Which Front-Wheel-Drive Car Should Be Rear-Wheel Drive?
I love a well-tuned and set-up front-wheel drive car, don't get me wrong, but I can never escape the feeling that even the best FWD car would be better if it were rear-wheel drive. I pay no attention to the dorks online who say that some cars are actually better as FWD than another driveline configuration. It's just not true, big dog, and I won't hear an argument to the contrary. Anyway, this thought is what led me to today's question.
I want to know what front-wheel-drive car would actually be better if it were rear-wheel drive. Obviously, the answer is all of them, but I want to know which one you think would benefit the most from being rear-wheel drive. Sure, there are tons of performance front-wheel drive cars to choose from, but you could go the other way and choose an economy-focused front-wheel drive car. Keep in mind, for this thought experiment, nothing else changes — the price, the performance metrics, the fuel economy. Nothing. The only difference is going to be the drive wheels and the sort of feeling the car delivers. Oh, and you can choose a car from the past that is no longer on sale, as well; I'm not going to be picky.
My choice
I know a lot of you will jump to performance cars like the aforementioned Integra Type S, the Civic Type R or maybe the Mini Cooper JCW, but I want to turn you on to something a little bit different: the Toyota Prius Prime. I know, I know, it's a little bit off the wall, but the Prius Prime is an amazing car already. Just think about how much more amazing it would be if it had rear-wheel drive rather than front-wheel drive.
Picture a sub-$40,000 hatchback that makes 220 horsepower, returning over 50 miles per gallon, and you could also plug in for over 40 miles of all-electric driving range? Buddy, that's just about the best vehicle on sale today. The FWD car already does burnouts, so the RWD version certainly would, as well. If I had but one wish, it would be for Toyota to build this deliriously silly vehicle. It never will, for a litany of practical reasons, but it's fun to imagine, isn't it?
Anyway, that's enough for me. How about you head on down below and let your fellow Jalops know what front-wheel-drive car would be better if it had rear-wheel drive. As always, bonus points will be awarded to those who explain their answer, and "none of them" is not a valid response.