FWD's greatest attributes show up in low-traction conditions. If you start to feel the car getting unsettled on a slushy road, you can settle it right down with a dose of throttle. That's pretty welcome when you're trying to get by a semi on a messy interstate.

Many ice autocrossers prefer FWD to AWD because a front-driver tends to turn better than an AWD car while using left-foot braking. The AWD car accelerates better, but it doesn't necessarily deliver better control.

That assumes proper tires for the conditions at hand. Tires are at least half the battle.