Quote:
Originally Posted by HachiRo
Someone wrote something before about how they avoided an accident with nimble and quick steering, but isn't that more so traction control keeping the car from spinning out?
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I've been in that situation. It's a combination of all the systems in the car doing what they're supposed to do.
I'll give you an example. Shortly after I got this car, I was driving along in traffic when a big pile of steel chain suddenly appeared in the road directly in front of me. I had to react quickly, but I simply went around it.
The maneuver was similar to the infamous moose test. Below is what happens to a vehicle that
doesn't handle well. No amount of traction control would help this thing.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaYFLb8WMGM"]Jeep Grand Cherokee moose test -- the full story - YouTube[/ame]
These are opposite extremes, but they help to illustrate the differences. Our cars have the lowest center of gravity of any production vehicle. That helps put the force on the tires laterally, so that they continue to grip. The suspension keeps it from rolling, further enhancing grip. And when it cuts loose, it cuts loose in a slide rather than a tumble. Further, our steering is tight and assisted electrically, so that not only do we feel the road better, we can steer with more precision in those critical moments. If I had had to do that move in my Cherokee, I probably would have rolled it or overcorrected and ended up in the median.
Part of your issue is that you're not accustomed to RWD. If it makes you feel any better, I have never owned a FWD vehicle and absolutely hate them when I rent them because they never react the way I expect when put to the test. It comes down to what you're used to. I'd suggest finding a very large parking lot with no cars or light poles in it. Wait until it rains, then go there, turn off traction control and go nuts for a while to get a feel for how the car reacts close to the limit.