Front-wheel-drive layouts are those in which the front wheels of the vehicle are driven.

The most
popular layout used in cars today is the front-engine, front-wheel drive, with the engine in front
of the front axle, driving the front wheels. This layout is typically chosen for its compact
packaging; since the engine and driven wheels are on the same side of the vehicle, there is no
need for a central tunnel through the passenger compartment to accommodate a prop-shaft
between the engine and the driven wheels.
As the steered wheels are also the driven wheels, FF (front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout) cars
are generally considered superior to FR (front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout) cars in conditions
such as snow, mud, or wet tarmac. The weight of the engine over the driven wheels also
improves grip in such conditions. However, powerful cars rarely use the FF layout because
weight transference under acceleration reduces the weight on the front wheels and reduces their
traction, limiting the torque which can be utilized. Electronic traction control can avoid
wheelspin but largely negates the benefit of extra torque/power.
A transverse engine (also known as "east-west") is commonly used in FF designs, in contrast to
FR which uses a longitudinal engine. The FF layout also restricts the size of the engine that can
be placed in modern engine compartments, as FF configurations usually have Inline-4 and V6
engines, while longer engines such as Inline-6 and 90 V8 will rarely fit. This is another reason
luxury/sports cars avoid the FF layout. Exceptions do exist, such as the Volvo S80 (FWD/4WD)
which uses transversely mounted inline 6 and V8 engines, and the Ford Taurus SHO, available
with a 60 V8 and front-wheel drive.