Are cars with AWD worth it compared to FWD.
Are cars with AWD worth it compared to FWD.
I am potentially looking at buying a new car in next coming months. I'm looking at the Nissan rogue because my current car is Nissan and I've been pleased with it for the past 12 years and I would like the extra room an suv has. The only thing I don't like is that the majority of suvs are AWD. Nissan does make the rogue in FWD but I was only able to find 1 in my nearby dealerships. So it seems that if I want an suv I'm stuck with AWD or I have to stick with a sedan. For context, my first and current car is a 2012 Nissan versa.
Tldr: do the benefits of AWD and having an suv outweigh the downside of having to replace every tire if you get a flat in one with AWD. Or should I just try and stick with FWD?
EDIT: thank you for all the responses. It is very clear now that I do not need AWD and will stick with FWD. And apparently, I need to look into different cars makers. I have had good luck with my Nissan but according to comments Nissan isn't a good company anymore.
EDIT 2: I didn't realize that there are 2 different types of AWD. There's full and reactive. Technically, the car I have now is AWD because it does divert power to the back wheels if it detects them slipping. My apologies for not fully understanding the terminology before making the post. My original post was directed towards full AWD, when there is power to all wheels all the time. Thanks for the help !
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I’m just here to chime in and tell you Nissans are trash now, and are a shadow of what they were.
Also none of their AWD systems are any good outside the GTR and their trucks. Their CVT transmissions are fragile and the computer will protect it at all costs. They’ll disengage drive wheels and pull power if any threshold is reached(temp, load, etc)
If AWD is a priority, the only logical choice is an EV. No ICE passenger vehicle AWD system can compare to having a motor per axle, or a motor per wheel. Unfortunately Nissan evs are a joke too.
My short summary is that if you’re serious about wanting awd and want an ice car, get a Subaru. If you’re serious about awd and want an rv, plenty of dual and some tri/quad motor options out there.
If you stick with fwd ice just buy anything but a Nissan or Mitsubishi.
Fellow gearhead backing up that current Nissan is trash. Their current strategy is cheap as possible, and finance anyone.
I checked out Subaru and the impreza looks appealing. But all models are showing AWD... Even their legacys have AWD. And it looks like Subaru is using CVT transmissions too. I was hoping to get away from that because I don't care for it in my versa. Are different manufacturers implementation of CVT different? Or are all CVTs the same?
Subaru CVTs drive like shit but not near as unreliable as Nissan units. Different manufacturers. I don’t know what chickens they sacrificed but it works.
All CVTs work the same way and have the same weakness (steel belt tends to break causing catastrophic damage).
Not quite true on the second part. It's primarily Jatco CVTs that are reliability nightmares, and are what is used by Nissan. Subaru make their own CVTs which are widely regarded to be much more reliable.
Pretty much the entire poor reputation of CVTs derives from those shitty Jatcos but the tech itself wasn't the problem, it was the execution.
Not exactly what you asked, but the only problem I've found with Subaru (crosstrek / legacy) is lack of pick up. It's worth it to shell out for even a slightly upgraded engine. (crosstrek wilderness) If thats important to you and you read a review that says it's a problem, absolutely believe it. It hasn't bordered on dangerous, but it is very noticeable at times.
Other than that 100,000+ miles later and some regular upkeep and there has been absolutely no issues. Shifts fine, although sometimes the rpms hit higher than I'm used to.
I do believe the WRX is manual if that's more your style, and there are Crosstreks (which is essentially an Impreza with more clearance. Even people at the dealership have accidentally called it that) and Foresters that are strictly automatic, or so they say.
Oh, and the windshield wipers are lame. It's like the windshield is too big for the wipers, and the wipers move to slow. If it starts pouring outside, be prepared to be driving 90% blind. Rainx barely helps.
That's sad to hear about Nissan. Like I said in my post, my first and current car is a versa and I've hardly had any serious issues with it. So I was assuming that their quality was still good. I do want ice and after reading these comments I have concluded that AWD is not worth it and I really don't need it. Unfortunately Subaru's are out of my price point. I'll check Mazda out I guess
Nissan fans like you and I are the hardest hit by their fall.
Always buy certified used. The Subaru CPO program with gold warranty is a great deal and you can save thousands.
If you don’t buy Subaru, still buy used if the CPO warranty is good and cheap.
What is your budget?
Mazda is a solid brand. All of their crossovers and SUVs are AWD so really your only option if you are in the US will be the 3. The 3 is a great car either as a sedan or hatchback and I would have one if I did not need more cargo room because of my job. The sedan has a huge trunk and is plenty roomie in the cabin. For the price Mazdas are more comfortable and fun to drive than anything else out there (IMHO).
Thats reassuring, I will def test drive a couple of the mazdas.
Mazda and Audi also have excellent AWD systems
Excellent would be a stretch. They will be a variation on a Haldex system, and you’d have to look up which variation your particular model has.
I’ve yet to see a haldex type system(the type typical on FWD platforms) consistently outperform Subaru.