I live in Utah where we regularly get snow measuring feet deep. Driving up the canyon to go skiing, or doing anything in the state during winter or in all the wilderness, it is required by law to have 4WD.
All over the west there are roads that are impassable without 4WD. I use it all the time.
The parent and other people commenting about trashing 4WD systems are from Europe. I'm not sure if there are as many remote places in Europe anymore especially compared to Utah.
I go trout fishing a lot in North Georgia and many places I go would be accessible in a small fwd car. In fact if people saw you driving an incapable vehicle they would stop and warm you about proceeding further.
Try Norway for size. I live in a rural area and the everyday car is a Land Cruiser - in summer, just about anything goes - but come winter, and big, studded tyres, low range and diff locks all over (well, center and rear in my case) are what gets you from A to B and back.
Anecdotal evidence makes me claim that electronic traction control systems are excellent, but still no match for good ol' manual systems - probably in part because the automagic systems are easily taken for granted, making drivers forget what icy conditions are like - and using the electronic systems to drive faster, not safer.
Odd, here in Washington, 4WD/AWD get exemptionss[0]. However, my dad, who drives a 4WD, bought chains because he was told 4WD do not get an exemption, so there seems to be some confusion. The WSDOT site clearly says both are exempt though.
I live in Utah where we regularly get snow measuring feet deep. Driving up the canyon to go skiing, or doing anything in the state during winter or in all the wilderness, it is required by law to have 4WD.
All over the west there are roads that are impassable without 4WD. I use it all the time.