the point is it doesnt matter if its 15 wheel drive if all the wheels are spinning due to no grip, you still slide and crash.

some people think "its a rally car innit bruv".................but rally cars dont use summer tyres on snow

2wd on winter tyres is a far better combo than an awd car on summer tyres

 

If that was entirely correct why do manufacturers like landrover etc bother installing 4wd systems ? Surely the r and d money would be better spent on tyre technology ?

So many factors overlooked by thinking its all about the tyres - ive done a lot of offroad events and training including in the snow in some abnormal terrain and you certainly dont see 2wd vehicles with good tyres getting anywhere

 

It depends how you define 4x4, Subaru's have three proper differentials - all basically "Open"

One on each axle and one, the centre diff, connecting the two - same as Range rovers, disco,s Landcruisers, shoguns, Audi Quattro (Torsen diffs)

Under normal conditions powers is sent to all 4 wheels, each getting 25% of the available torque (although when one spins, it will get all the torque)

So yes they are 4x4 - but also (with one wheel losing traction) 1 wheel drive

If you are talking about all 4 wheels being getting 25% with locked diffs, fine but no car has that as it would make it undrivable

I have the ability it to lock all of the 3 "open" differentials on my Toyota Landcruiser and you can't really drive it on Tarmac

 

Sure, I don't really disagree, my point is that video (which was very interesting) is not a fair comparison to a 4x4 Subaru

With the same tyres a 4x4 will always outperform a 2 Wheel drive - but as you say a 2 wheel drive with the absolute correct tyres for the conditions will match or surpass a 4 wheel drive

I realised this when on safari in a 2 wheel drive van fitted with brilliant tyres, got in and out of places a 4x4 would struggle

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ShJZnH3flQ

 

Driving in the snow....

2WD with incorrect tyres = very ****
AWD with incorrect tyres = pretty ****
2WD with correct tyres = pretty good
AWD with correct tyres = very good.

Think thats pretty much it.

In summary, it doesn't matter a **** what car, van, lorry or whatever else you drive, if it's fitted with summer tyres then it will be pretty terrible in the snow.

 

exactly and you get the added fun of oversteer and understeer with awd and summer tyres on ice so twice the possibility of crashing.

 

And that probably explains why so many Summer tyre'd 4x4 have accidents when driving in very snowy/icey conditions

They think somehow the higher number of driven wheels overcomes simple physics

 

Because on the right tyres a 4wd will be able to go where a 2wd can't.

My point is the marketing people sell you 4wd as the ultimate get out of jail card and it isn't if the tyres are wrong for the conditions.

At the end of the day on snow/ice I would choose FWD with quality winter tyres over AWD with standard tyres every time!

The only time I have ever driven up the 1 in 4 to my house on snow/ice was in the FWD Volvo with winters. Lived here 20 plus years and tried many times in the Scoobs with standard tyres, but never got up!

That's all I need to know!

 

This ^^^^^^

 

Yup defo ,, you hit the nail on the head ,, 4x4 with winter tyres will be better in snow and ice then one on summers ,, but not infallible and theres an awful lot of other variables that come into play

When i was younger and the snow had come down i just used to go out and buy a cheap l series or legacy estate out the local paper to get around in ,,, never got stuck and none had winter tyres

Have also witnessed well equipped 4x4s with good quality and condition winter tyres on start sliding down a hill when parked up with handbrake on and no one inside - cue hurried panicking drivers returning to trucks

These guys used their drive to reverse out the situation when obviously the tyres were more then struggling with the conditions

A lot to be said for snow socks as well on sheet ice

Like i say though was more looking for feedback from people on this years experiences on the roads and or pictures in the snow as theres already a pretty thorough winter vs summer tyres debate going on