XLR8R

Of course snow tires are better than all-seasons. But snow tires require another set of wheels or mounting/balancing fees twice a year for all 4 wheels. (Mounting only front snow tires on a FWD would lead to traction imbalance and dangerous oversteer.)

Most people get by on all-seasons -- and for that -- good AWD will outperform FWD. It's even worse if the FWD is the typical open differential with no electronic traction control -- really only one-wheel-drive.

As for FWD-with-snows vs AWD-with-all-seasons; I don't doubt that FWD with electronic traction control or an LSD could outperform some of the cheap AWD systems out there. Such as Chrysler's or GM's shoddy "slip-to-grip" with an open front differential and a simple viscous coupling to the rear wheels with another open differential. However, the sophisticated SH-AWD on the RDX, Audi Quattro, or Subaru's Symmetrical AWD would be my choice over any FWD.

Relating this discussion back to the OP's question: I would take a SH-AWD RDX on all-seasons over a FWD RDX on snows any day.

PacDawg

I am also contemplating whether to purchase the fwd or awd. In my case I live in sunny California and will only see snow maybe twice a year for ski trips so I think it makes sense for me to purchase the fwd. It makes sense not only in the practical stand point but financially as well. I'd be purchasing a base fwd vs tech awd, since in my area the awd only come in tech trim, so that is a 5k difference in price. Gas mileage is improved as well with the fwd so that saves some coin at the pump. To add, 0-60 times, ¼ mile times and top speed is improved with the fwd versus the awd. Also, by reading the article below, it appears the fun factor associated with the awd doesn't degrade much compared to the fwd.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...take_road_test

ikkoku

I'm in the Bay Area, when I was looking into my purchase, I was able to find AWD no tech all over the place. This was a 2010 model. Did this change when the FWD came out?

PacDawg

The two dealers I went to didn't have any non tech awd on the lot but I'm sure they can round it up somewhere they just said that it was hard to find.

Carbon2008RDX

Don't take me wrong and nothing personal but IMO there is NO WAY two wheel drive can be better than AWD in snow, not to mention SH-AWD. With that said, two wheel drive with top notch snows vs. AWD with worn out all-seasons, then, it may be a toss up. But if both vehicles have decent tires with adequate tread, AWD will always win hands down.

Now, Even if the two wheel drive (assuming FWD) had top notch snow tires and the AWD had decent all-seasons in good condition, the AWD will still out perform the FWD with snows.

wrestrepo

No worries, we all have our own believes, and as such I have my own. I have both a FWD sedan and the RDX (SH_AWD). I can tell you that in my experience the sedan with snow tires has better traction and can be "trusted" more than the RDX with regular (new) all-season tires......and there are different kinds of all seasons. In a recent post I praised the quality of the traction in the Continental DWS tires I have in my sedan, saying that they perform as well as the snow tires I have for winter time. I bet that if I fit the Continentals in the RDX it will perform great, even better than the sedan. Perhaps the all-seasons that I have the in RDX suck in the snow .....but Autoblog seems to agree with my view....well, actually I agree with theirs.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/29/p...l-wheel-drive/

XLR8R

I'm not questioning your own experience with the TSX and RDX.

But that Autoblog article contains no useful information. There is no objective data regarding the Subaru:
1. There are no measured speeds or distances.
2. They fail to identify the all-season tires.
3. They fail to retest the Subaru with snows to measure improvement.
4. They fail to test the Subaru against an FWD car to support any contention that FWD is at least equal.

They merely state what everybody already knows: snow tires go good in snow.

By the way. What all-seasons are on your RDX? ...and what snows are on your sedan?

wrestrepo

Not a TSX, it's a Saab.
I have some Yoko tires, I believe Avid????They are not that great, but they were a huge improvement over the summer in the optional 19" rims...and here is the other thing, I could make the car go in the snow with the summer tires on, what I couldn't make it do was stop or turn, so the AWD did help to get moving.
As for the snow, they are just Goodyear something generic, not fancy at all.

MMike1981

driven wheels and tires aside, nothing replaces driver competence.

PacDawg

I think my wife and I are very close to purchasing a 2011 base fwd RDX for 30k + tax and licensing within the next few days unless someone can convince me otherswise. Remember I live in Sunny California.

MPBRDX

Screw the RDX and go for a Mustang GT convert.

wrestrepo

^what he said...

PacDawg

LOL.....I would if it was just for me but this will be my wifes car and we have a 6 year old so we need something more practical. Went to the dealership today but still haven't made a decision. AWD is only $1900 more but we do alot of driving so the better mpg in the FWD would be the practical choice but the AWD handling is so tempting.

pickler

there is FWD RDX?? wtf?? not here in canada though...what is the point of a fwd rdx?

XIS

how much would an extra 1-2MPG save you each month in gas?
If you drive 10,000 miles a year, you save about $4 a week.... One Venti Starbucks a week.... not worth the sacrifice!

Get the SH-AWD (and don't buy cheap coffee!) Much easier to sell years later with the AWD too.

I would take an RDX ANY DAY over a mustang... Mine would eat the majority of them up too....

jeesh!

PacDawg

I guess it's for the budget and mpg conscious people that live at mild climate locations. Also, it seems most of the crossover SUVs in the market have a 2WD equivalent.

wrestrepo

More practical than a convertible? it's a 6 year old kid, he would love it, and it's not as if you have to hunch to put him in the seat, just take the top down and do it from above.

PacDawg

I already have a toy (12 second 1/4 mile RSX) I don't really need another one....the RDX will be for the wife. We also have a TSX with 170k miles, like I said before we do alot of driving, so a small car is not what we are really looking for.

ltngbg99

Everyone has there own ideas, but you asked for opinions. I will never buy another non AWD vehicle. A must for not only snow, but also rain. You do get rain sometimes don't you? Also great performance in the corners with the SH-AWD. Also nice is being able to floor it from a stop when you need to get out into traffic. No wheel spin.

PacDawg

Thanks. I'm leaning more towards the AWD and not putting too much weight on the MPG factor. It's pretty minimal I guess.

wrestrepo

EPA Est. MPG (city / hwy)2:
RDX 19 / 24
RDX SH-AWD 17 / 22
Those are the ratings...36 more miles per tank...

Boostin'

Well we had a major snowstorm hit us yesterday, and the RDX went through it all like a hot knife through butter. Had a day off, so you know I had to go out and see if there was a street (a lot of them not plowed) that I couldn't make it through *L* - didn't happen. There was one long very steep, with a hard turn halfway up, hillside secondary road that was a bit of a challenge. Had to turn off the VCS system, as with the deep wet snow it was bogging the car and killing forward motion. Once turned off though, I was on my way again, snow flying from all four wheels, and carved my way to the top. This rig has a seriously capable (coupled with an agressively treaded true winter tire) awd traction system for severe winter driving.

storminvader

+1, i hv no problems with rdx on snow. what i worry about is the rust that eventually results fm the roads salted due to snow.

honda hadnt been that strong body rust wise but hopefully our rdx has some of the trims protected fm rust.

citan

awd, good choice for Nj!

wrestrepo

Well, how about this article with some actual comparisons!!!! I knew I had seen it before.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...ction_-feature

corduroygt

I recommend nailing the throttle in the middle of a turn, such as an onramp, to actually get to feel what you've paid for. It's not like a FWD car where you feel the front pulling you to the outside of the curb, nor it's like RWD where the line tightens towards the inside, and helping you turn. It's more like you're being extracted from the turn by a slingshot, a very unique feeling.

bg905

XLR8R

Well now, that was a pretty good article. They still didn't identify the OEM all-seasons, but we can assume they were typical OEM tires biased for low rolling resistance and every drop of fuel ecomomy -- much better all-seasons can be had.

It's certainly true that snow tires will improve any vehicles snow/ice handling when drive-line power is not involved ie; turning and stopping. But they also demonstrated that 4 drive wheels trump everything when getting going is required.

They also pointed out that snow tires can be a liability in climates where the roads are not constantly snow covered. (We just had at least 4 major snowfalls in PA already, but even still; 25 days out of 30, the roads are bare and dry.)

If you already own a FWD in the NE, I would say a second set of winter tires is a great idea; especially if you don't mind changing them out often. But if you are buying a car for the NE, I would say go AWD and get winter biased all-seasons like DWS (even better get a set of snows for the AWD). My neighborhood is at a fairly high elevation where nobody gets home on a snowy night without 4 drive wheels.

Bottom line; if I had stolen the disc with the nuclear codes, and was being chased by Nazi zombies through the Alps, and I came upon 2 available cars with keys in and engines idling -- a Turbo Cayenne on OEM all-seasons and a Vette ZR-1 on snows -- I would escape in the Turbo Cayenne (and rescue Jessica Alba on the way).

5 Acuras

iTrader: (1)

I picked up my '11 RDX/Tech AWD 2 weeks ago and it's done well in all the snow we've had. As a volunteer firefighter I need to get out in all weather so the AWD was a no brainer. I like driving it better than my wife's '09 TSX/Tech and the '04 TSX/Navi I traded for the RDX.

wrestrepo

That's exactly what I have experienced, and hence my comment about having more confidence in the sedan with the snows over the Acura with the all seasons....mind you, this is probably because the tires in the Acura suck in the snow.

Anyhow, as I see it the most important thing while driving in snow is to be able to break and turn, just avoid getting stuck or steep hills and you won't need the AWD .

xrvman

I love my 2011 RDX FWD... its amazing, I live in florida so I dont need the AWD, plus as little as I take this car offroad its not needed really. I din however take it offroad the other day, put it in sport mode M1 had traction control on, went up a sugar sand 30 degree grade and it had no issues... the tracion control is amazing, the torque steer is almost non existent. I vote FWD if not having AWD doesnt bother you