driving in the snow. What RWD means is when you press the gas pedal on your car, your rear wheels are the ones that will spin and propel your vehicle forward.
These days, rear wheel drive vehicles are typically performance and sports cars, with most manufacturers moving away from RWD for everyday cars. RWD vehicles have a tendency to slide in the snow and require very careful driving.
Additionally, since many RWD cars are high-performance sports cars, they will typically have 'summer' sports-tires which are very unsafe for driving through snow. If you have a RWD car and anticipate having to drive through the snow, make sure to put snow tires on your car.
BETTER
Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) - FWD vehicles are the opposite of RWD; they propel the car forward with the two front wheels. FWD cars are the most commonly manufactured car in the country.
FWD vehicles perform better than RWD in the snow. Since the front wheels pull the car, rather than push (RWD), the likelihood of spinning out of control is not as high.
While FWD are safer in the snow, it's still important to have the right tires on the car, as bald tires, or summer tires will make driving in the snow difficult and dangerous.
BEST
4-Wheel Drive (4WD) and All-Wheel Drive (AWD) - 4WD and AWD cars spin all 4 wheels to move. The difference between 4WD and AWD is that a 4WD car can turn off the use of all 4 wheels and function as a FWD or RWD vehicle, while an AWD car doesn't have that option, continuously functioning as an All-Wheel-Drive car.
4WD cars are typically off-road capable vehicles such as trucks and SUV's, whereas AWD available now range anywhere from high-performance sports cars to family sedans and wagons. While AWD and 4WD vehicles are typically less fuel-efficient than the other types, many people prefer the safety and versatility of an AWD and 4WD car.
AWD and 4WD vehicles are the most effective in snowy conditions and provide the highest levels of safety and control but are often more expensive than a FWD car. And while they're very capable in snowy conditions, it's still important to pay attention to tire type and tread, as the wrong tires can take away much of the benefit of AWD and 4WD systems.
