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I would not even consider a 2wd. Japan is full of awd cars for a reason.

Exactly!!!! If you can afford it go for 4WD it will make your life easier on the few occasions you need it. Never let woman decide a car it will always end in disaster. They choose cars because of c

The maid's cars or the maids themselves?

 

Have just read through this thread and it's an interesting read. Don't need a car yet but miss having one, and always fancied a Subaru back in the UK so will probably end up with a 2nd hand one of them as and when.

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  • 4 weeks later...

So I've put a few hundred kilometres on the new car and I've finally gotten used to driving it. Couple of big changes that are hard to get used to is the whole keyless business, the higher suspension and the traction control. On the plus side it's much more comfortable, feels safer because it's bigger and the gas mileage is amazing. City driving we average 10.9km/L and 15.2km/L on the highway according to the console gauges. In my old car I must have been getting like 5 city and 7 highway! :)

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That's good millage. I can just about get 10k/L on the highway if I am lucky and about half that any where that I am starting and stopping. Mind you it is still way better than my Escudor I used to have, that would be lucky to get more than 7k/L on the motorway!

 

The keyless entry and ignition is great, especially when skiing or when you can't get you your key easily, just push the button and your doors open. No key needed to start the car either, it makes life easier!

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I got a Toyota Wish tubby. The 2014 model is basically a cross between a minivan and a station wagon (it seats 7). I like the keyless too snowdude but when I go surfing a have to take the remote apart coz I can't take it in the ocean with me!

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We got it for 220万 (down from 260万 after hard bargaining from my wife and I). Our mechanic, who is the brother of the Toyota salesman, probably also helped a little ;) The 2WD version was about 20万 cheaper and there was a lower grade that was cheaper as well.

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Our Alphard Hybrid (version 1) gets pretty similar mileage. About 10-11 around inaka and 15 on the highway. That's on studless tyres and the heater going, so maybe a bit more on regulars once I switch them over.

 

Fwiw, some cars sold as 4wd do not actually send power from the engine to all four wheels. They are basically 2wd plus a motor that spins the other wheels depending on what the car's traction or stability control thingy thinks is happening. For car mainly sold as 2wd, the mama cars etc., the 4wd is likely to be this kind of configuration. 4wd hybrids use this kind of system too.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_E-4WD

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I have 2 lekky motors, one for front wheels, one for rear wheels. The engine drives only the front wheels whereas on hard acceleration the rear motors helps too. Running in electric mode, its front wheels only. On slippery surface the computer works out where to distrbute the power.

 

The aircon runs off the battery, not the cams, so while running, the batteries are charged more than it discharges to the electricals.

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Is that what AWD is then, Mr W?

 

I dunno, I don't think so though. Have a look at the wiki link.

 

I just wanted to say that some sold-as-4wd cars aren't actually that different to 2wd. They are 2wd with a bit tacked on. For best 4wd performance (If that matters to you), I guess you're best off with a car that is only sold in 4wd configurations. 4wd only cars will generally get much worse fuel economy though.

 

I dunno if it's true or not but I saw something saying that 4wd cars got a big sales boost in Japan after that 1980s "ski ni tsurete-te" movie. It has some nonsense scenes where they take short cuts through snow covered fields and then the character says "yappari yon-ku da ne!" or some other bollocks that I wish I didn't know about or remember.

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Mr Wiggles is quite right about the 4WD thing.

Many cars that say 4WD are in fact 2WD that locks the back wheels so they drive as well when the front wheels slip.

They dont have dif lock and the front and rear axels drive independantly.

AWD all four wheels drive seperately but are torque controlled by the computer so it will apply more or less power to different wheels depending on how they are slipping or gripping.

True 4WD have dif lock where both the front and rear axels lock together and turn together.

Some cars like mine have both AWD and 4WD lock modes giving it true 4WD performance.

 

For most conditions including reasonably deep snow AWD only is very good because it also gives antislip control too which you dont have on full 4WD mode.

Thats why the latest thing some manufacturers are doing with the big cars is putting both AWD and 4WD lock modes onto cars so you have the best of both.

 

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It's confusing because there is no real standard for how to name the different 4WD systems - companies and especially their PR departments use terms for 4WD systems very loosely - transparent consumer information is not their priority.

 

AWD is basically the same as full time 4WD only it lacks the slow speed torque enhancing low range feature.

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