Realistic expectations from 4WD?

[JC_ez]

Some vehicles have 2WD some have 4WD or AWD, but ALL vehicles have 4-wheel-brake.

4WD and AWD will yield better traction and control upon acceleration and will get you through places a 2WD vehicle might get stuck, but it has nothing to do with your braking capability.

ABS gives you steering capability during braking in exchange for a longer braking distance on snow.

 

[lexwoody]

4WD are not AWD. They are different. If u more in racing then AWD is the best system.

 

[jwyshrek]

As you may have heard...power is nothing without control.

Lots of good advice here, but I would add my 2 cents to the tires...it is your first and last point of control.

From all the tech articles I've read and from first hand experience...and 2wd vehicle in snow/ice with a dedicated set of snow rated tires will outperform a 4wd/awd vehicle with just regular all season tires.

Also, the AT20 are just fine for regular street driving and rain, but for snow/ice...go with something else...speaking from experience having driven through two snow storms in the Lake Tahoe area (which strangely enough, I'll miss having moved back to the South).

I would also recommend...in a safe area and manner...to become familiar with your vehicle...driving dynamics, control systems and general quirks. That way, there are less surprises later...

 

[diego]

I'll just add my little IMHO regarding one comment above about VSC ...

DON'T take steps to disable your VSC. While I won't outright say certain others on here posting that they do this are wrong ... I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the VSC system is 99.8% better than you are at handling an emergency "out of control" skid.

So ... while others on here may very well be Mario Andretti in cognito .. and have 50 years of race car driving at Indy .. for us mere mortals ... let the VSC and ABS do the work that the engineers intended.

There is a reason that experts are saying the VSC system (or whatever X manufacturer calls "stability control" on their cars/trucks) is the most important safety invention since the seat belt.

 

[G.I.G.]

As my high school auto shop teacher used to say...."It is 4-wheel drive , not 4-wheel stop!" :

The biggest advantage to 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive is not getting stuck and getting moving with less wheel slippage. There really isn't much of an advantage having a 4-wheel drive when it comes to cornering and braking in snow, which is the most important part of driving....stopping.