Saab owners know this, but the rest of the world may not.

Those old Saab 900s were beasts in brutal weather. I used to commute 90 miles a day round-trip in Vermont in one that looked a bit like this.

When my father (in Nova Scotia) got himself a newish Honda Accord back in the early 80s one winter, he asked me to check it out and see what tyres he needed. Having successfully negociated the driveway up to my grandfather's farm, in fairly heavy snow, I told him not to bother changing from the Michelins (I think they were summer tyres, not all-seasons). He had no problems, except for the usual slippery uphill drags that had to be done in reverse.

But that's FWD vs. RWD. The only 2wd car I've known that could come close to 4wd for going anywhere in any conditions is the old VW Beetle. For our neighbours in Quebec, many moons ago, it was the only non-4wd that could get up to their house. You also didn't have to worry about antifreeze, block-heaters, starting problems, etc. It just went! My wife has one now, and in the recent snowy weather in the UK I took it out in preference to my modern (FWD) Renault.

I had a '67 VW Bug with snow tires and when it snowed heavy I put chains on the back and would bet people I could either push them up the hill or pull them out of the ditch...made a lot of money that way!

In California's Donner Pass, when it is snowing, there is a light flashing, if you do not have 4WD you have to pull to the side to chain up, I'm not sure if all vehicles will even be allowed if they are chained up.

I pulled up with my 2006 Jeep Grand Chrokee with full-time 4WD with the chains in the back seat, stopped and was waved right on thru, I only had one guy in a Chevy Travelall or similar full-size come close to me, and I just blew him off. I had the standard tires on. I had also been across southern Canada with this Jeep a couple times, including up to Chicoutimi on paved road in March and up to Gillam in the rain on a limestone gravel road-bottomed out once at the bottom of a hill, up the mountains to/from Denver from both directions in snow storms, was uncomfortable when in a sudden blizzard at night east of Reno with 3 foot diameter tumble weeds appearing about two foot from the Jeep, got passed by a semi so I followed tail lights. I was driving about 75,000 miles a year.

I have a Ford Focus, that if icy won't move off the spot, but when travling I only got stuck once, in a motel parking lot in about 6 to 8 inches of slush slippery snow, I got the last room. Now I run Bridgestone Blizzaks on the Focus, I understand future models will have traction control, mine has 225,000 miles so I'm ready for something new, although I did just put on a new pair of front tires for winter and usually get 60,000 miles+ with year-round use.

My wife used to work at a ski area and she'd drive her 1969 VW beetle through conditions 4WD SUV's got stuck in. She had studded tires.

1980 Honda Accord with the 2-speed semi automatic. 2nd year for the "big" engine, last year for the 2-speed. Solid at 80 in 6 inches of wet snow and slush. Also 2 ft of drifted.snow

1971 Volvo 145 (wagon) with Goodyear F32's and 800# in the rear foot wells, and over the rear axle. Could go through 1/4 mi stretches of 2 ft drifted in plow cuts.

Any full size american car from ~65 to ~75 with GOOD snow tires (Michelin M+S or Goodyear F32 were good in the 70's) and enough weight, properly distributed. You want the weight distributed to stop straight as you approach and pass into lockup, yet not understeer in a curve. It may take up to a thousand pounds, though typically closer to 500. Add the weight in the rear footwells first, then at the front of the trunk.

It also takes a lot horsepower to go fast in heavy snow.

Disclaimer: I lived in rural western Illinois in the 70's and 80's, when "winters were winters". Do not drive beyond your, or your equipment's abilities, these escapades were on deserted rural limited access roads.

I had a '71 145 as well. I could go uphill in heavy snow while most others were slidding off to the sides and or going backward. Even when I had to stop I could get going again. I did have snows on the back during some of the 6 years I drove that car but not always. I never got stuck. I also used to drive it offroad and though light woods. The car was unstoppable. Not a lot of power but unstopable non the less.

On a trip to Germany in December we were issued with a KIA CEED 1.4 hire car, (Avis) This was the only one with winter tyres and we set off onto the A3 Autobahn full of rush hour Frankfurt traffic in a blizzard. After 120km of driving in heavy snow we reached our destination safely. The final 2km was up a 1:6 hill with 4 hairpin bends so no chance of getting a run at the slopes. To my surprise the engine revs dropped to about 1,000 and ignored my foot on the accelerator. At first I thought the engine would stall but the car kept on climbing with hardly any wheel slippage even though we were on hard packed snow/ice. The handbook was in German so I couldn't work out what this control system was but think it is called ESP.

So, if you want to go places in Winter make sure you have Winter tyres and have ESP switched ON. Incidently I have found that all the snow chains and Winter tyres in the world won't help if the snow is too deep. The snow builds up under the car and lifts the wheels off the road so you have no grip and come to a stop. Digging the packed snow out from under the car is b****y hard work so don't go there!

It was the combination of ESP and TCS ... Have a Hyundai Sonata with the ESP/TCS ... Bosch came up with it.

Just like you said ... you can basically mash the throttle and it makes up its own mind what it's gonna do in the slippery stuff. Uncannily eerie wasn't it? Like you, I thought I broke something the first time I experienced it.

ESP Stability Control uses speed sensors on each wheel, a rotation sensor and steering angle sensor to check whether the car is travelling on its intended course. The moment it detects that the vehicle is not travelling in the direction intended, it manipulates engine power, brake pressure applied to each individual wheel and reduces power steering. TCS Traction Control System ensures you get power when you need it – while preventing wheelspin. Basically, in combination, it stops wheel spin & keeps the rear end planted. From my experience it works quite well.

On newer models, ESP is called EBD electronic brake-force distribution. The engineers must have won the battle over marketing, or they thought ESP was a bit to braggy.

My postal carrier has a 1979 Volkswagen type 183 FCV ... I'm told it can drive up one side of a snow-covered tree ... then back down the other side and stop on the way down :o). It looks like a Wiley's that mated with a VW thing. He says it is actually an Audi that VW branded. He also claims he is 39 and has great grand kids. So take that for what it is worth. But I looked up the type 183, and sure enough, I saw one stopped on a tree ... but Santa was driving it.

I am surprised no one mentioned the Chevy Corvair made from 60-69, air-cooled rear-engine, RWD. Those cars were known to go thru almost any reasonable snow. The hard-core guys put a 100-200lb in front trunk and snow tires all around. Up hills, down hills, etc. The only other car that really sued to "go in the snow" back when was the early Saabs, like the one pictured and earlier, like 3 cyl 93s, etc.

BBRT

I had a 1960 Ford 4-door with studded tires in rear and good tires on front. I could go down the highway when ice covered, semi-trucks in the ditch on my side facing me, but come to the intersection and couldn't slow, I slid straight thru, backed up and turned. My cousin and her husband were coming up the highway in there milk truck.

At 3:30am before the plows were out, I came to a 1oo foot+ long drift about 1-1/2 to 2 foot deep, it was in a little town under the lights so I saw it a block in advance and was doing close to 50 when I hit it and went right over it, I knew I'd either be on somebodys lawn or continuing on my way to work. I got to work OK.

But with rear wheel drive don't drop a front tire off the pavement as you will go straight into the ditch, been there too. I didn't carry any rear-end weight then or I am have gone in deeper.

I also had a 1958 VW beetle and had a great time passing everything in sight, I drove from Great Lakes IL to Milwaukee on I-94 about 60 miles one winter day, the road was glare ice and a crosswind, when I crossed an over pass I changed lanes. Quite the ride. One of very few cars on the roads that day. I always disliked the snowplow ridges when passing other cars with the bug.

Pretty much any car can be good in bad weather IF you know what you are doing.

Recently we have had just about the worst winter weather in Scotland in living memory and I had no problems whatsoever throughout despite having a 1000 mile round trip to do.

Drive carefully, keep your car in good order and take things easy.

FWD provides good traction for starting, but has no advantage over any other configuration for stopping.

Same for AWD, but it may have a slight advantage in cornering.

RWD, if the driver is skilled, corners better and gets out of skids better, especially with a manual transmission, but without extra weight on the rear wheels, is not good for starting.

its no great secret, cars that perform well in loose surface rally conditions perform the same in snow, however put them on a steep hill with no run up, and the four wheel drive will crush them like a bug.

What Cars Are Unexpectedly Good In the Snow?

The ones driven by people grew up where it snows and thus learned to properly drive in it.

I had a 1984 Mercury Topaz that went places that a few big 4WD pickups had gotten stuck in. That does not mean a little front wheel drive four door was better in snow than those big pickups it just meant I new how to drive in those conditions and they didn't.

I would have to say an 03 dodge neon. That car could go through snow and ice like no other car I drove. I was always able to maintain a decent speed, even with 4wd truck sliding in the ditch. All you had to do in that car was point it where you wanted to go, and step on the gas. Back in 07 we had a really bad snowstorm and I still went into work. I was the only car in the parking lot and my supervisor couldn't belive I drove into work. At that time we had about 4,000 people working in the building and about 50 of us made it in.

My 71 Volvo 145 wagon (mentioned earlier) and a '77 VW rabbit. Front wheel drive with a stick. The first time I drove it in the snow I could not believe how well it handled and what it could go through. My current '91 Saab 9.3 w/ 5 speed stick is also very good.

As mentioned earlier if you know what you are doing and do not drive like a maniac, virtually nothing should stop you, other than 3 feet of fresh stuff.

My brother's 1991 Toyota MR2 was good in the snow. Then he put Blizzak snow tires on it and it was surreal. The combination of mid engine and rear wheel drive provided great traction for starting and the overall car design let it corner and stop well.

The best things were all the gaping mouth stares from 4WD SUV drivers as we left them behind at every stoplight.

My '65 Corvair would go through 2 foot deep snow up hill on icy asphalt. Was amazing!