Decent winter tyres will cost significantly less that 4WD, but you get more grip with 4WD and most 4WD cars feature clever electronics or mechanical differentials which send power to the wheels with the most grip. But in heavy snow and ice, if your tyres can’t grip the road, you’ll find it hard to move regardless. Of course, fitting winter tyres to a four-wheel-drive car is the ultimate winter set-up.