FWD, AWD, RWD, 4X4: Which Is The Best Car In The Wet?

You know the one. It’s Monday morning. You leave the house in darkness. It is pelting with rain. You know that you’ll not return before darkness. There is no question about it: you will need a decent coat, from this very day forward, until the return of spring.

The only question is what car should accompany you from this day forth, too. A car for squalid, wet road conditions during which, when the asphalt isn’t merely covered in rainwater, it’s covered in mud, frost, wet leaves, snow, ice or gritted slush.

Conventional wisdom and shrewd advertising suggest that you want four-wheel drive. However, do you need it and, if so, how large a vehicle do you want with it? A full-blown 4x4? A rapid estate? A sports car, supercar or conventional hatchback? Is either front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive completely out of its depth?

atc98092 - 10/22/2014 7:18:57 PM

+2 Boost

The 3+ years I had my 4Motion Tiguan, I never noticed road conditions. Snow, ice, rain, nothing phased it. The day I traded it for a new Passat TDI was raining, and before I even made it to the corner the traction control activated after some tire spin. I had forgotten what it felt like for the TC to kick in. With 4Motion, I never needed it, regardless of conditions.

Sure wish the Passat had 4Motion (in the US). Especially with the torque of the diesel... :)

CarCrazedinCali - 10/22/2014 7:58:37 PM

+1 Boost

I will take AWD anyday over RWD or FWD... I love my RWD BMW and my FWD MINI but love the traction and performance benefits of AWD, just stomp the gas pedal (regardless of conditions and direction of the steering wheel) and you just GO!

iamdabest1 - 10/22/2014 9:24:51 PM

+1 Boost

living in nyc, theres only one way to go and that is AWD ..
when the weather sucks theres nothing like that feeling of plowing out of snow without a shovel..
my m3 and is-f used to be parked 4-6 weeks a year from snow. not too much out of 52 but still very inconvenient.
always had to worry if i was in westchester and then it would snow that i would be stuck out there and cant get back to queens..
my 330xi/ 335xi were amazing in the snow and i have NO interest in changing tires every season.

MorePower - 10/22/2014 10:30:48 PM

+2 Boost

It depends on the road surface, type of awd system and TIRES!