I live in Virginia where it snows enough to accumulate on the roads maybe once or twice a year. But we get ice. And one thing I've learned about 2WD on ice it's that the back end will kick out and you will swap ends so fast that it'll be over before you can stop it. The stability control will help, of course, but for me, it's AWD or 4WD with an auto mode.
I also use the AWD more often than you'd think in the summer. On the beach in the OBX, pulling our camper out of a muddy campsite, and enjoying the added sure-footedness in heavy rain. Take a look on Carmax some time and note the difference in resale between 2wd and 4wd Yukons, Tahoes and Suburbans. It's an easy $5-6K penalty for 2wd.
I also use the AWD more often than you'd think in the summer. On the beach in the OBX, pulling our camper out of a muddy campsite, and enjoying the added sure-footedness in heavy rain. Take a look on Carmax some time and note the difference in resale between 2wd and 4wd Yukons, Tahoes and Suburbans. It's an easy $5-6K penalty for 2wd.