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Is there any reason to get AWD on a Honda CR-V, or is FWD fine?
dsplaisted
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm thinking of buying a new Honda CR-V. I don't see much of a reason to get the all wheel drive version, as the FWD is over $1000 cheaper. I'm no car expert though, is there something I'm missing here? The AWD model seems a lot more common than the FWD.
EDIT: I live in Seattle.
EDIT: I live in Seattle.
dsplaisted on
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If not, probably not.
If it has the option to do 2wd/awd like some cars, run it in 2wd except for in bad road conditions to save gas.
2wd/4wd you mean. AWD implies the car has no 2wd option. Minor detail (of which I don't know the technicalities enough to explain).
I'd lime this whole post. If you live somewhere where you get snow, it still depends -- does the snow get cleared? AWD on a vehicle is actually more important where you're actually driving on snow -- not driving on plowed roads. If your roads don't get plowed (like in Baltimore), then it's very useful. And if you live in rural areas where roads are typically plowed very late (if at all), then AWD is very useful.
But if your roads are maintained during snow & ice storms, then you'd be fine. A good gauge is to see who else is on the road during what you perceive to be bad weather. If it's all SUVs and trucks, then it's worth it. If you see Corollas and Civics everywhere, well...
Of course that means it's not prepared for when it does get a lot of snow, which happened in winter 08/09, the first winter I was here. But that doesn't seem like enough of a reason to go AWD to me.
I had a friend that came to college with a car and ended up selling it less than 6 months after she bought it because she grew up in texas and didn't consider the fact that she was going to college in a place where it snows regularly and they completely suck at plowing.
Thanks! I believe its the same as in "older" Chrysler cars though, meaning you can't simply select "2WD only" right? It's always on, so you don't get a choice.
Otherwise, all it does is put 100lbs in the rear of the car. It doesn't have any low-range gearing or any way to give you a 50/50 lock. You're not going to be able to rally that thing or really take it off road into rocks anyway. It's made for roads.
I should say there are multiple implementations and they work differently to affect how the wheels turn, and not all work the way I described earlier. Often the only user intervention (if available) is to turn off traction or vehicle stability control or whatever it's called. I could see a 2WD override or diff lock override on a truck or trucky suv but haven't seen it myself. It's transparent to the user, the AWD system decides how/when to direct power.
All my vehicles are AWD and TC and it's nice, and you do get used to the perception of additional grip in the rain or on gravel, but I could live without it. I'm not even sure how effective it is in snow/ice as we get it so infrequently and a 1/2" of ice will pretty much shut down the city.