Car Shopping - Small Crossovers

[surgtech1956]

My reason for needing 4x4 or AWD is that I live in Michigan, our road isn't plowed, I work in surgery and need to be able to get into work at anytime day or night.

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My reason for needing 4x4 or AWD is that I live in Michigan, our road isn't plowed, I work in surgery and need to be able to get into work at anytime day or night.

Just to play Devil's advocate, we also live in MI...in the snowbelt right on Lake MI (av. seasonal snowfall here is 96º). Hubby has had a 30 mile commute for 10+ years and has never once not been able to get to work due to snow. He just has a FWD sedan with all-seasons. My small FWD car has Blizzaks in the Winter (no traction control, just killer awesome tires). He will take my car when things are especially bad. But we've never once needed AWD/4WD. We also live up in the sticks (northern Muskegon county--he works in n. Ottawa cty). As the economy has worsened they plow less. For the past 3 Winters we have been lucky to be plowed more than once/week.

As we talk about rising gas prices I have a hard time understanding how SUVs and heavy, gas-guzzling AWD/4WD systems are still selling. I don't think I'd want one even if the selling price were cheaper. The cost of ownership and maintenance is just too high. Heck, I won't even drive automatic after having to shell out to replace the transmission on my first car (just 6 months after buying it, no less).