Which Wheels Are the Drive Wheels on a Car?

[McJeffrey]

In ordinary cars, generally only the two rear wheels are drive wheels, with the two front wheels being driven wheels, or the two front wheels are drive wheels, and the two rear wheels are driven wheels. However, in off-road vehicles and full-time four-wheel-drive vehicles, all wheels are drive wheels. The drive configuration of a car mainly refers to the number and position of the drive wheels. Based on this fundamental standard, the method of using front wheels to drive the vehicle is called front-wheel drive (FWD), while using rear wheels to drive the vehicle is called rear-wheel drive (RWD), both of which belong to the two-wheel-drive configuration. Here is an introduction to car drive configurations by layout: 1. Front-engine, front-wheel drive (FF): This is the most common configuration for family cars, where the engine is placed in front of the front axle, and the front wheels are used for driving. Currently, most family cars adopt this drive configuration, with the engine and transmission mounted transversely in the engine bay, transmitting power directly to the front wheels through two half-shafts. 2. Front-engine, rear-wheel drive (FR): The engine is placed in front of the front axle. Under this layout, the engine and transmission can be arranged in two ways: transversely or longitudinally. Both arrangements require a driveshaft to drive the rear wheels. Vehicles with this drive configuration have the front wheels responsible for steering, while the rear wheels handle driving. 3. Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive (MR): In this layout, the engine is placed between the front and rear axles, and the rear wheels are driven via a driveshaft. This can be further divided into front-mid and rear-mid configurations. The engine placed between the front axle and the passenger compartment is called front-mid, while the engine placed between the passenger compartment and the rear axle is called rear-mid. 4. Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive (RR): As the name suggests, the engine is placed behind the rear axle, with the main weight concentrated on the rear wheels, opposite to the front-engine, front-wheel-drive configuration. Nowadays, few family cars use this layout, and it is more commonly found in public transportation vehicles.

[Dorothy]

I've been observing car drive wheels for years. The drive wheels are responsible for propelling the vehicle forward, with specific wheels depending on the car's layout. In front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicles, the engine and transmission are compactly arranged at the front, directly driving the front wheels—most sedans like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic follow this design. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) cars have the engine in front but use a driveshaft connected to a rear differential to power the rear wheels, such as the BMW 3 Series or Ford Mustang sports car. All-wheel drive (AWD/4WD) vehicles engage all wheels for propulsion, like SUVs such as the Jeep Wrangler or Chevrolet TrailBlazer, featuring either full-time or on-demand systems. The identification method is simple: perform a hard acceleration while stationary to see which wheels slip or respond quickly. FWD cars tend to understeer with front-wheel slippage, RWD vehicles oversteer with rear-wheel spin, while 4WD/AWD models remain stable. This affects handling and maintenance—FWD offers fuel efficiency and spacious interiors but heavier steering during turns; RWD delivers stronger power suitable for drifting yet performs poorly in snow/rain; 4WD excels off-road but has complex repairs. Checking the vehicle manual or searching online for model specifications provides the most accurate information. During routine maintenance, drive wheels' tires wear faster and require more frequent inspection/replacement.