AWD, 4WD or FWD: What Do You Actually Need for a South Dakota Winter?

The four drive types in plain words

The short version: AWD is automatic and built for traction on the road, while traditional 4WD engages when you select 4H or 4L. Many newer trucks and SUVs blur the line with an automatic 4WD mode, so read the owner's manual for the exact vehicle you're looking at.

Five South Dakota situations, and what actually helps

Unplowed side streets and your own driveway

After an overnight snow, the hard part is getting rolling from a stop, often uphill or through the ridge the plow left at the end of the driveway. This is where AWD and 4WD shine. A front-drive car on good winter tires usually gets out too. On worn all-seasons, it may not.

Ground blizzards on I-90 and I-29

The National Weather Service office in Aberdeen describes a ground blizzard as strong wind blowing snow that is already on the ground. Visibility drops near the road surface, and it can happen under sunny skies. The problem is seeing, not traction, and no drive type fixes that. When SDDOT closes the interstate, don't hunt for a way around it: in December 2022, SDDOT said many vehicles got stuck and stranded on state highways trying to avoid interstate closures. Our winter checklist covers SD511 and what to do if you get stuck.

Washboard and loose gravel

On gravel, every drive type can slide. AWD or 4WD helps on loose starts and hills, but speed and tires decide whether you stay on the road. Slow down before the curve, not in it, and give yourself extra room to stop.

Minimum-maintenance roads

South Dakota counties and townships can label rural roads as minimum maintenance. State law requires signs telling drivers they travel those roads at their own risk (SDCL 31-12-47 and 31-13-1.2). Don't count on them being cleared after a storm. This is where 4WD, low range and ground clearance matter most, and even then, if you don't know the road, wait it out.

Parking-lot glare ice

On glazed ice, AWD gives you nothing when it's time to stop. Every vehicle brakes with all four wheels, so the tires do the work. Consumer Reports found AWD didn't aid braking, and it rates winter tires better at stopping on icy surfaces.

AWD gets you going. Tires get you stopped. If a budget forces the choice, I'd rather see someone in a front-wheel-drive car on good winter tires than in an AWD car on worn-out all-seasons.

Scott Kennedy, Service Manager

Why tires matter more than drive type

In the Consumer Reports test, AWD helped vehicles accelerate on snow but did not aid braking or certain cornering. Some AWD vehicles on all-season tires struggled to hold their line in corners. CR concluded that winter tires matter more than AWD in many situations, and it recommends four winter tires for whatever you drive.

Cold matters as much as snow. Transport Canada says all-season and summer tires start losing traction below about 45 degrees F. So cold, dry mornings count too, not just the days it snows.

What to look for when you shop:

• The three-peak mountain snowflake symbol. It means the tire passed a standard snow traction test. An M+S marking alone has no industry test behind it.
• Enough tread. Consumer Reports says to start shopping at 4/32 inch, and its tests found half-worn tires lost about 14 percent of their snow traction. Our winter checklist shows the quarter test.
• Four, not two. Consumer Reports recommends a full set of four winter tires.
• Studs, if you want them. Studded tires are legal in South Dakota from October 1 through April 30.

Our service center mounts winter tires, sells tires from major brands and aligns them on our own rack. If you keep a second set of wheels for winter, the swap each fall goes quicker. Book a time online or call service at (605) 250-7474.

Ground clearance: the drift problem

Drive type can't help once the vehicle is sitting on the snow. When a drift is deeper than the lowest point under the vehicle, the tires lose their bite and you're high-centered. That's where a 4WD truck or a truck-based SUV beats a low crossover, whatever the badge on the back says.

Ground clearance is listed in the factory specs. Compare it before you buy if you live on a gravel road or an acreage, or anywhere the wind drifts the road shut. Lift kits and bigger tires add clearance, but a lift or tires larger than the factory size take a vehicle out of FMC Certified warranty coverage.

So which should you buy?

• You commute on plowed Sioux Falls streets: FWD or AWD, on winter tires. AWD is a nice extra, not a must.
• You live outside town on gravel or an acreage: AWD or 4WD with good ground clearance and winter-rated tires.
• You farm, ranch, tow or drive field roads: a 4WD truck or SUV with low range. See our towing guide.
• You're on a tight budget: a front-drive car plus a set of winter tires is often the best winter money you can spend.

When someone asks me if they need 4WD, I ask where they live and what roads they drive in January. The answer is different for a downtown commuter than for someone ten miles out on gravel.

Scott Kennedy, Service Manager

Most of our inventory is AWD or 4WD. Every vehicle we sell is inspected, and most also qualify for FMC Certified, our 3-month/3,000-mile powertrain warranty. The lists below update on their own as vehicles come and go.