But what about winter driving? Isn’t 4WD safer on snow and ice?
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No, it isn’t. The sole advantage of 4WD is, when paired with suitable tires, an increased ability to extricate the vehicle from low-traction situations. This means an improved ability to get moving in mud, slush, snow, and similar wet/dry situations. 4WD will not help you stop any sooner than 2WD in a vehicle matched by road conditions, speed, mass, tire size and tread, and brake quality. Every 4-wheeled vehicle on the road already has 4-wheel braking, and ABS will already do more to stop you than you ever could. Similarly, 4WD will not help you steer; every 4-wheeled vehicle already has 2-wheel steering, and ESC will do more to keep you heading in your intended direction than anything you could ever imagine; that’s what makes it life-saving technology.
