If Helsinki’s four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive drivers go to the gas station for coffee and go through the pros and cons of their towing methods, the four-wheel drive driver’s satisfied smile can coagulate.
In Helsinki the owner of a rear- or front-wheel drive car now looks jealous when a four-wheel-drive driver reverses over a snow wall into a pocket park.
All-wheel drive is superior in slippery and snowy conditions: when all the wheels are in the car, the car gets into much better places than the front and rear traction.
There has been a lot of snow in the Helsinki metropolitan area this winter and last winter, so the four-wheel drive drivers have been able to smile with satisfaction.
But who laughs last? Does all-wheel drive really make any sense in urban conditions?
Read more: Helsinki’s snow chaos slows down movement – Exception timetables in use in public transport
If Helsinki-based four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive drivers go to Tellinpuomi Shell for coffee and go through the pros and cons of their towing methods, a four-wheel drive driver’s satisfied smile can clot.
Depending on the make and model of the car, he has paid around € 2,000 to € 5,000 extra compared to a two-wheel drive.
In all likelihood, his car will consume more fuel than the front and rear-wheel drive. In addition, he suffers from higher maintenance and repair costs.
And while there has been a lot of snow this and last winter, how many of these winters will there be in the future? Climate change is penalizing Finland more every year, and much more mild winters than snowy winters will be seen, especially in more southern Finland.
Isn’t four-wheel drive in Helsinki a bit of the same thing as walking on a street with a motorcycle helmet on it: an exaggeration of emergency protection.
Manufacturers have different terms to indicate how to drive their car. Here is a Mercedes-Benz electric SUV EQC 400 with four-wheel drive “4Matic”
It was four-wheel drive makes sense, i.e. no, the kind of traction car buyers increasingly want.
In 2018, four-wheel drive the share of new cars sold was over 20 per cent, compared with just 10 per cent in 2008.
Because four-wheel drive is more expensive, car manufacturers are happy to sell one. For example, BMW has worked shoulder to shoulder in Finland with the launch of its xDrive range. According to Ilta-Sanomat more than 50 percent of BMW cars sold during the campaigns were four-wheel drive.
The popularity of all-wheel drive may have been influenced by the SUV trend: an increasing proportion of cars sold are SUV-like and it may seem smart to take an all-wheel drive for such a car.
The enthusiasm of Finns to transport goods in trailers can also affect the popularity of four-wheel drive, as four-wheel drive often has a higher permissible trailer weight than the corresponding two-wheel drive.
Many taxis prefer a rear-wheel drive car because it is said to be easier to maneuver in tight spaces.
Although As four-wheel drive sales increase, the front-wheel drive car is still by far the most popular, also much more popular than the rear-wheel drive car.
The popularity of the front-wheel drive is mainly due to the fact that there are more rear-wheel drive models on offer. They are also cheaper than rear-wheel drive.
A rear-wheel drive car is often bought by people who specifically value the rear-wheel drive driving experience. Taxi drivers may also appreciate the fact that they often have a smaller turning circle than the front wheel drive.
Backward traction is associated with sportiness and dynamism, and the traction discussion sometimes takes on cult-like features.
Launched in 1997, the front-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz A was considered by some to be a blasphemy. An even bigger crowd was born when the BMW, boasting its “dynamic” driving feel, introduced its front-wheel drive Active Tourer range in 2014.
Now the popularity of traction methods may be in a state of flux, says the head of training of the Finnish Automobile Association Teppo Vesalainen.
“With electric cars, it would seem that rear-wheel drive is becoming more common again. The reason for this is probably that in terms of weight distribution and driving dynamics, it is smart to make a two-wheel drive electric car a rear-wheel drive car. There are also a lot of four-wheel drive electric car models on offer. ”
In the Mitsubishi L200 pickup, all-wheel drive performance can also be monitored directly from the dashboard display.
Teppo Vesalainen sees many good aspects in four-wheel drive.
“In the snow, it starts off and progresses much better than two-wheel drive. Poorly plowed and unploughed roads fold more securely with a four-wheel drive truck. The problem is exacerbated if there are steep hills along the road. For example, the location of a house on or under a steep hill is already a good reason to acquire four-wheel drive in an agglomeration. In addition, parking is easier with a two-wheel drive in the middle of snow chaos than a two-wheel drive truck. ”
As a four-wheel drive guy, it’s good to have ground clearance, because even if all the wheels are pulling, the car can get stuck on its “stomach”. It is also not good for the front bumper to act as a snow plow.
All-wheel drive can also cause a false sense of certainty that you can do this, Vesalainen says.
“The limit is met even with four-wheel drive. It can be driven in a much worse place than a similar two-wheel drive car. ”
The feeling of security can be fatal at higher speeds.
The world of technology reported in 2017 Swedish on the report of the insurance company Folksam.
According to the study, accidents resulting in personal injuries to four-wheel drive cars increased by 30 percent in slippery and snowy conditions. The collision speed of four-wheel drive cars was ten percent higher than that of front-wheel drive cars.
The statistics may be partly explained by the fact that a four-wheel drive may be surprised by the slipperiness of the road in a different way than a front-wheel drive or a rear-wheel drive, because the slip is not felt at start-up and acceleration.
In curves, however, four-wheel drive will not help if you drive too hard.
“The braking distance of an all-wheel drive is no different from a two-wheel drive vehicle with a similar chassis and tires.”
Is there so four-wheel drive makes sense in urban conditions? It is not possible to categorically align anything about it.
“Every car buyer should think about their usage needs and test drive different options in exactly the conditions in which the car will be used. This is sure to be the best choice for you. ”
The battle between the rationality of the towing methods at the Shell of the Customs Boom continues for four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive drivers.
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