AWD compared

[pcardoza]

the approach angle isnt optimal on the cx5. No way did mazda design it to tackle terrain a 4x4 truck or jeep wrangler would that is obvious.
Rain/snow/gravel is what the target conditions they expect 99.9% of buyers to use this for. By taking away any (drive modes) they are telling you this isnt an off-roader.

exactly right!

 

[Avoidin Deer]

Surprised they weren't aware of the off-road mode with TCS off.

I wondered why they did not mention that. The only thing they mention in passing was Sport Mode.

That was in the written article, I didn't watch the vid.

 

[Avoidin Deer]

The AWD that you see in this segment are primarily made to handle rain and some light snow.

I thought that AWD also played a part in the handling characteristics, as power is transferred from rear to front as required when cornering.

 

[ralf11]

how many degrees is the approach angle?

 

[Germanmaz]

Bottom line, as Mazda already said in the press launches, the CX 5 has all wheel drive for road use only.
The CX 5 can go in to a curve (on the road) in much higher speed then most of the other SUV's in the test, the AWD in the Mazda have a prediction mode built in to it, it can measure the forces on the car and start the AWD before a wheel will spin, giving much more confidence to the driver.

A known German magazine declare the CX 5 AWD as the most sporty SUV in its category.

 

[ralf11]

ok, for road use only... but how is road defined?

a two-track is a road in Wyoming

 

[Pitter]

@FiveG so did your CX-5 do on that road?

 

[Pitter]

I watched an Italian video testing the CX 5 on a muddy track with dips and humps and it did reasonably well. You could see though that it was wearing serious mud and snow tires with good tread for off road.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

I watched an Italian video testing the CX 5 on a muddy track with dips and humps and it did reasonably well. You could see though that it was wearing serious mud and snow tires with good tread for off road.

Tires really do make the difference depending on what you want to do. Day to day road driving, snow/winter driving, or off-road, mud driving.

 

[Pitter]

Here in Colombia some European manufactures offer what seems to me to be alternative non AWD gimmicks. Fiat offers a "Locker" version of one of it's two wheel drive models. Presumably it can lock the two front driving wheels together under loose traction conditions. Ok, could help. But then there are the French manufacturers Peugot and Citroen offering "traction control" on*their front drives. What can this be other than varying degrees of locking and releasing the two front wheels together? The Peugeot 2008 with this system comes highly recommended by What Car. Again maybe could help in some circumstances but not much and the companies can add cost to their vehicles with"technology".

 

[theplayer11]

Here*in*Colombia*some*European*manufactures*offer*what*seems*to*me*to*be*alternative*non*AWD*gimmicks.*Fiat*offers*a*"Locker"*version*of*one*of*it's*two*wheel*drive*models.*Presumably*it*can*lock*the*two*front*driving*wheels*together*under*loose*traction*conditions.*Ok,*could*help.*But*then*there*are*the*French*manufacturers*Peugot*and*Citroen*offering*"traction*control"*on*their*front*drives.*What*can*this*be*other*than*varying*degrees*of*locking*and*releasing*the*two*front*wheels*together?*The*Peugeot*2008*with*this*system*comes*highly*recommended*by*What*Car.*Again*maybe*could*help*in*some*circumstances*but*not*much*and*the*companies*can*add*cost*to*their*vehicles*with*"technology".*

unreadable

 

[Pitter]

Yeah forgot and wrote on fked Mac computer. Corrected on an HP laptop.

 

[Unobtanium]

Here in Colombia some European manufactures offer what seems to me to be alternative non AWD gimmicks. Fiat offers a "Locker" version of one of it's two wheel drive models. Presumably it can lock the two front driving wheels together under loose traction conditions. Ok, could help. But then there are the French manufacturers Peugot and Citroen offering "traction control" on*their front drives. What can this be other than varying degrees of locking and releasing the two front wheels together? The Peugeot 2008 with this system comes highly recommended by What Car. Again maybe could help in some circumstances but not much and the companies can add cost to their vehicles with"technology".

LSD with fwd absolutely helps. I converted my g20 to LSD and it was far superior to prior.

 

[Pitter]

Well that's good to know. Had my doubts.

I know they already had a lot of cars but too bad they didn't include a*Nissan or Duster set to Intelligent 4wd. Would have been interesting.