All Wheel Drive VS. Rear Wheel Drive

When it comes to the all wheel drive vs rear wheel drive debate, there is a lot to discuss. People tend to have a strong stance or position on a topic such as this and more often than not fail to see the other side. The truth to all of this is that it greatly depends on what task you are trying to accomplish, and in what fashion you wish to accomplish the task. For example, it is possible to drift in an all wheel drive car, but is it as much fun or easy as it is in a rear wheel drive car? The correct answer is no! What about in regards to a daily driver? Well that depends on where you live and the climate you are exposed to. Rear wheel drive is great for areas that see little to no snow. All wheel drive is preferred for snowy areas such as New England. Overall both have their pros and cons. Have a look at the table below for a breakdown.

	All Wheel Drive	Rear Wheel Drive
Handling	More controlled, better grip, requires less driver involvement, better for most.	Requires more driver involvement. Most find it more fun to drive/easier to drift.
Gas Mileage	Uses more gas than rear wheel drive because of the loss of power transferring power to the rear wheels.	Gets better gas mileage than all wheel drive.
Other Pros	Ability to apply power earlier coming out of turns. Sturdy, easier learning curve & safer.	Faster in straight line, lighter, more fun to most, less under-steer, easier to create neutral balance.
Other Cons	More under-steer, heavier, more costly to repair, must replace tires in pairs, requires frequent alignments.	Can loose grip easier, less safe, bad in slippery/wet conditions.