CX-5: How's the AWD do in winter? Is it fun to drive?

[Unobtanium]

What did you get from it?

Nothing, it's just the best I could find. Or maybe something...back end is an LSD apparently?

 

[yugrus]

Open differential, I haven't found any evidence otherwise. You saw traction control at work braking the wheel that gets air.

 

[Unobtanium]

Open differential, I haven't found any evidence otherwise. You saw traction control at work braking the wheel that gets air.

Brakes make it rotate?

 

[yugrus]

No, brakes make the other wheel on the axle rotate when this one lose traction.

 

[ALafya]

"With the CX-5, what happens if one of the front wheels goes in the air / loses traction with the ground?"

I'm very curious about that as well. I searched high and low, but from the drawings in service manual, it looks like that the rear axle gets power through the transfer case (two gears really) only from the front right hand drive shaft. It's not "symmetrical", as with Subaru AWD setup.
I'd imagine that if the wheel gets in the air it gets brake from ABS/TSC system, and the power goes to another wheel on the axle. But then it becomes peculiar if the RIGHT front wheel loses traction. It gets the brake, the left wheel gets traction, OK, fine. But what if the left wheel has no traction either? The power can not be sent to the rear because the front RIGHT axle is under the stability system control already...
Beats me...

I'd still like to know if the clutch pack is slipping in the case of wet grass / front wheels on rollers. I think it does, because I don't think there is a differential between the front / rear wheels. The question is why is it not slipping a little bit less, just enough to get the car moving.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Open differential, I haven't found any evidence otherwise. You saw traction control at work braking the wheel that gets air.

That is how the open diff on my G35x works. The TCS uses ABS to simulate a limited slip diff.

 

[Unobtanium]

That is how the open diff on my G35x works. The TCS uses ABS to simulate a limited slip diff.

To be fair, some of the fastest performance cars in the world use a very similar method and possess an open rear diff.

McLaren P1, for example.

 

[MikeM.]

I appreciate your feedback. Being in WA i'm sure you've gone through your share of snow tires. What other brands have you used?

I should probably take notes but winter tire technology improves so fast, models get improved, rubber compounds are updated and names change so I'm not sure how useful it would be. I do remember using Michelin Arctic Alpin's and X-Ice's but, before that I just don't recall. Through the 80's and into the 90's I used all season radials and thought they worked great until I tried real winter tires. I recall one had garnet sand molded into the tread and another had walnut shells. Modern winter tires are way better.

 

[gova]

Rear Wheel Up

 

[Unobtanium]

I could hardly tolerate the "sound track", but this is also a great video showing the AWD system doing nicely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoqF5Kh_6ZE

 

[KCSam]

That was a good video. Nice to see the AWD performing as I'd expect.

Was that second song Russia's version of Iron Maiden? (nana) (guitar)

 

[Unobtanium]

That was a good video. Nice to see the AWD performing as I'd expect.

Was that second song Russia's version of Judas Priest? (nana) (guitar)

I tried not to listen, lol. That said, yes, this video excellent and put a lot of my concerns to bed.

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

I was certain he was gonna charge and air that first hill he didn't get over lol

 

[Buzzer777]

Drought is killing us!

Haven't seen any real snow in the valleys in 4+ years!