How to Drive a Rear Wheel Drive Car - What You Need to Know

Driving a rear wheel drive car safely, quickly and in the smoothest way possible is an art form that some say is the most satisfying you can have whilst driving. I absolutely adore FWD hot hatches, but there is something special about a classic rear wheel drive sports car.
You can have so much fun with oversteer that FWD hot hatches with their crazy understeer just can't quite match.

Driving a RWD car is all about being progressive, smooth and thoughtful about when you open up the throttle. Get it right and it is such a rewarding experience, get it wrong and you can be facing the wrong way at some very inopportune moments.

You shouldn't be scared of RWD cars however, as they truly are a fantastic experience to those wishing to learn how to use them properly!

Outro Song: Pantherium - Insanity
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Useful Items for Your Car! (Affiliate links below, I get a cut, and it supports the channel!)
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[jeremytd]

I’ve been driving manual FWD cars for years and though I’m worried, I am strongly considering a manual RWD car. This video is helping me decide to go for it.

[stellas]

I only watched this after I spun out in my RWD, should have looked this up before, haha.

[BringIt]

Just gotta drive smoothly👍 unless you want to slide, that's the best part of having a RWD car 😁 Great video, glad to see you back!

[videomaniac]

Nice video, thanks. I have a 370Z sport coupe 6MT with the Synchro Rev Match feature. After playing with it initially, I went back to my heel and toe routine for braking and rev matching. I do the heel and toe without even thinking about it and I'm usually able to do it pretty smoothly, something that's very satisfying.

[MrScootmcg]

If in doubt slow in fast out, rinse and repeat.

[vksvikas]

Love RWD cars. All my cars have been RWD, 2006 mazda mx5 auto, 2009 mazda mx5 auto, 2003 mazda rx8 manual, 2015 Subaru BRZ manual. So much fun to drive on a rainy day :-D

[cheshire_skatkat]

Ok I bought a RWD Dodge Challenger. Drove it for the first time in rain. Scariest experience of my life! Now I know it was likely because I have low profile tires but man alive! I couldn't go faster than 45. It felt so slippery and Shakey.

[atlasblue]

I am driving since over one year. Used to drive a FWD 125hp car as my daily, now thinking of buying a RWD BMW. I think you are right with understeering a FWD, once experienced that and its scary since you can pretty much only wait until you come to a stop.

[connornixon]

Thanks for this video! Moving to my first RWD car. Been put off by a few people but this video has helped and is super detailed 😁

[Wlifeend]

I went from a Panamera Turbo to an F type S (400 special edition). So from AWD to RWD and I almost planted my car against a tree today. I have had many cars with lots of horsepower, but all were AWD. I can honestly say I am scared of my car, and love it at the same time.

[vally]

Just be smooth, even when i started sliding on accident i was smooth and relaxed> you freak out then your car freaks out

[cssmja]

This was helpful as I’ve driven manual front wheel drives for over 15 years. But...Just bought my first rear wheel drive Mustang and can’t for the life of me figure out ‘wtf’ lol.

I’ve driven pickups, but that for landscape projects at home, fishing, etc...But as a daily? I’ve been completely lost and why I’ve been unable to control my new ride like I’ve been able to do the last 15 years.

I KNEW something was up, and so you’re video should help.

[thomasburns]

I progressed from hot FWD cars (GTi 2x, Acura CL Type S) to hot AWD cars (Audi S4) and now continue my drivers journey with hot a RWD car (340i MPPSK) so I appreciate learning some of the dynamics. I’ve left traction on initially while I learned the car (and once or twice it pulled me back from a hairy choice) but now that I’ve got a little more time with it (7k miles) I’m graduating to sometimes going Sport + (dulled traction control) and seeing what the car does, when and why. I do love it and I have to say aside from the crazy AWD launches this is the superior platform in all respects. It’s just so fun and feels so much more related to my inputs as a driver. FWD you just go to to the limit and understeer sets in, beat you can do is slow down (not what a driver wants to do when having fun) or if it’s a well balanced car you can induce a second of oversteer with throttle off, but it’s more to correct over cooking entry speed. AWD is fun, but even with true Quattro and the sports differential sending more to read the car never felt like I could rely on it to bring the back around in a corner. More so those elements at best were helping compensate for a nose that was trying very hard to how wide (understeer) and so to be fast it was usually brake in, accelerate out using the grip to get on it earlier. RWD on the third hand is like a dance. My 340i has a staggered setup so it’s actually more inclined to understeer initially. But with RWD once you find that edge you can gently use the throttle to dial the understeer back to neutral. And once you know where that is going to happen to you get there a fraction of a second early and actually hit the line perfectly. I’m not quite that good yet but I see the possibility. It also lets you get a smile here and there from tighter corners or over 90* because you can give it a small stab and tuck things around quickly. Not fast probably, but damn fun.

Thanks for the video, I have some more things to chew on when pushing.

[kingzubrowka]

Great Video. Very helpful. Being driving a front wheel drive car, really want a rear wheel drive car now. But I want to drive it fast, but safe. I don't want my pride and joy in a hedge.

[RebarLad]

What you were talking about being rough with the clutch and causing the wheels to slow down is also a technique is drifting. Locking the wheels will do the trick, but if you stay in, say third gear, and mid corner you push down the throttle and dip the clutch real quick then let it out fast but smoothly, the engine will speed up and cause the rear wheels to start spinning and will create oversteer. The name is called clutch kicking!

[bradyobrien]

I've owned lots of FWD VW's and AWD Audi's. The only RWD car I've owned was an E46 325ci. Just got a 472hp Lexus IS500 and found this video looking for some lessons. Thanks for the video!

[lLukeSkyscraper]

A quick tips for those out there and for me too: make pushups and bars and the steer will feel 100% more responsive. Thank me later 😉

[CosmoIsHim]

I love your explanations!! Thanks for putting in extra effort to get people like me to understand cars more !!! (I’m not very educated on cars lol)

[theleastofpilgrims]

I’ve been driving rear wheel drive cars for most of my time driving, since the first car I ever owned, and continue to own, is a 2007 Dodge Charger, although I learned to drive on front wheel drive cars, and there are some slight differences; I personally prefer the rear wheel drive feeling except when it comes to powering through curves, where front wheel drive cars naturally have an advantage.

[vallannt]

Nice vid, also really classy t-shirt you got there. Keep it up.