The Ford Mustang has become one of the world’s most iconic sports cars.
Its instantly recognizable chassis pulls your attention as soon as it’s on the scene.
A lot of drivers have wondered whether the Mustang uses rear-wheel drive.
Every Mustang manufactured to this point has come with a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) transmission. This transmission type is a hallmark of many classic sports cars due to its speed off the line and enhanced cornering.
As of the moment, there’s never been a Mustang built using another type of transmission.
However, there are some rumors saying Ford plans on releasing an AWD model in 2022.
Why Does Ford Use RWD on the Mustang?
Rear-wheel drive has been around for a long time, but it’s not in every car. What makes this type of transmission popular in sports cars like the Mustang?
You’ll notice how different driving one feels as soon as you’ve stepped in the car. An AWD car isn’t going to corner as well as a Mustang.
Plus, the Mustang’s RWD performs better from a dead stop!
That’s why they’ve got such great acceleration. Delivering the engine’s power to the rear wheels makes it easier to take off after you’ve stopped.
Another reason why Ford uses RWD in the Mustang is how it affects its cornering. An AWD vehicle has to use a ton of its power to turn when you’re going around a corner.
That usually causes the wheels to slip a little bit if you’re accelerating.
You shouldn’t have any issues with wheel slippage if you’re taking a Mustang through a corner. Since all their power goes to the rear wheels, the front ones don’t absorb it during turns.
The only real issue with RWD is how little grip you’ll have on slick roads. We wouldn’t recommend driving fast if ice covers the road while you’re driving.
Slowing down takes longer when you’re using an RWD vehicle on the snow.
What Are the Benefits of Rear-Wheel Drive?
Rear-wheel-drive tends to perform better when you’re turning a car. The front wheels don’t have to deliver any power to the road. They’ve just got to handle the steering.
That’s going to make them last longer. Front tires usually don’t last long on an AWD car because they’re absorbing so much power.
That causes them to slip if you’re going around a turn while accelerating.
Not everyone thinks drifting is a benefit if they’re in a car. However, if you’re a fan of it, you’ll love driving an RWD vehicle.
They’re way easier to drift than one that’s AWD.
You can also do burnouts with an RWD car much easier as well.
Finally, the way it feels to drive is a lot different when the car uses RWD. You’ll notice how powerful it accelerates as soon as you’ve touched the pedal.
Driving an RWD car tends to make you feel like you’re in a sports car. They’ve developed tons of RWD cars, but the Mustang is one of the most popular.
Can You Drive an RWD Car in the Snow?
Truthfully, the biggest downside of RWD is how it handles when it’s snowing. They’ve made them safer in the snow by adding new safety features.
However, you’ll always be safer in an AWD car when it’s snowing.
The Mustang doesn’t have a ton of weight over the rear axle, making it easy to lose traction.
Trying to accelerate too fast could make your tires lose grip. This is much more common when you’re using RWD, too.
Be careful if you’re driving a Mustang and the roads are slippery. You’ve got to drive slowly if you’d like to avoid fishtailing.
That’s when your rear wheels spin-out from behind you.
Modern Mustangs have a few features to lessen the likelihood you’ll lose control if snow is on the road.
An antilock brake system prevents your brakes from locking up when you’re stopping.
They’ve put an electronic stability control system in the Mustang as well. This calculates how much power to give to each wheel when you’re driving. If it notices one of them losing grip, it adjusts accordingly.
Electronic traction control also helps you stay in control if the roads are slippery. It pays attention to your braking habits.
If one of the tires starts sliding, it changes which brakes are used.
Switching them can prevent the tires from sliding when you’re trying to stop. It’ll still take longer to slow down if the roads are covered by snow, though.
So, make sure you’re slowing down earlier than usual if there’s snow outside.
How Does Front Wheel Drive Differ From RWD?
Front-wheel-drive is popular in a lot of sedans and midsize cars. This type of drivetrain isn’t as good at delivering power. However, it’s usually better at handling and fuel efficiency.
Most of a car’s weight is in the front since that’s where they’ve put the engine. That’s why an FWD car usually handles better when you’re driving on snowy streets.
Adding weight over the driving axel makes it harder to lose grip on them.
There are two major issues with this type of transmission, though.
You’ll have a tougher time controlling the car if you’re accelerating fast. That’s because the front wheels have to steer and drive at the same time.
The other problem is how fast the front tires wear out if you’re using FWD. They’re put under a lot more stress, so they don’t last as long.
Has Ford Ever Made a Mustang That’s Not RWD?
As we mentioned, all Ford’s Mustang models have been made using an RWD design.
So, you’re not going to find one that’s got AWD or FWD.
So far, they’ve never released one using a different drivetrain. Ford did announce they were thinking about using a different one once. They had plans to release an AWD model back in 1979.
However, they never actually made one of them.
We’ve heard rumors they’re planning to introduce a new one in 2022, though. Supposedly, Ford plans on introducing a new hybrid Mustang that year.
It’s going to have an AWD transmission, and it’ll have wonderful fuel economy as well.
