A transaxle is found most commonly in which drivetrain configuration?

A transaxle is primarily associated with front wheel drive (FWD) configurations. This is because in a FWD drivetrain, the engine and transmission are combined into a single unit and positioned over the front wheels, which simplifies the vehicle's design and improves space utilization in the engine compartment. The transaxle integrates the transmission and driveshaft into one assembly, allowing for efficient power delivery to the front wheels.

In contrast, rear wheel drive (RWD) typically utilizes a separate transmission and driveshaft arrangement that sends power to the rear wheels, while all wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) systems often involve more complex drivetrains that can accommodate power distribution to all wheels but do not usually rely on a transaxle integration. Thus, FWD is the configuration where transaxles are most frequently found.