Can you feel the difference between FWD and RWD?

PiKe · 20 Jul 2009 at 09:49

I can feel front wheel drive cars pulling me along, whereas a rear wheel drive car pushes you along, I also feel that in a front wheel drive car that the steering is always trying to centre itself when you're accelerating through a corner.

Am I just imagining this?

Freefaller · 20 Jul 2009 at 09:55

Of course you can, the steering wheel feel is the first place where you can tell the difference.

paradigm · 20 Jul 2009 at 09:58

As freefaller has said, any competant driver that actually has a feel for the way the car communicates with the driver will be able to feel the differences between FWD and RWD.

NathanE · 20 Jul 2009 at 10:28

Some of it also depends on the location of the engine.

I.e. the differences between front-engined FWD car and a front-engined RWD car aren't as great as it may be with a rear or mid-engined RWD car.

Ben Cole · 20 Jul 2009 at 10:46

I've got a Saab 9-5 Aero. It puts around 260lbft through the front wheels. I also have a Vauxhall VX Turbo which puts around 260lbft through the back wheels.

Even taking away all the other massive differences in configuration and car type, trust me when I say...you DEFINITELY CAN feel the difference

P.S. I'd forgotten all about torque steer till I bought the Saab after years of RWD or 4WD.

Lopéz · 20 Jul 2009 at 18:29

paradigm said:
As freefaller has said, any competant driver that actually has a feel for the way the car communicates with the driver will be able to feel the differences between FWD and RWD.

This ^^

Howard · 20 Jul 2009 at 18:32

If you're driving 'sedately', the line blurs, if you're hooning, then it becomes fairly easily apparent IMHO

Sin_Chase · 20 Jul 2009 at 19:27

Howard said:
If you're driving 'sedately', the line blurs, if you're hooning, then it becomes fairly easily apparent IMHO

This.

At the extremes its very very noticeable.

ZG002 · 20 Jul 2009 at 19:34

You can tell the difference very clearly the moment to accelerate into a turn

thedazman67 · 20 Jul 2009 at 20:28

Yes after switching to the mondeo. You can definately feel the difference the steering pulling against you when you corner. The steering is also heavier in the mondeo than the 200SX but thats just probably natural.

Fr0dders · 20 Jul 2009 at 20:30

you can tell as soon as you boot it

on front wheel drive cars you can feel the steering get very heavy, you almost have to wrestle with it to keep it straight

do the same thing with Rear Wheel drive, and it remains just as light as if you you were pootling along.

Moeks · 20 Jul 2009 at 20:40

Yes, the differance is quite stark actually.

BigglesPiP · 20 Jul 2009 at 20:44

If you can't tell the difference, don't drive fast.

thedazman67 · 20 Jul 2009 at 20:47

plant it mid corner in the wet, then you will see the difference

Joe T · 20 Jul 2009 at 20:49

mjt · 20 Jul 2009 at 21:06

thedazman67 said:
plant it mid corner in the wet, then you will see the difference

or equally, lift off mid corner in the wet and see what happens

benneh · 20 Jul 2009 at 22:27

Absolutely, night and day (imo), in fact, I dislike driving fwd cars (granted I'm not driving around in an elise).

Scania · 21 Jul 2009 at 06:41

He really had to ask? :confused: