AWD better in Midwest

[Tman317]

I'm trying to decide which option would be the best. I live in Indianapolis where we have snow although not a lot and generally not often. Has anyone living in the midwest gotten the RWD and if so how did it work out in the snow? Would I be better off with the AWD?

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[frontrunner]

I think it depends on what you want and what you're looking for. But to me, the AWD will generally be more desirable for resale, if that's your thing. I'm sure the RWD handles well enough unless we're talking about significant snowfall. I'm in the Northeast, and although I feel like I can get away with RWD, I know my car isn't worth a damn for resale because everyone here feels like they need to have AWD, so I stick with AWD for the benefits and safety, and to hold more value.

 

[JamieGeek]

I've had my CA Rt1 model since early Feb here in the Detroit area. It handles the snow just fine.

Of course I can't take it out in deep snow but you can't take an AWD one out in deep snow either (there was a post where someone with AWD got stuck in deep snow)--it isn't a truck with high ground clearance.

If you're doing the options plan with the intent of just returning it at the end like a lease then the whole resale portion of the equation doesn't apply.

Out in the wild I've seen at least two other Rt1's in my area as well....

I post this video anytime someone asks about RWD in winter: A few days after picking the car up we took it through a local campground that was snow covered and freshly plowed. Car handled it just fine:

 

[RickMachE]

In my opinion, winter driving is largely dependent on the skill of the driver. Many people simply don't drive properly in adverse conditions.

I have an AWD, but for the performance. I wouldn't hesitate to drive a RWD in a moderate snow environment like the OP's.

Put it in whisper mode with one pedal turned off, and practice stopping, starting, and accelerating in a big empty snow covered parking lot.

 

[DE-MME]

"practice stopping, starting, and accelerating in a big empty snow covered parking lot." Agree, I do this after the 1st snowfall every winter, even in my various Subaru's I have had. Just to get the feel for how to control a slide and how hard you can accelerate and brake.

 

[ReelSweet]

In my opinion, winter driving is largely dependent on the skill of the driver. Many people simply don't drive properly in adverse conditions.

I have an AWD, but for the performance. I wouldn't hesitate to drive a RWD in a moderate snow environment like the OP's.

Put it in whisper mode with one pedal turned off, and practice stopping, starting, and accelerating in a big empty snow covered parking lot.

Why turn off one pedal? (note...I just drove in the snow yesterday in our Jeep Gr. Cherokee with 2 pedal and it had a learning curve....I was so so accustomed to 1 pedal)

 

[RickMachE]

Why turn off one pedal? (note...I just drove in the snow yesterday in our Jeep Gr. Cherokee with 2 pedal and it had a learning curve....I was so so accustomed to 1 pedal)

Because crappy drivers will lift off the pedal, rapidly decelerate out of control, and then come on here and complain about how the Mach-E handles poor in the snow, endless thread after thread. Just trying to stop the agony ahead of time.

 

[rodhx]

Maybe the hardest part to remember is we only have the ground clearance of a “real Mustang”. About 5”. And nice and low on the front are those motorized cooling vents.

 

[JamieGeek]

Because crappy drivers will lift off the pedal, rapidly decelerate out of control, and then come on here and complain about how the Mach-E handles poor in the snow, endless thread after thread. Just trying to stop the agony ahead of time.

Naah you're underestimating crappy drivers: Even with 1-P off they will still complain about the handling and that they ended up in the ditch.

"The Mach-E is horrible in the snow, I was going 100mph and launched off the road in the snow"
"um yeah you don't think the 100mph speed had anything to do with it??"
"No the car should have been smart enough to prevent the accident"

Note that AWD in 1-P will work slightly better in the snow slowing down since both axle's will be regening vs just the rear in a RWD car...also something to think about. (I notice a difference between my RWD Mach-E in the snow than my other plugins which were all FWD--mostly a oversteer vs understeer kind of thing.)

Maybe the hardest part to remember is we only have the ground clearance of a “real Mustang”. About 5”. And nice and low on the front are those motorized cooling vents.

Yup motorized cooling vents but they mostly open when charging (unless you're doing some "spirited" driving but, see above, that isn't advisable in the snow).

Thus in the snow the car is just a plow if its deeper than the ground clearance.

 

[Maquis]

I think the best argument in favor of AWD is to get the additional HP!

 

[DennisD]

IMO, if you live in an area that even has a slight chance of getting snow you will be better off purchasing an AWD car. As noted before, the resale value will be better and you will have piece of mind knowing that you won't get stuck.

I have owned many front wheel drive cars and they get around very well in an urban setting. If you live in a rural or remote area, I would opt for AWD.

I used to drive RWD cars in the 70's and they were terrible in comparison to front wheel drive (in both urban and rural settings).

If the MME had the option of Front wheel drive, I would have purchased that over an AWD. I am assuming there is a cost factor on why Ford didn't offer a front wheel drive over a RWD, but I think that was a mistake. They priced many consumers out of the market and they will most likely purchase a different model because of that decision of not offering a front wheel drive.

If you live in "snow country" you would understand. ?

 

[RickMachE]

Mustangs aren't front wheel drive...

 

[JamieGeek]

IMO, if you live in an area that even has a slight chance of getting snow you will be better off purchasing an AWD car. As noted before, the resale value will be better and you will have piece of mind knowing that you won't get stuck.

I have owned many front wheel drive cars and they get around very well in an urban setting. If you live in a rural or remote area, I would opt for AWD.

I used to drive RWD cars in the 70's and they were terrible in comparison to front wheel drive (in both urban and rural settings).

If the MME had the option of Front wheel drive, I would have purchased that over an AWD. I am assuming there is a cost factor on why Ford didn't offer a front wheel drive over a RWD, but I think that was a mistake. They priced many consumers out of the market and they will most likely purchase a different model because of that decision of not offering a front wheel drive.

If you live in "snow country" you would understand. ?

Traction control wasn't a thing in the 70s. Its a game changer--especially on EVs the motor reacts much faster in an EV and thus traction control in EVs is much better than an ICE.

The only time I got my other two EVs stuck in the snow (Bolt and Focus Electric both FWD) was when I asked them to do too much: Attempting to turn around and the drive wheels went into the deep unplowed snow on the side of the road. Even with that I was able to rock them both out.


Note that if the Mach-E was offered as FWD I also would have picked it up but not because FWD is better in the snow. A FWD Mach-E would have been dolly towable and thus we could have pulled it around behind our RV (This is also why I'm very hopeful Ford offers up a full BEV Maverick FWD).

But yeah: The "Not a Mustang" cries would have been even louder had the Mach-E been offered with FWD.

 

[Jim’s electricMustang]

I just purchased a MME P with 4wd. I live in Green Bay. Not impressed, with inclement weather handling.

 

[RickMachE]

I just purchased a MME P with 4wd. I live in Green Bay. Not impressed, with inclement weather handling.

It doesn't have 4wd. It has awd. There is a difference. You need to learn how it utilizes the drive axles, and how traction control kicks in.

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