AWD vs. RWD

Frankiago said:
Oh sure... I put Nissan's ATTESA-ETS system above their RWD in terms of handling because it has torque vectoring based on slip monitoring at each wheel. It's a much more complex system than, say, Subaru's all-time AWD on their standard cars or the "i-AWD" of the Nissan Murano, which we all know is FWD biased.

So in short, even in completely dry conditions, the ATTESA-ETS system compensates for road conditions (gravel, dirt) that are seemingly good to correct driver error if you take a turn a little too fast or your steering input is too drastic... it will do what it can to make a sloppy turn better.

It's true that this ATTESA-ETS is pretty much the outdated version used in the old ass Skylines, but it did pretty well for them and the cost doesn't justify putting the R35's AWD system in a luxury crossover :laugh:
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That's a great explanation! I didn't know the Atessa-ets came from the Skylines... Interesting.
I guess I was thinking about a more controlled environment like a skidpad. There the laws of physics dictate that the front tires have a certain amount of grip to provide, and any percentage of that grip devoted to acceleration is directly subtracted from the tire's ability to change direction. Probably not a very valuable real world assessment in retrospect.
 
2010 has intelligent all wheel drive. When all wheel drive is not needed the system sends 100% of the power to the rear wheels for more responsive road performance.
 
Gsun said:
2010 has intelligent all wheel drive. When all wheel drive is not needed the system sends 100% of the power to the rear wheels for more responsive road performance.
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All years have that actually... I remember having to get on a dyno in Virginia (VA Beach) backwards because of this RWD bias lol... they load Hondas in nose first, true AWD guys (Suba-who?) went in nose first, and RWD guys slid in backwards.

It was ironic because it was an AWD dyno day and I had to explain to people when they saw it going on the dyno backwards that it's AWD until a certain mph, yadda yadda yadda, and then it converts to RWD, it sends torque to the front wheels when it detects slip, yadda yadda yadda.
 
Another thing to take into consideration is that AWD is an option that adds value when re-selling or trading-in (for a newer model FX of course). Personally, I chose AWD for peace of mind and extra confidence when driving in less then ideal road conditions. However, I can't emphasize enough what a difference a good set of tires can make. When I first got my FX the tires were pretty worn and as a result, the AWD was not a factor in getting any type of traction. Therefore a RWD vehicle with some type of traction control system and performance snow or exceptional wet handling tires can make up greatly for a lack of AWD.
 
StuLax18 said:
Maybe I should test drive an AWD sometime. Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever driven one. There are lots of people who are basically "once you go AWD you never go back."
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+1. My first experience was with a 1998 QX4 with an auto 4WD (not AWD). You can feel the difference and the front tires grabbing, either in slippery conditions, or say taking a highway on-off ramp.

I test drove an Audi and the sales guy told me to take the on-ramp to test out the AWD, you definitely could feel the AWD working.

From my 1998 QX4 on, I have only purchased 4WD or AWD on and never looked back. GT-R comes stock with AWD, so it can't be too bad:rolleyes:.
 
I live in an area where AWD is unnecessary but I have to say after going from RWD to AWD, I would struggle to go back to just RWD. It is nice having the added traction in wet weather, especially when dealing with quick take-offs because of traffic. Under ideal conditions, there is no difference in performance besides the additional weight because all power is sent to the rear wheels.
 
Additional weight & drivetrain loss is a big difference on the FX.
& I wouldnt say that that AWD handles worse, it's probably better in most conditions. But a RWD car is way more fun to drive & takes more skill at the limit
 
when I first got my fx, as a hot rodder by nature I was disappointed that it wasn't rwd, but after having it a while, beating it up a while, tracking it & all, I can now say that I am impressed with the awd to the point that I am no longer sorry that it's awd. the fx is nothing like a 4X4 type 4wd, the awd is almost Audi quattro like, & the awd just handles like a beast at & past the limits... it's not just about snow if your an aggressive driver, although the awd also makes the fx a beast in the snow too :tonguey: in the rain I have never driven a vehicle hard that felt as good as the fx except for an Audi v8 quattro that I had, both almost feel like a jet ski in really pouring rain with heavy standing water in the left lane, the stability & control is awesome under harsh traction conditions, the fx awd is pretty cool even when snow is not in the equation
 
it took a lot of suspension work & tweeking, but now I can get my fx tail happy & to the point of oversteer... stock it tends to understeer a whole lot, but stiffening up the rear & adding coilovers in the rear has made a world of difference there...
 
Before my new tires I could get the back to slide out quite a lot....in the rain....coming out of a 90 degree turn..... in 1st gear. :tongue:
 
Talking about dry only. No rain.
& yeah, stiffen it up, & RWD also oversteers. I was just curious if an AWD can break it loose in the dry. Mainly in a 35
 
one would think only in the turns, doh!

---------- Post added at 06:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:06 PM ----------

& you're also pretty well modd'd, so it might exclude you from the general masses
 
I only brought this up, cuz it may be one of the reasons one would opt for RWD. But take it into account, that even RWD stock has a hard time kicking it out. If lowered & full of bracing, rear end slides are attainable, predictable & hella fun . . up through 2nd gear. Which is where you want to be on a twisty course anyway.
 
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