[Mrchips0401]

I live on the MA/NH border, over near the ocean. Born here, grew up here, and almost 50 now. We get tons of snow but I've never owned a 4WD or AWD vehicle in my life. I've probably driven RWD trucks like the three Rangers I owned, or my current 2WD frontier, more than the the FWD focuses I drove into the ground.
For ten of those years I lived in Maine. I put four good snow tires on my 2WD ranger and drove an hour each way to work.
My 2012 Focus had traction control and ABS, I put snow radials on the front and whichever regular tires had the best tread on the back, and drove all over NH, ME, VT, NY, RI, CT, MA, PA, and NJ all winter long for my last job.
If the maverick has FWD, ABS and traction control, it will go just about anywhere with a good set of snow radials on the front, throw a bag of cat litter and a shovel in the bed for the rare times you get stuck, and you'll never need to worry.

If the AWD system is really only needed for those who live where it snows every day, all winter. My sister lives in Lake Placid, NY and it snows there almost every day during the winter, you need AWD or 4WD up there, or chains.

 

[Mrchips0401]

Totally agree with you regarding 2wh drive (rear or front drive) and good snow tires. I lived in PA most of my life before moving to TX but i have to praise two snow brand tires I experienced…Vredestein and Gislaved ( both Scandanavian) because I worked for a Volvo dealer. These tires got me thru A couple of good blizzards like a knife thru soft butter.

 

[Mrchips0401]

it all depends where you live. I live in Reno NV and ski a lot (100 days/year) so I am in Tahoe a ton. You would think I NEED 4WD but I woudl get this in FWD and invest in 4 proper winter tires. I made it though 4 winters with a FWD VW TDI wagon and never got stuck.

Yes, there were FWD Truck(lettes), Dodge Rampage, VW Rabbit Truck, Subaru Brat was FWD when 4WD wasn't engaged. I am sure there were some others offered in other markets that I am unaware of.

 

[Mrchips0401]

Hey Phil, happy to see ya on this Maverick forum. Gotta beef though, your spelling of trucklet. He he. I ordered a FWD/hybrid XLT last week. Trading an Audi Q3 I picked up in Palm Springs few years back when my Audi trans started banging, ouch. Hope all’s good in Pugski land, take care and will look ya up if I’m ever in your Reno/Tahoe area. I’m meeting Kelly Coghill and sons later this summer they’re coming down to see a COTA race.
bob hoff

 

[Mrchips0401]

Agreed. Winter tire on front is my recipe for winter! It works perfectly for my 2012 dodge caravan. I don't expect anything different in my 2022 marverick.
Funny one time up in the mountain ski parking lot with a foot of snow, bunch of guy was pushing a rear wheel drive Tesla while I have no problem pull out my caravan. Winter tire makes huge difference.

I agree with winter tires on FWD, I like 4 of them.

 

[Mrchips0401]

Yeah, I guess I’m more wondering about traction differences. Still can’t decide if I should change to AWD for the boat ramp.

boat ramp ? Yeah I’d lean heavily on AWD

 

[Mrchips0401]

Have you had problems with FWD on boat ramps when launching and retrieving your boat?

No, haven’t owned a boat but I have been around boat ramps to notice how steep most are and covered in slimy slick surfaces. Certainly not the expert but the degree angle exiting from the water may have an adverse affect of traction a FWD would have/not have (more vehicle weight moved from the front with traction to the rear with no traction). Hope to see more replies here soon.

 

[Mrchips0401]

Not going to argue the physics here. One either understands them or they don't. FWD vehicles have been pulling boats out of lakes successfully for years. The Maverick will be no different.

that is quite interesting, were the ramps incline angle low to moderate for boat ramps?

 

[Mrchips0401]

You are so right about people being overconfident. For many people AWD/4WD only assures that when the law of physics combines with the results of their being overconfident, they travel a little further off the road than they'd have without it.
It wasn't that long ago I recall driving in my early years on bias ply tires, and we didn't have traction control or anti-lock brakes, either. We managed fine, we all survived winters, we just used our heads, slowed down, and we also didn't have modern gadgets to distract us from our responsibilities of driving.

what many people don’t realize with AWD/4x4 vehicles is in Snow/ice their vehicle does not assist in steering or braking, just accelerating. only Tires designed for cold and snowy/icy conditions can assist with stopping and steering as well as accelerating.