One little item missed in this discussion is the problems you can have with FWD and a turbo or powerful engine. The torque effect on steering can be downright dangerous if the turbo starts in a curve. Both my Saab 9-3 and Volvo C70 are prone to this problem. The Saab is worse than the Volvo I guess becasue it is lighter and has a manual transmission. The Saab can get really scary if you try to start fast while turning in an intersection and the turbo cuts in while in first or second gear. Can give you quite a thrill.

RWD cars are much easier to handle when high horsepower is available.

As has been said, RWD is great, for experienced drivers (or at least drivers who're willing to try and pay attention to what the car is doing). FWD basically exists to save gas, and combat natural selection

FWD is a crime against contact patches. If RWD is good enough for the track, it's good enough for the street. AWD is wonderful, unless it's one of the modern hodgepodge contraptions that decides for itself which end it wants to drive with. Pardon me, but I'll control the car, not vice-versa.

this is very true - my fathers previous vehicle as 1996 Grand Cherokee Laredo - it has permanent AWD - in case, you will come to a slide, all you have to do was to push the gas - a bit acceleration will help you out.
on current 1999 Grand Cherokee Limited (the newer model - Series II) it is not that easy - it seems like the RWD comes on only under certain circumstances.. So it handles most time like FWD and RWD comes on anytime, anywhere - more unstable to drive...

And that is the "progress"...

this one is good

And you know how to recognize understeer from oversteer? When you see the tree that you will hit, it is understeer; when you hear it, it is oversteer

RWD is fun, FWD is perfect for inexperienced drivers, and AWD is safe if you know how to use it.

I've never had a RWD for a daily driver. I'd like to though. The closest to a RWD daily driver I've driven was our old Aerostar. I don't recall ever spinning it out when it snowed.

Most of the FWD cars I've driven always understeered. I've heard it's suppose to be safer for a person who is inexperienced because it is less likely to spin out and cause worse damage.

I've never driven an AWD vehicle so I can't give an opinon about those.

Well, I see the functionality of FWD because it carries the engine. And, AWD is functional because it is well, all wheel drive. You get the most traction with it. Ahh, the real reason I like AWD and FWD best is because those were the 2 Tempo drives.

well my 940 behaves on icy/frosty road pretty neutral - maybe it is also because I have about 70 more kg in the trunk (LPG-tank). But with 760 it was almost impossible to move (it was automatic transmission..) The true fact is, that for normal driving during the winter FWD is better - climbs better to hills (but I did not have problems with my either.) - well car from Sweden probably must drive on icy roads well

The truth probally lies somewhere in the middle

It is just I was once in a very sticky situation in a Sierra 2.3D on a dirt road in winter conditions...I sometimes barely ccould keep it up the road, and at one time I got stuck... (I probally would have gotten stuck with a FWD too...)

I would like to trie out a Volvo 240 however sometime again, I once drove one, but only a very short track...