I read a post in another thread about trucks being superior winter vehicles and it made me wonder about that. In my observations, there is nothing worse in the winter than a 2WD pick up. Here's what I think:
(Assuming all equipped with proper winter tires)
Pickups - 4X4 - They're not bad. Pretty good at getting away from lights or up grades. I still smoke them easily with the Forester or the Highlander. If the road gets bendy, then the high center of gravity and poor weight distribution hurts. Also, many of the 4X4 systems have limited use as they're not deigned for variable road conditions.
SUVs - AWD - Let's think about the Pilot, Highlander, and that crowd here. AWD systems are all over the map from a lockable slip/grip in the pilot to a full time system in the Highlander (though the 2014- HL's are now slip/grip) and the torque vectoring systems in the MDX and Tribeca and Outback. Outback? I'm not sure where that thing fits, so I'll put it here. One downfall I've found of the Highlander is that it's still pretty top heavy, and the fairy high curb weight contributes to longer braking distances. That said, it's a pretty capable winter vehicle. The full time AWD adds a lot both in a straight line and in the bends. My personal opinion is the lower center of gravity Outback with the H-6 and amazing VTD-AWD is one of the best winter vehicles, but the SUV crowd has some strong contenders. I would take most SUVs ahead of a pick up.
CUVs - AWD - Forester, RAV, CRV, etc, etc. Again, there are a range of AWD systems here, but generally speaking the CUV crowd (in AWD trim) are pretty capable winter vehicles. The slip/grip systems are getting more proactive with the RAVs now engaging in some instances without slip being detected (cornering, accelerating, etc) The CUVs tend to have lighter weights and lower cgs than the SUVs and handle better. Their shorter wheelbases make them more fun to drive. That said, highway stability of the SUVs is great.
Cars - AWD - There are a growing number of AWD cars being sold. Lots of luxury cars are now available with AWD and some family sedans (eg Fusion) as well. Subaru has number of cars that are AWD equipped. The luxury cars tend to have some pretty sophisticated AWD systems and are surprisingly capable in the winter. They're good handling cars in the dry, and in the snow too. They tend to have good weight distribution and low cg which means they're great when the road gets bendy. The only reason I don't own an AWD sedan is the lack of cargo space and the minimal ground clearance which is an issue in some places I frequent. Cars like the IS350 AWD can be driven surprisingly fast on snow covered roads when equipped with the right tires.
I've driven some of the last three categories that can handily walk away from a 4X4 pick up on a winter road (not off-roading) and without needing the bed of a pick up, no way I'd automatically shop a truck for it's winter ability. For a pure urban environment, many of the AWD sedans are wickedly capable in the snow, and most of the SUV/CUV group are also superb. They add cargo capacity and ground clearance (again, generally speaking, there are exceptions)
