Currently, cars sold in Indonesia are offered with a large selection of powertrain systems. The most common are front wheel drive (FWD) and rear wheel drive (RWD) systems.
The use of propulsion systems for cars is often debated. In fact, all of these car propulsion systems have their advantages and disadvantages. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of the two propulsion systems?
1. FWD system
FWD system has been widely used in newer cars. Indeed, cars of class Avanza-Xenia up to Innova changed direction from RWD to FWD. Many cars in the low minivan or SUV class use front-wheel drive.
The FWD system transmits power from the front engine to the front wheels. No drive to the rear wheels is required, making FWD car components more compact. This is because there is no drive shaft component to transmit power from the front engine to the rear wheels.
The benefit of this driveshaftless system is a flatter cab floor (no driveshaft bump), reduced weight, to reduce noise. FWD cars also tend to be lighter due to fewer powertrain components.
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Toyota has officially launched the Kijang Innova Zenix Hybrid. The addition of the Zenix name changes this car completely. So how was the test drive? Photo: Pradita Utama
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The advantage of the FWD system is that FWD drive cars can be more responsive and more fuel efficient. This is because the power distribution component from the engine/transmission to the wheels is very short and there are not many obstacles. Unlike rear wheel drive or rear wheel drive (RWD) cars, which require more components.
Meanwhile, when negotiating inclines, FWD cars tend to experience skidding due to weight distribution. When going uphill, there is usually a weight shift of the car to the rear wheels thus reducing the traction of the front wheels. But it can be overcome by driving the right way. For example by taking advantage of the momentum uphill.
Another disadvantage of FWD cars is that because these cars use the front wheels as driving force in addition to steering or steering the vehicle, the load on the front wheels becomes excessive. It has been argued that FWD cars usually tend to have understeer symptoms because the front wheels are responsible for activating and turning the vehicle.
 Mitsubishi New Xpander Cross Photo: Muhammad Zaky Fauzi Azhar / 20 seconds |
2. RWD system
Switch to rear wheel drive or RWD. This rear-wheel drive system is generally used in cars accustomed to hard work. RWD system is usually used for driving needs in various rough terrain.
The advantage of the RWD system is better weight distribution. RWD cars have an engine compartment in the front and a gearbox and drive shaft in the centre. This placement makes the load distribution more ideal and uniform.
In addition, the RWD drive system optimally distributes the load on the front and rear wheels. The front wheels focus only on the steering and the rear wheels for the propulsion system. This division of each workload makes the drive system and suspension components more durable.
On slopes, rear-wheel drive cars tend not to skid. This is because when you go up the weight will point backwards and the rear wheels while the driven wheels will still have traction.
However, the disadvantage of RWD cars is that they are usually heavy. You see, FWD cars rely on multiple components to transfer power from the engine in front to the rear wheels. There are many other powertrain components such as drive shafts, axles, rear axles, cross joints, and others.
In addition to being heavier, RWD cars also often experience a loss of power due to friction in the powertrain components. Therefore, RWD cars are sometimes less economical and less responsive than FWD cars.
Another drawback of the rear-wheel drive system is the less spacious cabin. You see, the floor of the car gets uneven because it’s a place for the drive system and drive shaft down.
Watch a video “Do you choose front or rear wheel drive? These are the advantages and disadvantages“
[Gambas:Video 20detik]
(rgr/your)
