Car drive system - things to know when buying a car

1. FWD (Front Wheel Drive): Front wheel drive system

The mechanism of the front-wheel drive system is that the driving force from the engine is transmitted through the differential of the transverse gearbox to the half shafts, front wheels and tires on the left and right sides.

Front-wheel drive helps the car have good grip on the road thanks to the active wheel located right under the engine, so there is more pressure on the road surface. In addition, cars using front-wheel drive also consume less fuel because the short drive shaft allows the car to be significantly lighter in weight.

However, due to the weight being more concentrated towards the front, the rear of the car becomes lighter, the grip of the rear tires is reduced, and the car is prone to skidding when decelerating on slippery roads, or when cornering.

2. RWD (Rear Wheel Drive) drive system: Rear wheel drive system

Compared to front-wheel drive, vehicles using rear-wheel drive are more complicated, when the driving force from the engine is transmitted from the gearbox through the propeller shaft and differential to the semi-axle (or axle), axle, and wheels at the rear.

With the mechanical structure transferred from the front to the rear, the car will have a better weight balance, leading to more stable operation. The steering feeling is also lighter and more flexible when the two front wheels only have the guiding function, so the steering angle is wider and smoother. In particular, the acceleration ability of the car with rear-wheel drive system will be better thanks to the inertia of resting energy to the rear, thereby increasing the grip of the drive wheels.

However, when driving on slippery terrain, vehicles equipped with rear-wheel drive are prone to rear wheel slippage when cornering.

3. Part-time 4WD system

For the 4WD part-time 4WD system, there is no center differential to eliminate the speed difference between the front and rear wheels, when the vehicle turns sharply in 4WD mode, it often causes difficult braking. Therefore, this type of intermittent 4WD, it is necessary to switch between 2WD and 4WD modes to suit the driving conditions.

With this drive system, your car can conquer all terrains, operating stably in all harsh conditions.

However, vehicles using 4WD part-time drive system without center differential often have complex structure, increased vehicle weight and vehicle price also increases... If you need to travel regularly on bad roads or Off-road, 4WD is the optimal choice.

4. AWD full-time 4-wheel drive system

Basically, the AWD full-time 4-wheel drive system has the same structure as the 4WD part-time 4-wheel drive system, but there is an additional center differential in addition to the front and rear differentials to eliminate the difference in rotational speed of the front and rear wheels.

There are three different differentials that make for a smooth ride by ensuring equal power transmission to all four wheels, even when cornering. This is the main advantage of regular 4WD.

AWD systems include mechanical and electronic control. With the electronic control type, depending on the vehicle's operating condition, the electronic control system will distribute appropriate torque to the rear wheels.

This drive system has advantages such as stability when cornering as well as when running on straight roads; increased starting and acceleration performance; better hill climbing ability; more fuel economy due to appropriate torque control to the rear axle.