Really, beating a dead horse here, but tires folks. Tires. Rear wheel drive with snow/winter tires will out-perform even 4x4/awd on all-seasons in every aspect, except, maybe, initial take-off.
.
I disagree that a rear wheel drive with snow tires out-performs a 4wd with all season radials. I drove rear wheel drive work van before with snow tires and it had decent amount of weight in the rear. It still had difficulties negotiating inclines above X amount of grade. It got really old trying to make it up the hill at work and having to back down again and try and getting another running start. I know this is not a fair comparison but even had chains for my mustang when it was a daily driver. Neither were even close to the performance of 4wd.
With my expedition, I can stop at the bottom of a hill and it will climb up with little effort.
Not only do you have all 4 wheels driving you loose the rolling resistance of the front tires having to plow through the snow.
No doubt
tires do make a difference but still think 2wd is not comparable to 4wd. Maybe a 4wd with tires that are in need or replacement vs a well set up rear wheel drive with snow tires.
Of course you hear some stories from 2wd owners that are going places that 4wd's could not even negotiate but I put that right up there with stock hondas claiming they smoke new 5.0 mustangs. You will see 4wd that run off the road, roll over, etc... but that's not usually the fault of the 4wd. It's the person behind the wheel that likely got false confidence due to how well its performing. Just because you can quickly accelerate to say 60mph in the snow does not mean you should!! Just because all 4 wheels are driving in no way means you will not slide off the road or brake any better.
