The Art of All-Wheel Drive: A Guide to the Best Systems on the Market
When it comes to all-wheel drive vehicles, many people get confused about what makes them tick. In this article, we'll delve into the world of all-wheel drive and explore some of the best systems on the market.
All-Wheel Drive 101
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For those who may not be familiar, all-wheel drive (AWD) is a system that provides power to all four wheels of a vehicle. This is different from front-wheel drive (FWD) or rear-wheel drive (RWD), where power is only sent to the front or rear wheels, respectively. AWD systems are designed to provide traction and stability in a variety of driving conditions, including snow, ice, and wet pavement.
The History of All-Wheel Drive
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All-wheel drive systems have been around for decades, but they've come a long way since their humble beginnings. In the early days, AWD was primarily used in military vehicles and trucks, where it was designed to provide traction in low-speed, off-road situations. As the technology improved, manufacturers began to apply it to higher-performance vehicles, such as exotic cars like the Jensen FF.
The Audi Quattro System
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One of the most iconic all-wheel drive systems is the Audi Quattro system, which was introduced in 1980. This system is still used today and is considered one of the best on the market. The Quattro system is extremely complex and sophisticated, with multiple electronic components that work together to provide optimal traction and control.
The Audi Quattro system automatically adjusts power distribution between the front and rear wheels based on traction conditions. This means that when you're driving on a slippery surface, the system will send more power to the rear wheels to improve stability. However, this also means that the system can be finicky and prone to errors, which is why it's not uncommon for Quattro-equipped vehicles to require frequent repairs.
The Subaru Symmetrical System
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Another highly-regarded all-wheel drive system is the Subaru symmetrical system. This system has been around for decades and has become synonymous with reliability and performance. The Subaru system provides power to all four wheels continuously, under all conditions, making it an excellent choice for drivers who live in snowy or wet climates.
One of the unique features of the Subaru system is its ability to distribute power between the front and rear wheels based on traction conditions. This means that when you're driving on a slippery surface, the system will send more power to the front wheels to improve stability. However, this also means that the system can be prone to oversteer or understeer, which is why it's essential to adjust your driving style accordingly.
The Ford Fusion Intelligent System
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The Ford Fusion intelligent all-wheel drive system is a relatively new player in the AWD market, but it's quickly gained attention for its impressive performance and features. This system uses advanced technology to detect changes in traction conditions and adjust power distribution accordingly.
One of the standout features of the Ford Fusion system is its ability to put 100% of the power to either the front or rear wheels, making it an excellent choice for drivers who need maximum traction and stability. Additionally, the system has the ability to compensate for oversteer or understeer using advanced electronic controls, making it a joy to drive on both dry and slippery roads.
Conclusion
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When it comes to all-wheel drive systems, there are many options available on the market. From the iconic Audi Quattro to the reliable Subaru symmetrical system, each has its strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, the best system for you will depend on your driving needs and preferences.
For drivers who live in snowy or wet climates, a high-quality AWD system is essential for safety and performance. However, for those who don't need maximum traction and stability, other systems may be more suitable.
Regardless of which system you choose, it's essential to remember that all-wheel drive vehicles require regular maintenance and repairs to keep them running at their best. By understanding the mechanics and benefits of AWD, you can make informed decisions when shopping for your next vehicle and enjoy a safer, more enjoyable driving experience.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enrev up your engines, today I'm gonna talkabout who makes the best all wheel drivevehicle and here I'm not talking aboutthe big boys giant trucks or anythingI'm talking about cars and SUVsall-wheel drive, now sometimes people getconfused with the idea of all-wheeldrive, all wheel drive is the systemthat's on all the time that provides acertain percentage of drive to all fourwheels, as an example let's talk about thisCelica is front-wheel drive it only drivesoff the front two wheels, where carslike a classic 67 Mustangwere rear-wheel drive only the rearwheels drove the car, now there are fourwheel drive vehicles those you can turnthe systems off so you can have just therear wheels Drive in the vehicle, or whenyou're worried about being stuck you canput it into gear for the front then youhave front and rear wheel drive, but theall-wheel drive systems they're the mostsophisticated they adjust especially thebest ones for whatever driving conditionyou're inwhat percentage of drive is the frontwhat percentage is the rear, the new onesare very complicated and when they workwell and they really handle, now thefour-wheel drive system came first andthat was mainly like I said for trucksmilitary vehicles, it was more for alower speed thing to get tractioneventually they started to think let'sput all wheel drive in higherperformance higher speed vehicles, takethe exotic vehicle the Jensen FF thatwas a high speed vehicle that hadall-wheel drive and that was forperformance because you could cornerbetter when all four hour wheels weredriving, and you wouldn't have thenon-drive one slipping, then in more trueRoad base cars for driving on the road, theSubaruLeone and the Audi Quattro werehigh-speed all-wheel drive cars, now interms of pure technology the Audi's beenowned by Volkswagen those have probablythe all-wheel-drive system that operatesthe best of course that's when itsoperating when it doesn't break down,and Subaru has been building all wheeldrives for a long time, matter of factall their vehicles are all-wheel drivenow except for their BRZ sports car,everything they make is all-wheel drivebut there's one vehicle that takesall-wheel drive to the most insane levelof Technology, and that of course is theTesla Model S they have a motor at eachwheel an electric motor, so in the teslasince each wheel has its ownelectric motor, you're talking aboutultimate control of the power that'stransmitted by each wheel, because it'scontrolled by computers andelectronically, so if one wheel is inreally bad ice and the other one is ondry pavement, the thing can pretty well setit upso you're not sliding all over the placeand still have good traction, but thenagain we're talking about megabucks hereso I'm gonna tell you the best all wheeldrive systems out there that outoutrageously expensive, so I'm not gonnainclude the tesla, now the next bestall-wheel drive system is the AudiQuattro system, that came out in 1980 sothey've been making it for quite some time,nowthe Audi system is extremely complex andsophisticated and expensive too ofcourse, but it's set up more for speed, itautomatically gives the most power tothe wheels that it sees has the mosttraction, believe me it is reallycomplicated, but when it's working itreally works well, but just like the restof the car that's connected to ithey road test a brand-new Audi you'reprobably fall in love with it, but if youown it for 6 or 7 years, you probablyfind it to be a nightmare of repair, sokeep that in mind,technology isn't always the best way tofix a problem, originally the Quattrosystem was a lot more mechanical than itis today, but today it uses extremelysophisticated electronic components togive you not only the power, but reallygood control when it's snowing orraining outside too, there's no arguing that,so here the Germans have fascinatingtechnology, but at what cost,take world war 2 they only made so manyKing Tigers they all kept breaking downcouldn't go that far, obviously they lostthe war, sometimes the technology goestoo far if you want something that'sgonna last a long time, now the nextgood all-wheel-drive system is the oneused in the Acura MDX yes the suv, it's calledSH all-wheel drive super handlingall-wheel drive, that came out in 2005it uses an active differential that you oftenfind in high-performance race carsit's a sophisticated system too, the Acurasystem is known for its torque vectoringformulation, it's a handling thing and itonly makes sense cuz it's in an SUVyou're not supposed to be racing aroundin those things straight line, but itreally helps cornering so they don'tslip, which is what you really need in arelatively large sized SUV, but thatsystem it helps you stay on the pavementinstead of sliding off it, and let's faceitthese aren't off-road vehicles you wantto stay on the road the system'sdesigned for the road, another good all-wheeldrive systems that might surprise you, it'sthe one that they used in the FordFusion, Ford's intelligent all-wheeldrive system has the ability to put 100percent of the power to either the frontor the rear wheels making it work greatin snowier wet weather, it's a techheavy system that can react 20 timesfaster than a blink of your eye toadjust the system for the roadconditions as they change as you driveover them, and one your cornering it hasthe ability to compensate for oversteer,or understeer using the drive system sothat it handles really well, so reallyfor the average Joe the best system outthere is the subaru, every vehicle theymake is all-wheel drive except for theBRZ, now unlike a lot of the all-wheeldrive systems out there, that started asa two wheel drive system and thenadapted that system to make it all wheeldrive, that system was designed forall-wheel drive right from the get-goprovide power to all four wheelscontinuously under all conditions, theSubaru symmetrical system they've been buildingthese things are quite some timealthough I'm not a subaru fan myself, Ihave to say if I lived in a really snowymountains climate, I'd think about buyinga Subarunext time you go skiing check out theparking lot, you probably see quite a fewSubarus parked under there, now of coursewith all these all-wheel drive systemstoday you're dealing with a high levelof Technology, and understand that it'sgoing to be more in repairs as time goeson, even simple repairs like changing astarter I've seen it end up costing fivesix hundred dollars more to replace thestarter on all-wheel-drive system,because all these pieces were in the wayof the starter, and you had to removethem to get the starter off, understandthat, but if you live in a snowy wetrainy environment, or you really wantan suv that's safe and handles well,hey now you know which all-wheel drivesystems are well-made, so if you neverwant to miss another one of my new carrepair videos, remember to ring that Bell\n"
