JessePS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YidkaqlW9ns

The SH-AWD beat the crap out of the RX and Q7 on a 30% grade with half the tires on an icy surface.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Doesn't Saab have a really good XWD system (I think it's a Haldex system)

Blackraven

According to what Koma and mmashall said, Haldex was okay but not great.............until Haldex developed version 4.0 (which first debuted in Saab XWD).

They improved the response time with the new unit (which was a complaint for Haldex versions 3.0 and below) so that helps. This time though, the LSD is electronic. Dunno if that's a good or a bad thing (I'm no expert)

Apparently next year, Haldex is working on a version 5.0 of their AWD system and Volkswagen Auto Group has secured rights and privileges to be the first to use the new 5.0 AWD system.

We shall see how it goes

Anyways, so the consensus here is that it an AWD system needs torque vectoring before it can qualify as a best AWD system?

P.S.

Holy crap, that Honda/Acura SH-AWD system really is something that is not to be underestimated.

Lexmex

Subaru and Audi are the two tops for me. Even south of the border, I started to hear comments trickle in when Subaru opened its doors and new found Subaru owners raved to me about the AWD. Audi long had a presence there and I heard great things about their systems.

lexmenow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA6k0...eature=related

SLegacy99

I question the tires on the Lexus and Audi in this comparison given that they were not able to remain stopped on the slick. They slid right down, whereas the Acura did not. Hmmm....

seanlee

i don't think acura made any modification to the tires. if those tire are stock tires, then it is a valid comparison.

it seems like RX suffers from not having LSD of any kind. Q7 suffers from Electronic Differential Lock (which is passive device that brakes just the one spinning wheel on an axle). because the total torque delivered to each axle is independent to each other (always 40 front, 60 rear), when 50% of wheels has no traction, the other side of wheels will have full torque. the rear passenger wheel will have 60% of engine torque and front will have 40%. basic physic shows that the car will spin counterclockwise.

to pass the exam like this, you cannot just lock one side of wheel, you need Active torque vectoring. in this special case, the front passenger wheel need to have more torque than the rear passenger wheel to ensure the vehicle doesn't go into a spin.

all passive torque vectoring technology will fall the test. you better off with locking differential that lock center differential and axle differential.

the funny part is, audi's Torsen T2 may actually perform better than T3 since it is 50%/50% split between front and rear.


the only thing that stopped me from buying Acura RL (before the styling went all crazy) is the reliability of the SHAWD. it is extremely complicated and i fear no one can fix it. if it every broke, you will need to buy a new set. and bear in mind that RL's SHAWD allows a higher degree of freedom than all other SHAWD out there. it is also made of carbon fiber which means if acura/honda stop making it for RL, you are doomed.

having said that, the RL before restyling is a technology marvel under an extremely understatement skin. just the way i like it.

Rock-a-Lex

iTrader: (4)

How does Mitsubishi's AWD compare? Like on the EVO?

mmarshall

The Evo's (and Ralliart's) AWD systems, like that on the rival Subaru STi, are more or less tailor-made for rally conditions, not day-to-day street-driving, (though those cars, of course, are street-legal). The everyday AWD systems on, say, the Mitsubishi Outlander and Endeavor are generally similiar to those on competing Toyota and Honda products with transverse engines, like the RAV-4, Highlander, CR-V, Pilot, etc.....OK, but more complex than the Subaru systems used with the flat-boxer engines.

SLegacy99

That may be, but I do question if all of the tires were brand new. I am not saying that the Acura can't be better. I'm saying that I am skeptical if two of the vehicles in the competition can't be stationary and the Acura can.