All an oversized engine does in a RWD car is fishtail the rear end. A good way to leave the road in a random direction, particularly when the surface is wet, snowy, or sandy. When FWD wheels break free because you goose the throttle too much for conditions, be thankful. At least you still have one good, non-sliding wheel, to steer by; RWD will take you past the hydroplane point and then some, explaining why RWD cars are so deadly when the going gets rough.
There are no fundamental disadvantages to FWD. Admittedly, they make for a tighter situation under the hood and do wear out front tires faster, but the pluses outweigh the negatives 10:1.