I looked up some data and found it hard to find anything conclusive (especially from auto tire wear sources, half of which relate it to weight distribution and the other half to powered losses), but one rider of front-wheel drive recumbents mentioned getting flat spots on his front, so I will admit that I could be wrong on the tire wear issue, although my 2002 GMC truck belies that (especially since the wear is even and not just edges.) However, I have no problem admitting when I am wrong about something.

The rest of it stands. It's the onus of those who contradict it to prove me wrong.