Why You Don't Always Need 4WD in Illinois
If you live in Illinois, you've probably heard some version of the same advice when shopping for a vehicle:
“Make sure you get 4WD. You're going to need it in the winter.”
There's certainly some truth to the appeal of four-wheel drive. Illinois gets snow, ice and freezing temperatures, and 4WD can be extremely useful in the right conditions.
But does every Illinois driver actually need a 4WD or AWD vehicle?
Not necessarily.
For many drivers in the Chicago Southland and surrounding suburbs, a properly equipped 2WD vehicle can be a perfectly practical choice — and sometimes a much better value.
Illinois Winter Driving Is About More Than Drivetrain
One of the biggest misconceptions about winter driving is that the drivetrain is the most important factor in determining how a vehicle behaves in snow.
It isn't.
Tires matter enormously.
A vehicle with two-wheel drive and good winter or all-season tires can have substantially more traction than a 4WD vehicle riding on worn, poorly suited tires.
That's because four-wheel drive primarily helps a vehicle accelerate by sending power to more than two wheels. It doesn't magically give the vehicle more ability to stop or turn on an icy road.
When you're braking for a stop sign, turning onto a snowy street or trying to avoid another vehicle, your tires and the available traction between those tires and the road are critical.
In other words:
4WD can help you get moving. It doesn't repeal the laws of physics.
Most Illinois Roads Are Plowed and Treated
Think about your normal winter commute.
If you live in the Chicago suburbs, there's a good chance your driving consists primarily of:
Those conditions aren't the same as trying to drive through a foot of untouched snow.
Illinois and local municipalities spend considerable resources clearing and treating major roads during winter storms. Once the roads have been plowed, salted or otherwise treated, the amount of traction available can be dramatically different from what you encounter immediately after a major snowfall.
That doesn't mean winter driving is harmless. Ice, packed snow and poorly cleared roads can still be dangerous.
It simply means that the typical suburban Illinois driver may spend relatively little time in conditions where 4WD is absolutely necessary.
When 4WD Really Does Make a Difference
There are situations where 4WD is absolutely worth considering.
If you regularly:
* Drive on unplowed roads
* Live in a rural area
* Travel during or immediately after major snowstorms
* Tow or haul heavy loads
* Drive on steep or poorly maintained roads
* Need to maintain mobility in deep snow
* Frequently travel before roads have been cleared
then 4WD can provide a meaningful advantage.
The ability to distribute engine torque to all four wheels can help prevent a vehicle from getting stuck when traction is limited.
For some drivers, that capability is worth paying for.
But there's an important distinction between “4WD is useful” and “everyone needs 4WD.”
Those aren't the same statement.
What About SUVs?
The assumption that every SUV should have 4WD is particularly persistent.
But plenty of SUVs were sold in two-wheel-drive configurations for a reason.
Take the Toyota RAV4, for example.
The RAV4 has been offered with both two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, and a 2WD model can make sense for a driver whose primary use is commuting, errands, family transportation and highway driving.
The same applies to larger SUVs and trucks.
A two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Tahoe or Silverado isn't automatically a poor winter vehicle. It simply has different capabilities than its 4WD counterpart.
And depending on how and where you drive, those capabilities may be perfectly adequate.
What About Pickup Trucks?
This is where the 4WD assumption can become especially strong.
A pickup truck with 4WD certainly has advantages in snow, particularly when the bed is lightly loaded and traction is limited.
Don't forget that 2WD pickups have been used in Illinois for decades.
A 2WD Silverado with good tires, appropriate driving technique and a driver who understands its limitations can still be a useful everyday truck.
In fact, if you don't need 4WD, buying a 2WD truck can sometimes allow you to get into a larger or better-equipped vehicle for the same budget, since you're not paying for a capability you may rarely use.
Don't Forget the Weight of the Vehicle
Vehicle weight and weight distribution also matter.
A pickup truck with an empty bed can have relatively little weight over its rear drive wheels. That's one reason why rear-wheel-drive pickups can sometimes struggle for traction on slippery surfaces.
Adding appropriate weight over the drive axle can help, although it should always be done safely and within the manufacturer's recommendations.
Again, the lesson isn't that 2WD is automatically better.
It's that there are several factors involved in winter traction, and drivetrain is only one of them.
The Driver Matters, Too
A good winter vehicle can still be driven badly.
Speed, following distance, braking technique and awareness of changing road conditions all matter.
If the road is icy, driving a 4WD vehicle doesn't give you permission to drive as though the pavement were dry.
In fact, one of the biggest advantages of a 2WD vehicle can be that it encourages the driver to respect the conditions and understand the vehicle's limitations.
The best winter vehicle is ultimately one that is appropriate for your actual driving environment — and one that you know how to operate safely.
So, Do You Need 4WD in Illinois?
For some Illinois drivers, absolutely.
For everyone?
NO!
If you regularly encounter deep snow, unplowed roads or other conditions where maximum traction is important, 4WD or AWD can be a very worthwhile feature.
But if most of your driving consists of commuting around the Chicago Southland, traveling on maintained roads and navigating normally plowed suburban streets, a well-maintained 2WD vehicle can be a perfectly reasonable choice.
And there can be another benefit:
You may get more vehicle for your money.
Instead of spending extra for a 4WD system you rarely use, you can put that money toward condition, maintenance history, mileage, equipment, comfort or simply keeping more money in your pocket.
Three 2WD Vehicles Worth Considering
At Ace Auto Connection, we believe the right used vehicle isn't necessarily the one with the longest list of capabilities.
It's the one that makes sense for how you actually drive.
That's why we're comfortable offering 2WD vehicles alongside our 4WD, and AWD inventory.
For example, our inventory may include vehicles such as:
2000 Chevrolet Silverado 2WD
A full-size pickup can be an excellent choice for someone who needs the utility of a truck but doesn't regularly venture into deep snow or unplowed terrain.
2005 Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD
The Tahoe provides the space and utility of a full-size SUV without requiring every buyer to pay for four-wheel drive they may rarely use.
2012 Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD
For someone primarily looking for an economical, practical SUV for commuting, errands and everyday driving, a 2WD RAV4 can make a great deal of sense.
These vehicles aren't pretending to be 4WD.
They're simply examples of vehicles that can make sense for drivers who don't actually need 4WD.
Buy the Vehicle You Need — Not the Vehicle Someone Says You Need
There is no universal “best” drivetrain for Illinois.
4WD and AWD are valuable technologies, and for the right driver they're absolutely worth having.
But if your typical day consists of driving to work, picking up the kids, running errands and traveling on maintained roads, don't automatically eliminate a 2WD vehicle simply because you live in Illinois.
Look at the entire vehicle:
Condition.
Tires.
Maintenance history.
Mileage.
Vehicle history.
Your driving habits.
And, yes, drivetrain.
The goal isn't to buy the most capable vehicle you can afford.
It's to buy the vehicle that makes the most sense for you.
At Ace Auto Connection in New Lenox, Illinois, we sell a variety of used cars, trucks and SUVs, including 2WD, 4WD and AWD vehicles, because different drivers have different needs.
Sometimes, you really do need 4WD.
Sometimes, you don't. That's for YOU to decide.
