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Rear-wheel-drive on the rise

Hina Dinoo12
In 1982, 46.6 percent of Canadian passenger cars featured front-wheel-drive. By 2001, that number increased to 94.8. While American statistics are undoubtedly similar, Canada’s snowy winters make the argument for front-wheel-drive that much stronger. But a change is taking place. In 2005, 9.5 percent of of passenger cars featured rear-wheel-drive — the highest percentage since 1989. “The standard criticism of rear drive is that it’s bad in the snow, but today’s vehicles allay these fears with effective traction and stability control systems,” explained analyst Dennis DesRosiers. “This recovery is no doubt a result of several important vehicles, including all variants of DaimlerChrysler’s LX platform (Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger), as well as the Cadillac CTS, Smart Fortwo, Mazda RX-8, Nissan 350Z and Infiniti G35,” DesRosiers says. The Leftlane Perspective: If consumers in snowy climates are warming up to rear-wheel-drive, the path should be clear for the rest of North America, too.

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Hina Dinoo is a Toronto-based journalist for LeftLaneNews.com, covering the intersection of technology, industry, and mobility. Trained in journalism in Toronto, she excels at turning complexity into clarity. Her work focuses on how technological, economic, and social systems influence the future of automobiles and transportation. Contact: [email protected]

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12 Comments
  7. ali on

    Why is there so much focus on McCain’s stance? Isn’t it all about Bush’s policy? 🤷‍♂️

    Reply
  10. Kamalsymphony5 on

    Isn’t it ironic that the ones pushing for reform are the ones distancing themselves now?

    Reply
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