Definitely go for the X if your alternative is a FWD car. It must be the law that once you get some significant HP in a FWD car, torque steer is unavoidable. I test drove both the G35 and the TL and my jaw dropped at the torque steer in the TL.

 

Hmm
i guess it really depends on the way you drive, if you are careful enough, a RWD g35 with traction control should be good enough in winter and winter tires are only a plus. Yet, as far as i know the AWD system did save alot of ppl from trouble, and especially in winter driving. So if you want a more safe ride, go for the X, but if you want more performance in the summer, go for the RWD.

just my 2cents
Good luck

 

If you are really worried about winter driving on the RWD, just pick up a set of blizzaks. Mounted, blanced, and shipped to your door is about 1000 bucks depending on the rims you select. It makes a big difference and makes the winters easier to take. I live near the boston area and we got about 8 feet of snow this year so I got the x. My last car had a set of summer only and winter only tires. The performance was awsome in the summer, but in the winter when the road were clear you had to be acreful how you drive. The snows do not have the same profile and they can only handle about 100 mph

But hell before 1980 most cars were RWD. We just put on a pair of snow tires in the winter.

 

You are correct. I rented one in Indy from Hertz but they had to ship it up to the north side from the Airport. They only keep them there.

You may feel better with a FWD car, but you won't drive any better. I live in Fishers and drive all over Indiana, KY and Michigan. I have a RWD with good all season tires. I have not had a problem.

RWD with VDC, Traction Control and brake assist is better than 90% of the FWD cars on the road. Why? FWD cars are better for accelerating - but that is it. On a FWD car the front tires are responsible for all traction when turning and accelerating. If you have driven a FWD car in the snow you are familiar with the loss of traction when cornering. It happens during acceleration AND braking. The front tires lose traction and the nose of the car just barrels straight ahead. You have no ability to stop or turn. That almost never happens in my RWD G.

It takes longer to get started some times and the slip light comes on, but you are in control. I would love Snow tires but they are a hassle and so far my Toyo TPT all seasons are very good.

Before I bought my RWD I had exactly the same concerns you did. So at the salesman’s urging I waited until we had a snow storm one day. 3 inches on the ground and a steady snow in-process. I went to Dreyer and Reinbold and drove a RWD with sport and summer tires, RWD with all season tires and an X – back to back over the same path through neighborhoods, along 465 and up and down Meridian and Keystone Ave.

- The RWD with summer tires was awful. The tires are so slick that I was slipping all over the place. You would have to have a set of snows on from Nov. to April IMHO.

- The RWD with all seasons was better than my Saab 9-5 FWD with all seasons. It tracked straighter and slowed in a much more stable manner. When the FWD tires spun during acceleration - it was like an exaggerated case of torque steer. The nose just slid around. And a Saab is about as good as you can get in the snow with FWD. The G wouldn’t slide out from behind me and I had better control. I was amazed and convinced. It was a little slower taking off from a stop, but hills were no problem and I was ALWAYS under control. I was shocked – trust me.

- The X was better. My only complaint was a little bit of drifting when turning and accelerating. The RWD would have just shut down and slowed me. The X drifted a little as all 4 tires would slip at once. Otherwise, the X was the best car I have driven in the snow. Much better than my wife’s Audi A6 (1999 with no VDC) because it will drift and the tail will swing out. If it snowed everyday I would have an X.

So it is up to you. I decided on the RWD for several reasons:

1) I figured I would really benefit from the AWD about 30 days per year for snow or very heavy rain. (less than 10% of the time)
2) The AWD was really only a bit better than the RWD and both were better than FWD IMO. (I’m sure FWD with Snows would be better). The RWD was more than capable as others have said.
3) The additional cost of AWD up front plus lower gas mileage and the added weight/lower performance just wasn’t worth it to me. Granted the AWD isn’t much different driving day-to-day then the RWD, but I could definitely feel a difference.

So, my advice, get the RWD unless you are not going to be comfortable with it in your head. I struggled with the decision myself but after personally proving it to myself, I am very, very happy with the RWD and all seasons. Maybe I will try snows some day but good all seasons seem to be fine.

I will say that my 235/50/17 Toyo’s (from Tim at TireBarn Castleton) are much better than the Turanza EL42’s. I get much better dry, wet and snow traction. Sell the Turanza’s on eBay and buy Toyo’s, Avon’s or Pilot Sport A/S. I hate to recommend ditching the OEM tires but it’s worth it. Not that the Turanza’s aren’t usable – they are. But the wider, better gripping all seasons are much better on the car - every day. You don't have to do this, but I think it would be worth it.

So, that’s my 10 cents from a fellow Hoosier.

Go IU

 

A couple of things... the midwest gets the snow in boatloads, no doubt, but is relatively flat, so a good driver can do fine on RWD and snow tires etc. Out west where we have some contour (read: hills/mountains) and where the snow is infrequent, patchy, melts quickly but freezes overnight into "black ice", AWD is definitely superior.

 

I would helllllla buy the AWD if it came in a 6 speed !! damn would be awesome !!