What are good four wheel drive four door cars?

Is it better to have a truck with four wheel drive or two wheel drive with a lockable differential?

• I am looking at trucks and am curious which is best for winters in the northeast. Four wheel drive with two open differentials or two wheel drive with a lockable differential. I like the idea of getting better mpg with the two wheel drive but would it handle as good in the snow? Thanks in advance.

• Answer:

  Basically, you don't want a locker when you are on slippery roads. What a locker does is keeps both rear wheels spinning at the same rate. Imagine trying to go around a slippery curve with both wheels spinning at the same rate. The rear end comes around in a hurry. A lockers home is off-road. Even anti-spin (posi-traction, sure-grip, whatever) can be problematic. Four wheel drive basically locks the front and rear diffs together. Easier to handle on snow and ice than locking two wheels on the same axle together, but still problematic. Lots of traction so you won't get stuck, but you must exercise caution due to the axles being locked together (again, to keep that traction on the road). If you are going to drive it on the roads primarily, the best system is "all wheel drive." This differs from "four wheel drive" as because the front and rear diffs can travel at different speeds or "silp." Most also have some kind of system that directs power to the wheel that is slipping the most.