Does Rear-Wheel Drive Cause Understeer?
1 Answers
Rear-wheel drive can cause understeer. Understeer: Understeer refers to insufficient steering response, a term often used by car reviewers and frequently associated with front-wheel-drive family cars. Over time, this has created the impression that front-wheel-drive cars always understeer. In reality, understeer is not exclusive to front-wheel-drive vehicles; rear-wheel-drive models can also experience it. Oversteer: Due to the rearward weight distribution in rear-wheel-drive cars, the rear tires are more likely to reach the maximum static friction between the tire and the road surface first. When the required centripetal force for the rear wheels exceeds this maximum static friction and the front wheels have not yet reached their limit, the rear wheels undergo centrifugal motion, resulting in a skid. Meanwhile, the front wheels continue to operate normally, causing the oversteer phenomenon.