phosho

Light snow, roads are 90% plowed/treated. Is it safer and better to take the 96’ 4WD / rear wheel drive 4runner or the front wheel drive 01’corolla where the weight is over the driving tires. Both have ABS and airbags but the corollas got side airbags. Every time a flake is on the road my wife’s coworkers are asking “why didn’t you drive the 4runner?” I think that many have a false sense of security when it comes to a “truck” and 4x4’s. I would like your opinions on this because I’m not sure whether I am telling myself and my wife what I want to hear because this truck is relatively new to me and I’m dumping a lot of time & money in it or its logical do to its light rear in 2wd and inability in 4wd to travel and turn on patchy hard/dry surfaces without the risk of costly damage. It is most likely a mix of both reasons. I previously owned a 92’ 4x4 pickup and it was way too light in the rear for snow unless it was in 4wd or loaded down. I’ve gotten used to the feel of the binding and tend to approach corners wider when possible,a theory foreign to the wife. Is there a real risk of damage if the 4wd is taken and driven in less then slick conditions? Is a wet surface sufficient to allow that give for the less traveled tire to spin? It seems that the same things that we look for to give us traction in bad conditions are the same that make binding and breakage that much more of a possibility (good tire tread + treated roads = grip). The corolla is very effective in the snow has quality tires and is low to the ground. I got a little nervous when the last storm we had I passed a rolled 4Runner on the side of the road. It seems that often it’s not you but the other guy using your truck to slow themselves down. I know I am worried about the Runner and my wife in her travels but the wife comes 1st ….2nd….OK 1st. Just kidding honey( In case she’s a closet member).There are some question’s buried in my rambling post here any input would be appreciated. :pat:

4x4Lamm

Go with the car in tose conditions. It takes a lot of snow to run out of traction. 4WD in non slippery conditions IS bad, given time, something in the driveline will break. A traditional 4x4 is not a snow cat, it takes a lot of driver skill to drive in bad snow still but you at least have more traction. Besides, if she takes the car to work and it gets ugly you can always go rescue her.

Phil

If she plans on going sideways, the Corolla is safer.

If she plans on crashing into a Suburban, the 4Runner is safer.

Corolla will most likely handle better and more importantly stop quicker.

4Runner is better in most accidents, but more likely to be in one.

Hope this helps! (but I know it doesn't)

Seriously though you are over thinking things. If your wife is used to driving the Corolla, then that's what she should keep driving. Driving an unfamiliar vehicle in poor conditions is usually not a good idea IMO.

For the record in slick conditions I prefer driving our Civic.

X-AWDriver

Buy something AWD,that's your best bet for light snow period.

cruizin01

For me in my everyday drives to work and back here in CRAP Ohio, Ill take my tercel any day over the tacoma. It just handles the slick roads way better than my light truck. I dont really want to have to drive in 4 wheel just to be able to keep it on the road. I might be a little biast to the car just because its not a big deal if it travels off the beaten path. (it was wrecked once and Ive hit 3 deer with it) So its obviously less valuable, but I still feel safer in it even though its so small. Just my $.02.

Bennito

I completely agree with what you are used to driving (if they're relatively equal). Maybe you should share your thoughts on driving a 4wd (when to put it in, what differences are there).

Or put snow tires on the car and its going to handle better. Put SNOW (not AT or MT) tires on the 4-runner and it can probably keep up. My rear end comes around in 2wd, but I have non-snow friendly AT tires. I bet with studs on front and rear the 4runner would be a tank.,

cubuff4runner

I have the same situation, I have a 4Runner and the wife has a corolla. I ussually prefer driving hers if it is icy or snowpacked, but once it starts to get a little deep I prefer my 4Runner. I also have troubles on icy roads because I have superswampers, which are definately not made for icy or snowpacked roads.

My99

Where i live, when the roads get a little snow on them, you can't get around without 4wd or chains/studs/snowtires because of the mountainous terrain. On level ground when there's bare spots of asphalt (no snow depth to speak of) i'd say the corrolla is just fine and her co-workers are just a little paranoid. If you have the limited 99+ 4runner, sending her in the AWD mode would be optimal. I was on a ski trip last week and i left it in AWD the whole time except for when extracting a stuck vehicle (women and their trailblazers!).

phosho

Yeah the beauty of AWD & the multi mode 4runners(99&up). Too bad with the partime 4WD she cant just mud bog it to work that would be perfect Has anybody had issues with binding up the partime system or is this known as a envelope not to be pushed? With my 92' pickup I was pushing it a bit more because of the PITA manual hubs made it impractical to jump in and out as conditions changed. Other than a harsh noise of the tire breaking free on occasion never had any issues that I was aware of. I suppose with my push button 4WD on the Limited I could be in and out quickly. Any downside to hitting that button like a video game in mixed condtions (patchy snow or ice)?

Mulkey

If YOU were driving where you could go back and forth into 4WD than I would take the Runner. Like someone mentioned before, since she is use to driving the corolla- keep on trucking. My sister use to have a Honda Prelude and that ride would tear some ass in the snow. ABS on both and side airbags, go with the rolla. 99+ with AWD option is nice because you can hit it on the fly under 60 while on wet or drive pavement.