I am a lady driver living in the country side - up a mountain with a small narrow laneway up to the house.

Conditions in winter are wet, mucky and sometimes a week or two of snow and ice. There are icy mornings too.

This is a general question about four-wheel drives and whether they are of any use in getting up a VERY steep hill in the winter time in bad snow and/or icy conditions. I understand that they do well in mucky conditions (which definitely applies) but, am unsure about snowy and icy conditions.

Apologies, I have never driven a four-wheel drive before.

We have children and normally I just stay off the road in bad conditions - but, can't really do this when they move onto 12+ secondary school. Sales guys tell me that I wouldn't need snow tires with the four-wheel drive and that will have no problem getting up steep hills.

I would normally err on the side of caution but, am being advised that if they wouldn't get me up the hill anyway, I might as well stick with the two-wheel drive version.