Our problem here is ice. We have snow of course, but often as not it is preceded and followed by sleet and icing. Studs are the only way to go. For years Karen drove her 100 mile round trip in a BWM 528 with all four corners on studs during the winter. The damn thing was great. I really don't care much for front wheel drive for a lot of reasons but that's about it anymore, at least in anything we can afford nowadays.