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Originally Posted by MikeTangas
After a few years experience I have found I can baby a 2wd vehicle just about anywhere I could take a 4WD.
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The 4wd on recent model MB vehicles is not quite half the reason to have it. The major gains are due to the so-called “ets” and “esp” features. Ets provides braking to any wheel or wheels that are slipping and esp is yaw control, employed to stop the vehicle from slipping sideways. On icy or slushy roads, or when starting on an icy hill, or when hydroplaning, these enhancements to 4wd make dramatic, even amazing improvements in control of the vehicle. In addition, the yaw control makes unexpected critical under-steer or over-steer almost never occur, and goes a long way to correcting itself when it does. While you can go many places in 2wd that you can in 4wd, when snow or ice is involved there is no comparison.
In answer to the original q, the mechanical difference between 4 hi and 4 low is usually an additional gear in the transmission or differentials.