ON a FWD- IF you use a rear bag, as it fills, weight comes off the front wheels and you lose traction. Especially going uphill on damp/wet grass.
Reversing direction is easier.

Traction advantage to rear wheel drive.

Manuevering advantage to front wheel drive: To stop forward movement, push down on handle to lift front wheels off the ground; from this position, you can easily turn or back up.

'Manuevering advantage to front wheel drive'

No. There is no advantage except cost in a FWD mower, and you pay much more than the difference over a couple of years in downtime, parts and aggravation.
I really don't get how people have that idea about the FWD being easier to maneuver than RWD. Approaching a turn-around, you let go of the bail, which disconnects the drive. At the same time you push down on the handle to raise the front wheels and you pivot. As the mower lands on the ground, you just squeeze the drive bail to drive off down the new row. It is actually the exact same procedure as with the FWD, except on the FWD you don't have to let go of the drive bail.
And for this you would suffer with an inferior product plus pay to replace it before its time after you get tired of replacing belts, wheels and axles?

I used a FWD Toro for several years then replaced it with a RWD Toro. The FWD system can certainly be used to mow a lawn. It works best on relatively flat surfaces and you will definitely have to push some to get it up hills. The RWD design will provide much better traction on hills simply because there is more weight on the wheels and they spin much less. It will take little if any effort to get it up a hill. Both designs can be maneuvered equally well.

As Saxman notes the primary benefit of FWD mowers is lower purchase price.