Which car drive to choose - the pros and cons of different types. Full-time and plug-in all-wheel drive crossovers

Among motorists, disputes do not subside as to which is better - front, rear, or four-wheel drive... Everyone brings up their arguments, but does not admit the evidence of their opponents. And in fact define the best way drive among the three available options is not so easy. This requires a detailed analysis and focus on the features of each of the drives. We must not forget that the drive is an important parameter of any vehicle, which must be taken into account when choosing. And each customer must personally decide for himself which drive is right for him. And for this you need to understand the difference between the systems and know their key differences.

Choice of car drive: front, rear or full.

Comparison criteria

To determine the difference between front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, and also to compare them with full, you should focus on some distinctive features. Everyone has heard, but not everyone knows what exactly front, rear or all-wheel drive means. The drive determines to which wheels of the vehicle the thrust from the power unit will be transmitted. All modern passenger cars there are 4 wheels. Two are located in front, and two more behind. The power generated by the engine can only go to two or all four wheels. To understand the difference between front, rear and all-wheel drive, let's first give them a brief definition. This way you will know which cars are RWD, FWD and AWD.

Front wheel drive. Here, the thrust from the engine goes only to a pair of wheels located in the front of the car. A pair of wheels clings to the road and pulls the vehicle along. Together with this a couple rear wheels just rolling by inertia.
Rear wheel drive. Here, all the power from the power unit goes only for a couple. When rotating, the wheels grab onto the ground, which makes it possible to push off the surface and drive.
All-wheel drive. Distinctive feature All-wheel drive is the transmission of torque to 4 wheels, that is, to 2 axles. This allows them all to rotate at the same time.

Practice has clearly shown that there is no need for a permanent all-wheel drive, and therefore engineers have developed systems that allow, if necessary, to transfer all power to 2 axles at once. To understand the significant differences between systems, you need to evaluate them according to several important criteria, which include:

security;
patency;
overclocking.

Now let's see what each of the drives is capable of.

Security

It is important to understand how front-wheel drive differs from rear-wheel drive, as well as how much safer four-wheel drive cars are than mono-drive ones. Cars really differ in terms of safety, but here you should take into account some nuances. Namely:

Driving front-wheel-drive cars is much easier, it is difficult to specifically skid them, than the front-wheel drive compares favorably with the rear. If you are, then you should give preference to this option;
When a rear-wheel drive car is skidding, it is not difficult to return it to its normal trajectory. To do this, it is enough to dump the gas. When they go into a skid on the front drive, it is already extremely problematic to correct the situation;
It is more difficult to provoke a skid in a front-wheel drive vehicle compared to a rear-wheel drive vehicle. But it is easier to get out of the skid precisely when there is a rear-wheel drive;
For cars with rear-wheel drive, drifts are the norm, and therefore drivers are faced with this phenomenon on a regular basis. Roughly speaking, on a car with rear-wheel drive, it is immediately clear how dangerous the road is, and front-wheel drive hides this. But when the car skids, it takes a lot of skill to taxi;
Rear-wheel drive cars also skid without the ability to get out of the situation. This occurs when exceeding permissible speeds... Then a simple gas discharge will not give results;
The situation with four-wheel drive cars is even more complicated. When driving on slippery roads, the behavior of a four-wheel drive vehicle may be similar to that of rear- and front-wheel drive vehicles. It all depends on which wheel the vehicle slipped on;
A car with front-wheel drive has very high rates of directional stability in comparison with rear-wheel drive;
If the road is muddy or snowy, the front axle works better, and the rear axle skids. If the gas pedal is not operated correctly, the rear-wheel drive car will quickly deploy in such conditions;
All-wheel drive perfectly overcomes snow, mud and off-road conditions and copes with its tasks better than front-wheel drive counterparts. But in the absence of an interaxle differential in the design, the entrances to turns become more difficult;
Rear-wheel drive acceleration is faster, it goes into and out of skids easily. This makes rear wheel drive cars more fun to drive. Although in slippery conditions, the negative side of such a system opens up.

It cannot be said unequivocally that front, rear or all-wheel drive is better than others in terms of safety. It is important to consider how each of them works in different conditions. Working rear drive in its behavior it differs markedly from the front and full. Each system must be able to use correctly. And here the skill of the driver plays an important role. Although experts advise making a choice also based on the availability in the configuration eSP systems, which is responsible for exchange rate stability. The perfect assistant to simplify the task of operating a machine with any drive. ESP is able to effectively control the behavior of the car and correct errors that the driver makes.

Passability

Also, drivers are actively arguing about which drive is better - front, rear, or still full when it comes to cross-country ability. Here, many will definitely give preference to all-wheel drive vehicles. But don't jump to conclusions. It should be understood what is the difference and differences between four-wheel drive, front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive when it comes to the need to get out of a difficult road situation. Most often with them because of large snow drifts. There are several important arguments on this score:

The cross-country performance of front-wheel drive vehicles is slightly higher when compared with rear-wheel drive vehicles;
When the front axle is working, the wheels are pressed to the ground due to the engine mass, which helps to reduce the number of slippage;
The driving wheels of the front axle are steering, that is, the driver himself can set the direction of movement;
When the car slips, the front and four-wheel drive, due to the work of the front wheels, pulls the car, and the rear wheels simply follow the leading ones;
Rear-wheel drive cars behave worse in such situations. The back part is demolished, and therefore it becomes extremely difficult to manage the process;
If you need to get out on a slippery slope, the front axle is objectively superior to the rear. Here the front wheels can slip, but they still continue to pull the vehicle. The rear wheels spin, skid and want to turn the car all the time;
The best in terms of climbing on slippery roads will be the four-wheel drive, which is able to climb to the top even without slipping. But you cannot rely entirely on the capabilities of the four drive wheels, since the capabilities of such systems are limited.

In terms of cross-country ability, the all-wheel drive car objectively wins, and the rear-wheel drive system is an obvious outsider. The front-wheel drive is somewhere in the middle, although it is closer to the rear rather than full. If your plans do not include off-road conquest, and you are going to operate the car only on asphalt, a rear-wheel drive car is fine. When you periodically have to leave asphalt roads, getting out into the field or light off-road, you will need at least front-wheel drive. And all four driving wheels will be needed in difficult road conditionswhere there is a lot of snow, mud, uneven areas, dangerous descents and ascents.

Overclocking

The objective advantages of rear-wheel drive include excellent acceleration of the car. If the asphalt is dry, then the rear axle performs better than the front in this parameter. At the moment of acceleration, the mass of the car goes to rear wheels, and the front ones are unloaded. This explains the slippage that occurs during acceleration in front-wheel drive vehicles. Although here, both types of drive are ahead of the car, where all four wheels rotate simultaneously. But provided that its power is equal to or superior to that of the front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive competitors.

Important characteristics

To make the comparison even more objective and understandable, several criteria must be taken into account. It is they who in many ways can tell the car enthusiast which car is better for him to buy.

In terms of fuel consumption, the front-wheel drive car is the obvious favorite. It is more economical than rear-wheel drive versions by about 5-7%. And all-wheel drive cars take the last position, because they consume the most fuel;
Rear-wheel drive has no drive shafts in the front wheels. This increases maximum angle turn and reduce turning radius, which is a useful advantage in heavy traffic conditions;
Manufacturing front-wheel drive vehicles for car companies is cheaper than rear-wheel drive vehicles, and therefore such vehicles are usually more affordable in the market. Availability has led to the growing popularity of front-wheel drive cars, which are produced significantly more than rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive together;
A weighty argument in favor of the front drive wheels is handling on slippery roads. Such cars do not impose increased requirements on the level of the driver's skill, which cannot be said about the car, where the drive goes to the rear pair of wheels.

When choosing a new or used car with front or rear drive type, most motorists will prefer the first option. And there are a number of explanations and objective reasons for this. Such cars are affordable, economical, simpler and do not require much experience and special skills from the driver himself. It is worth buying a car with a rear-wheel drive system in a situation where you have great experience driving, and you want to enjoy this process. RWD is fun to drive. The sensations are markedly different from those observed when operating a front-wheel drive vehicle. But be prepared for certain challenges.

All-wheel drive options

More and more often in recent years, buyers give preference to all-wheel drive vehicles. This can be explained by the gradual decrease in the cost of machines with a drive to all four wheels, as well as the variety of systems. You already know how four-wheel drive differs from a front-type system. Now you need to understand the features of the all-wheel drive itself. To do this, you should study the variety of systems that are:

permanent;
manually connected;
connected automatically.

Each vehicle four-wheel drive system has its own distinctive features. Moreover, they are not as similar as they might seem at first glance. Let's analyze all the variations of the all-wheel drive separately.

Constant

Here the four wheels of the vehicle are permanently connected to power unit car, each of which grabs the road and helps to push the car forward. This is an important advantage for many driving situations. But in reality, permanent all-wheel drive manifests itself only if there is an additionally connected system for ensuring exchange rate stability. It helps to brake a specific wheel, preventing unwanted slippage. Cars with this type of permanent drive consume a lot of fuel, although there are back side in the form of increased reliability. If you plan to buy a car equipped with full permanent drive to conquer off-road conditions, be sure to make sure that there is a center and center differential lock. Otherwise, the result of passing difficult sections may openly disappoint you.

Manually pluggable

Many complain that the manually connected all-wheel drive system is very inconvenient and outdated. It really is. But if you look purely at the cross-country ability, then it is with such a drive that it is the highest. In normal day-to-day operation, the machines are rear-wheel drive. If necessary, the driver can manually connect the front wheels to work. But to do this, you first have to stop. It is pointless and even dangerous to operate the car when the front axle is constantly connected. In this mode, the load on the transfer case increases, and the activity of rubber wear increases. Another disadvantage of such a system is increased consumption fuel by car. And here it is not so important whether the driver connected the front axle or not. Although it cannot be said that manual all-wheel drive has no advantages. Such cars show themselves excellently in off-road conditions. Plus, the system itself is highly reliable.

Automatically pluggable

If you are looking for the most modern all-wheel drive system, which is characterized by excellent prospects, then you should opt for the automatically connected one here. The engineers themselves note that the system is not yet ideal, certain improvements and improvements are required. Therefore, it is better not to test the capabilities of such machines in serious off-road conditions. Car manufacturers have their own options for implementing an automatically connected type of all-wheel drive. But the principle is the same for everyone. It consists in the fact that one wheelset is connected to the engine on a permanent basis, and the second can independently be connected when the need arises. Multi-plate clutches are used for connection. Per automatic switching on the second pair of wheels is answered by the electronics. Therefore, in normal operation, the car is rear-wheel drive or front-wheel drive, depending on the specific car model. And when the electronics understands that the conditions are becoming more difficult, it is difficult for the car to overcome obstacles with only two wheels, the second pair is connected.

The key advantage of the auto-connect system is cost-effectiveness and ease of use. There is no need to make stops and connect the wheels. The computer automatically connects the second pair of wheels when there is a real need to switch to a more passable all-wheel drive. But we must not forget that the reliability of the multi-plate clutch is not as impressive as that of the classic manual AWD system. Automation will be the best solution for overcoming urban snow drifts, slippery slopes and light and medium off-road conditions. But when driving into difficult conditions, it is better not to experiment, because here the automatic drive to all four wheels is not yet showing its best side.

Advantages and disadvantages

If we simplify as much as possible all the conclusions made earlier, then we can say that the best car drive is a complete one, supplemented by a system of directional stability. But these machines are expensive and expensive to maintain. Plus, don't forget about active fuel consumption. If you want to become the owner of an economical and easier to operate machine, then yours is definitely the best choice will be front-wheel drive. According to all its characteristics, such a car will be the best choice for a beginner and an experienced driver, who value reliability, confidence and an optimal combination of price and quality. But rear-wheel drive cars are only suitable experienced driverswhose purpose is to enjoy driving. Considering all these factors, certain conclusions can be drawn regarding the strengths and weaknesses of each type of drive. Let's start with front-wheel drive vehicles. Their main advantages include:

low market value;
efficiency (low fuel consumption);
better cross-country ability of cars in comparison with rear-wheel drive competitors;
good directional stability when driving on slippery road sections.

Such cars do not have any serious drawbacks. As for rear-wheel drive cars, there are such advantages:

better overclocking;
good exit from drifts;
no slippage at the start.

The disadvantages include poor adaptation to operation outside of an asphalt road. In winter, driving such a car is extremely difficult. Especially if necessary, drive into a hill on a slippery area. Their price is slightly higher, and they consume a little more fuel than front-wheel drive competitors. All-wheel drive has its strengths and weak sides... The benefits include:

excellent overclocking;
increased cross-country ability.

But from the shortcomings they distinguish high consumption fuel, increased cost in the market, and quite expensive maintenance and repairs. Here, everyone can draw their own conclusions for themselves. It is difficult to define an objective leader because there are different assessment criteria.

So motorists themselves have their own characteristics, on which they base their own choice of vehicle. Efficiency and ease of management are important to one, so front-wheel drive will be the best choice for them. Others want new sensations, and therefore a rear-wheel drive car would be the best solution. Do not forget about all-wheel drive vehicles, which have different versions, their strengths and weaknesses. Each drive wins in some way, but loses to competitors in some respects. Build on what you expect from the car. This will be the starting point for you to select the most suitable drive type.

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When choosing a car brand, a motorist first of all evaluates its functional characteristics, maximum capabilities, design of components and assemblies, engine displacement and other options, but already from the very beginning, before choosing, he must decide which drive to choose?

There are the following types of car drives, they include:
1. Back (classic);
2. Front;
3. Complete.

Which drive is better - rear or front?

Among drivers, today, on the question of which drive is actually better, there is no definite coherent opinion. Naturally, this can be explained by the fact that any driver will praise exactly the type of car he drives. It is difficult to say which one is better and which one is worse, which one is easier to control, which one is not. Since they all have their own advantages and disadvantages. A clear statement about and should not be. Each drive system is designed for certain driving conditions, and the question of his choice concerns only the driver, and he, based on his driving experience, his preferences, accepts this choice.
But still, you need to have the basics of information on this issue, to know all the pros and cons different types drives of machines. Knowing it, in the future you will be able to use it, comparing them with the driving conditions in which your future vehicle will actually drive. So, let's start analyzing and considering them.

1. Rear-wheel drive car

Machines that operate on the rear-wheel drive principle are those in which the transmission structure transmits torque to the rear axle (drive). Its component parts include an engine, cardan shaft and rear axle... If we figuratively represent the principle of operation of these types of vehicles, we get the following:
\u003d transmission \u003d torque \u003d rear axle rotation.
Among the people, this class of car is considered a classic, which dominates among all the others. This is because they were the first to go to mass production.

1.1. Positive sides:

, as well as back and front. In percentage terms, this distribution is approximately 50/50. This is due to the fact that when the gas is pressed, when the car starts to move, part of the weight of the car is distributed to its rear, thereby unloading the front. With this kind of work, the entire weight of the car is distributed evenly, acceleration is gained very quickly, the engine thrust increases, but often with sharp gas the rear wheels skid. Accordingly, climbs are easily overcome.

Skid is easily eliminated. Usually, cars of this class when driving on low speeds, especially when cornering, drifts more often. On the one hand, this is dangerous, on the other hand, in order to eliminate the skid, you just need to release the gas pedal. Throwing off the gas pedal under force majeure, almost always occurs automatically, at the intuitive level of a person. If there are certain ones, then the skid can be controlled by smoothly pressing the gas pedal and turning the steering wheel towards the skid. Naturally, this action is recommended for experienced drivers.

The steering wheel is not subject to vibration. These vibrations can come from the driving axis of the car, but since it is the rear axle, these vibrations are not transmitted while sitting in the car, the vibration is not perceptible, it is practically absent.

The steering (front) wheels pave the way for the driving. The driving wheels are the rear ones, respectively, when driving on loose, difficult or snowy roads, the passability of the car increases, since the front wheels, as it were, lay potassium for the rear ones when driving.

Less swing angle. That is, the front wheels only steer, the rear wheels push, respectively, the turning radius decreases, therefore it is easier to enter the turns on this class of car, if the road conditions allow it.

1.2. Negative sides:

The steering wheels brake the car. If, while driving, the front wheels are turned at a certain radius, then in some cases the effect of braking is created, since they are pushed by the driving wheels. In such situations, the likelihood of a car skid increases, and it should be noted that not at high, but at low speeds.
The presence of cardan shafts, reduces the power of the car, as well as when driving on bumpy roads, the possibility of its damage increases and additional noise will be felt. Perhaps the car's cross-country ability decreases, but these are special cases.
Complex construction. This type of car requires the installation of additional components and assemblies (at the factory level), which complicates its design and increases its weight. These factors lead to an increase in the cost of the car itself and the cost of their subsequent repair;
The cabin is smaller. The design of the car is located in such a way that there is a tunnel in the center of the cabin, which reduces the spaciousness of the cabin, this tunnel is necessary for cardan shaft.
Sophisticated ice control. Usually, by the onset of winter, there are frequent accidents due to slippery roads. To a greater extent, accidents are subject to cars with summer or, especially rear-wheel drive cars. Since they are difficult to handle on slippery roads, the likelihood of skidding increases tenfold.

2. Front-wheel drive car

The history of the production of these types of cars begins in 1929, when in the United States engineer Carl Van Ranstr, released the "iron horse" with front-wheel drive "CordL-29". Although its technical characteristics were slightly worse than other cars, the demand for it was high. Then, after the global crisis, the production of these cars was closed. But, starting from the 60s and 70s, production resumed, and went into mass production.
The principle of structure of this type vehicles, to which the gearbox is installed, then two grenades (CV joints) are installed to the front (driving) wheels, through which torque is transmitted to the driving axle.

This is what a front wheel drive car looks like

2.1. Positive sides:

The spaciousness of the cabin. The interior of the car is a little more spacious, since the absence of a propeller shaft removes the need to create a tunnel in the center of the car frame structure. In fact, many cars have a tunnel that serves as frame reinforcement and various mechanisms. However, at present, the opposite situation is observed, that is, there is no tunnel, as the frame design is being improved;
The cost is lower. The cost is significantly lower than that of other types of vehicles. This is due to the fact that their production is less laborious, which is explained by the design principle based on minimalism and simplicity, and, accordingly, requiring less costs;
Simplicity and minimalism. The design of the front-wheel drive units is modeled in such a way that the need to install any additional components disappears, as a result of which its reliability increases, due to the fact that the design is simpler. Accordingly, the operation of the entire vehicle structure is more efficient than a rear-wheel drive vehicle, in particular, the engine efficiency of a front-wheel drive car is much higher;
High directional stability. Higher stability on the roads, since the front drive wheels "drag" all the iron along, that is, directional stability is higher;
Effective braking. Since the bulk falls on the front of the vehicle, braking is therefore more reliable.

2.2. Negative sides:

Interior vibration. This simplicity and minimalism of the design of the front drive wheels is reflected in the form of vibration throughout the cabin. In particular, there is a strong impact on, since the front axle is both driving and steering. However, on modern cars, this disadvantage is compensated by the power steering (GUR);
Slipping. With a relatively sharp start of the car, the front wheels usually begin to slip, as the load increases on them, as a result of which the engine thrust decreases;
Large turning radius. The turning radius is reduced, since the front wheels perform two functions - traction of the entire car and control.
Frequent renovation. The front wheels are considered as driving and steering wheels, as a result of which, this leads to a quick breakdown of the structure and to frequent repairs. Usually grenades fail, which are not repaired (they are completely replaced).

Brief conclusion:
The above analyzed disadvantages / advantages of the two types of cars are the main ones and, knowing them, you can already have an idea of \u200b\u200bhow to make a choice between the types of cars, front or rear wheel drive. But there is also a combined type of cars, mainly SUVs, which are all-wheel drive.

3. Four-wheel drive car

What is all wheel drive? All-wheel drive means a transmission structure when torque is transmitted to all four wheels, while on some models it is possible to adjust the operation of the drives, that is, you can leave only rear-wheel drive in operation, or front-wheel drive, or use all four wheels at once. Usually SUVs and station wagons are produced with four-wheel drive. But their offer on the car market is much lower than other types of cars. They are more expensive due to their complex design, respectively, the repair of components and assemblies is also expensive.

It looks like a car with four-wheel drive

The four-wheel drive design is divided into four systems:

Part-time 4wd - this system works on the principle of temporary action. For example, you can only drive rear-wheel drive and turn on / off front-wheel drive if necessary.
Full-time 4wd - all four wheels are involved, handling is significantly improved, high cross-country ability in difficult places on the road. Modern cars are also equipped with such a function, which calculates the possibility of wheel slip and automatically disables one of the drives.
Automatic 4wd - automatic activation / deactivation of drives. If the vehicle is moving on a normal road, then only one drive works, in case of off-road detection or the possibility of slipping, the computer connects the second drive.
Selectable 4wd - this system combines several operating modes of drives.

3.1. Positive sides:

Very high cross-country ability on any difficult road sections, even on slippery roads;
Excellent vehicle handling;

3.2. Negative sides:

Since all 4 wheels are driven, fuel consumption is correspondingly higher;
The repair of components and assemblies is expensive due to the complex design of the car;
The cost of such cars is an order of magnitude higher than other types of cars;

Outcome:
So, all types of car drives were considered: rear, front and full. All their positive and negative sides are given. Each type of machine has its own individual characteristics in its control. So, for example, in the case of a car skidding from a rear-wheel drive car, any novice driver can intuitively release the accelerator pedal and the skid will stop, or you can control the skid, which cannot be said about a car with front-wheel drive, it is more difficult to avoid the skid here. Even the average driver can be out of control. However, such vehicles are more stable on slippery roads.
The control of a four-wheel drive car is slightly different from the previous two, since there are several and each has its own characteristics in control.

In conclusion, there are a few tips for choosing the type of car (mono or all-wheel drive):

Front-wheel drive - for those who love high speed and adhere to the classics;
Rear drive - for those who have the purchase price of a car and the price of its subsequent repair in the first place;
Four-wheel drive - for those who drive off-road and prefers large cars.

Vehicle drive types and their advantages

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Let's talk about all-wheel drive, you will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of all-wheel drive, as well as what four-wheel drive is like.

Once a similar topic had already been raised, I reasoned in it, Today I decided to supplement the series of articles on car drives with another, quite logical topic about four-wheel drive carsmobiles.

For some, this topic will seem strange, since most motorists consider all-wheel drive to be flawless and reliable, but practice and numerous reviews call this statement into question.

To begin with, I want to make some clarity about what all-wheel drive is and how it happens. Four-wheel drive is a type of drive in which, coming from the transmission, is transmitted to all four wheels. Four-wheel drive cars can have permanent all-wheel drive (AWD) or plug-in (4WD). The differences between the first and the second type are quite understandable, in my opinion, in the first case you constantly have four driving wheels without the ability to turn off the front or rear axle. In the second case, there is such an opportunity, and the driver decides at his own discretion when and under what circumstances to connect the front or rear axle, and turn his car into an all-wheel drive and vice versa.

With permanent all-wheel drive, everything is more or less clear, but why is it possible to connect the drive? And this is needed in the following cases:

When one drive does not cope with its task, for example, when a car is bogged down in mud;
In the case when the track is slippery and the driver can use four-wheel drive to increase stability;
Four-wheel drive allows better acceleration from a standstill, and improves the dynamics of the car.

Why is it necessary to disable all-wheel drive?

All-wheel drive is disabled most often for the following reasons:

Driving on a flat, clean track, where there is no need to use four-wheel drive and spend torque to rotate another axle;
Reducing the noise level, which increases when connecting additional. axles;
Driving in certain conditions where only rear-wheel drive or front-wheel drive is required (e.g. sports).

The distribution of torque is due to the differential. In modern all-wheel drive cars, as many as three differentials can be used. Each of them allows you to distribute torque to one or another axle depending on the needs of the driver or according to the settings laid down during the production of this car. A distinction is made between center, front and, of course, rear differentials. The central one is more stressed than others, since its task is to receive torque and distribute it between the rest of the differentials.

It should also be noted that the four-wheel drive does not always evenly distribute the torque along the axes. Quite often, owners do not even realize that, for example, the front axle in their car receives only 40% of the torque, and the remaining 60% goes to the rear axle. Also in new all-wheel drive systemsah electronics is able to "cleverly" distribute the force along the axles on which there is the best grip on the road surface.

All-wheel drive advantages

Now I propose to briefly list the main advantages of all-wheel drive cars.

Well, first of all, it's increased cross-country ability when it comes to SUVs and crossovers.
Stability. Today, you will not surprise anyone with an all-wheel drive sedan, hatchback or coupe. Four drive wheels improve the dynamics and stability of the car on the road. An abrupt start without slipping is common for an all-wheel drive car, while on a front- or rear-wheel-drive car, a sharp start almost always ends in slipping.
On slippery roads, four-wheel drive cars are more stable, and the wheels are less prone to slipping, since all four wheels work.

Cons of all-wheel drive

As I already said, despite the many advantages, all-wheel drive has disadvantages.

The main disadvantage is, perhaps, fuel consumption. In four-wheel drive cars, as a rule, it is always higher than that of similar cars with a mono-drive, take at least, which is found in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive versions.
The second drawback is expensive repair and maintenance. Due to the complex structure and serious loads, the drive mechanisms often fail, which complicates the situation by the fact that repairs are not cheap. Plus, it is not possible to repair the "bridge" or replace the gears at every service station, you will have to look for a service that specializes in this kind of work.
The weight. Four-wheel drive cars have a more complex device and more nodes, which make it heavier in order.
As strange as it may sound, sometimes the presence of all-wheel drive on a slippery road is a big drawback. Of course, the car is more resistant to skids and slippage, but if the car already suffers, then it is much more difficult to align an all-wheel drive car, especially for beginners. As you know, driving on a rear-wheel drive car on a slippery road, if the car starts to shake, most often it is enough to just release the gas and do a few correct movements driving. On the front-wheel drive, on the contrary, it is recommended to add gas, as a result of which the car comes out of a skid. But on all-wheel drive cars, as I already said, if the car goes into a skid, then only a professional can cope with this unpleasant phenomenon, and even then not always. Newbies in most cases simply do not know how to behave, release throttle, like on the rear wheel drive, or add, like on the front one?

Also, I often heard about the inadequate operation of all-wheel drive systems, when the car for no apparent reason fell into a skid and generally refused to respond to the steering wheel and pedals. While mono-drive cars overcame this section without any problems.

Summing up the above, I want to note that any type of drive has its pros and cons. Four-wheel drive is no exception, in some situations these are solid pluses, and in others - some minuses. If you love to drive and know a lot about cars, then an all-wheel drive sedan or station wagon will come in handy. The same can be said for off-road enthusiasts, if you often travel on bad roads or rough terrain, then four-wheel drive is what you need. If you mainly drive around the city or village, save fuel, do not plan to participate in races and do not like off-roading, then I can safely say that four-wheel drive is not yours!

In general, everything largely depends on a particular situation, as well as the skills of the driver and his ability to control the car. I have everything, I hope I was able to reveal the topic and weigh all the pros and cons. Write in the comments what you think about this and what the pros and cons of four-wheel drive are known to you, and of course, share your experience of owning and driving four-wheel drive vehicles. I will also be grateful for reposting this article on social networks, for this there are special buttons at the bottom of the article.

Good luck to everyone on the road! Until!

A four-wheel drive car is now taken for granted: all drive wheels, supposedly, provide great safety on the road and confidence in their abilities. That is why, if we have money, we buy four-wheel drive crossovers for ourselves and for our wives. However, there are quite a few all-wheel drive systems, even in the first approximation, and they are fundamentally different from each other.

Choosing a car and aiming at "four-wheel drive", one must have a very good idea of \u200b\u200bwhere and why the car will be used. Probably 90% of buyers are not going to leave a normal road into forests, fields, as well as climb mountains and cross fords. Why do you need a car with all drive wheels? First, it gives confidence when it rains on a slippery road; secondly, they buy a car with an eye to use in long winters; finally, with all-wheel drive, it is easier to move off the asphalt and drive half a kilometer to the dacha on a dirt road and over bumps.

The simplest thing to remember and then close this article: the above three problems are completely solved by a car with only one axle drive. It is desirable, however, that he was with mechanical box gear. Well, the clearance would be nice more.

Let's say that this solution to the problem does not satisfy you. Then the second consideration: an all-wheel drive crossover is not at all equal to a real SUV. The wheels of these cars are set in motion, let's say, in principle different ways... And third: yes, the indicated need for all-wheel drive can be satisfied with the purchase of a crossover. It's just that you don't have to go on a real off-road trip on such a car. And on the road - do not get carried away with speed.

So how in in general terms a four-wheel drive crossover is arranged. Almost always you drive such a car in ... mono-drive mode, only one axle works for movement. Most often - the front, because almost all not too expensive crossovers are built on the platforms of conventional hatchbacks. Four-wheel drive is manifested only in a situation of slipping of the driving wheels - this moment is recognized by the electronics, which connects the second axle to help. In this case, slipping does not mean that you are standing still and sanding the asphalt for a long time - it is literally about milliseconds. It is unlikely that the buyer is interested in the technique, let's just say that a special clutch is engaged in the transfer of the moment between the axles - and it is dynamically distributed at each moment of time. The device itself can be of various designs.

Now about off-road capabilities: if the scheme fully matches the description above, there are practically none. To overcome the minimum off-road, you have to "hang" additional functionality. For example, the clutch is given the ability to partially or completely block. The methods may be different, but, again, most often electronics are in charge of this. Also, a self-locking differential or a viscous clutch can be used in the design.

Why do you need a lock? A free clutch (or free differential) will prevent the car from going if one of the wheels completely loses traction. And the blockage will make the wheel spinning that is still able to pull you out. In this case, the clutch overheats very quickly, so you won't be able to slip with such a system for a long time.

As with any design, there are many nuances here. The main one is that the clutch in an advanced automatically connected all-wheel drive can work according to a preventive algorithm, without waiting for wheel slip. Here, a small percentage of torque will always be applied to the second axle. In other words, you really get permanent all-wheel drive! This is how they work audi systems with Torsen differential, as well as, for example, some BMW or Mercedes-Benz.

We repeat: almost all crossovers and all-wheel drive have this type of all-wheel drive. cars... Pros: Indeed, the car gives some confidence on a slippery road. Cons: That same confidence can cause you to choose the wrong speed for driving in difficult conditions. The result can be a curb. Also because the nature of such a car in a turn - it will be inclined at this dangerous moment to drift or skid, or it will be neutral - it is rather difficult to predict. As well as for giving the car "off-road", the handling is improved electronically - the main auxiliary system here is ESP.

Now - about the off-road all-wheel drive. Here the second axle is manually connected by the driver. On the way, you drive a mono drive, and if you need to move to some problem area, you turn on the full one yourself. There is no center differential, so blocking one of the cross-axle differentials must be present. And, of course, with such a scheme, four-wheel drive must be turned off immediately on the road - it is not intended for operation at high speeds.

Finally, the classic of the genre is honest four-wheel drive. Ideally, these are not just three differentials - an inter-axle one and two inter-wheel ones, but also a reduction gear and all locks. And, of course, auxiliary electronics. With such a set of properties, the car can really stand on the road and overcome off-road.

Separately, we will mention the extremely advanced systems: for example, Mitsubishi's Super Select allows you to choose from many operating modes of the all-wheel drive so that it is suitable for both the track and off-road. Some Jeep models can be ordered with significantly different types of all-wheel drive. Finally, the systems in Subaru Impreza WRX STi or Mitsubishi lancer Evolution are each worthy of a separate large article.

For confident off-road travel and cornering, all four wheels need to be “worked”.

Currently, there are several ways to distribute torque to the front and rear axles. Consider which four-wheel drive is better - permanent or plug-in.

This scheme is equipped with three differentials (interaxle, front interwheel and rear interwheel). The classic ratio of the distribution of torque between the axles is 50:50. Some modern vehicles use 40:60 or 30:70 asymmetrical differentials. To improve off-road performance, various central differential locking systems (viscous couplings, electronic hydromechanical couplings) are also used.

Permanent four-wheel drive according to this scheme is put on land cars Rover defender, Land Rover discovery, Mercedes G-class, Lada Niva, etc.

Pseudo-permanent all-wheel drive

Most often found on crossovers that are not structurally four-wheel drive vehicles. In them, the four-wheel drive is connected automatically via a viscous clutch. For the first time this technology was introduced by Toyota, which called this scheme V-Flex Fulltime 4WD.

There was no center differential in it, and the transfer case was an angular gearbox connected to the cardan. The V-Flex II viscous clutch was installed before rear gear... When the front wheels slipped, it closed and connected input shaft gearbox with cardan. Thus, in the absence of a speed difference, the car remained rear-wheel drive.

Over time, problems were discovered associated with the impossibility of complete blocking, slow response of the viscous coupling, its low durability and reliability. Therefore, the viscous coupling was replaced with an electronic hydromechanical coupling. In the new scheme, the torque was transmitted by a package of hydraulically compressed friction discs.

The electronic control unit made it possible to connect rear-wheel drive with metered distribution of torque in different proportions. It is triggered both when slipping and depending on driving conditions. Until all-wheel drive is connected, the car remains mono-drive. The most common electronically controlled hydro-mechanical couplings are Haldex couplings today.

Pseudo-permanent four-wheel drive according to this scheme is put on bMW cars X5, Ford Kuga, Chevrolet captiva, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai santa Fe, Infiniti EX / QX / FX35, Nissan X-Trail, etc.

This is the simplest all-wheel drive option. The scheme provides for the possibility of connecting a rear or front drive in addition to the drive axle. There is no center differential. IN transfer case there is a reduction gear for driving in especially difficult conditions. Four-wheel drive can be engaged with a special lever, pneumatic or electric drive. To reduce fuel consumption when driving on public roads, mechanical couplings are provided freewheel (electric or manual) that disconnect the drive shafts from the wheels.

The plug-in all-wheel drive is simple in design and reliable in operation. The disadvantage can be considered the ability to use only off-road conditions. This scheme is used for Jeep Wrangler, SsangYong Rexton, SsangYong Kyron, Suzuki jimny, Great Wall haval, UAZ, etc.

The ability to disable all-wheel drive center differential first implemented by Mitsubishi engineers who created the Super Select system. This solution was then repeated at Toyota, where, after several improvements, a similar MultiMode system was created. The switchable all-wheel drive allowed to save fuel on public roads and at the same time to move on the most severe off-road.

In fact, in this system, the designers have combined all the four-wheel drive options, giving drivers unlimited freedom of choice. Disengageable four-wheel drive according to this scheme is put on mitsubishi cars Pajero, Lexus / Toyota Land Cruiser.

Which is the best all-wheel drive - permanent or plug-in?

For fans of high-speed driving, cars with permanent all-wheel drive with electronic control are preferable. If the machine is operated in moderation and 4WD is needed as insurance, plug-in 4WD (manual or automatic) is fine. For outdoor enthusiasts, the possibility of "hard" engaging the all-wheel drive or locking the central differential with a downshift in the transfer case is suitable.

In any case, always remember that a four-wheel drive car will cost you more. Therefore, think carefully before purchasing a vehicle with this option.