Winnebago Trend - First Drive Impressions

burlmart wrote:

zptdewda wrote:
I made a test drive of the Trovato yesterday. The sensation of the van leaning was gone. I did not notice until the end of the drive and asked the salesman if this was a result of the front wheel drive and he said yes. In the chevy chassis, and others I am told, I feel like the van is going to turn over, when you make a sharp turn or even on some curved roads.

With a full tank of gas it really leans to the left. I am still something of a newbie so I have been astounded that people went on long trips in such an unstable vehicle and I had given up hope of finding a class B that I did not hate to drive. I did not especially like driving the Airstream Sprinter model/Interstate, either, a few years ago on a test drive. I did not hate it, but...

I really enjoyed driving the Travato. But here I am, the next morning wondering if it was just my imagination, along with exhaustion, after the 3 hour trip to the closest dealership with a Travato.

I mean why would anyone clomp, bump and swerve down the road in the Chevy extended if there is an alternative? The forums are filled with advice on suspensions, airbags and more sophisticated tweaks, in order to make the ride better, for me, bearable. Does anyone know if the FWD is the reason the Travato is a pleasure to drive?

I bet you are right. The most car-like drive/ride we ever had was w/ the FWD Rialta -- like a Lincon Town Car.

The are a whole bunch of factors that go into the driveability of a vehicle. You cannot pin it to one single thing. Suspension design & geometry, tires, CG, etc. FWD won't enter into it by itself but the lack of a drive shaft allows the floor to be lower in the house which can lower the CG which can lessen leaning. A lower driving position cuts down the lateral movement you feel (other factors being equal) as a vehicle leans. You notice I use words like "can" rather than "does". Vehicle dynamics is a complicated thing. Any change has impacts elsewhere.