We were really hit here in Denver, about three feet of snow in our area, with 3 to 6 foot drifts. Due to a medical reason I had to be on the roads Wednesday afternoon during the worst snow storm I have ever driven in. Many people with front wheel drives found them almost useless, and many 4WDs were also at the side of the road or in snow banks. While I had to endure about three hours (to go to and from on a normal twenty minute drive each way) the Volvo AWD system was flawless. I have owned Subarus and severl other 4WD trucks/SUVs in the past. While I did not have the ground clearance of a truck/SUV and so avoided certain situations, my Volvo ran and stopped straight and true. It felt secure all the time, even as I watched 4WD SUVs swerve and go into banks on turns. This one time makes up for any potential problems with a bevel gear, though I have 100,000 miles on the original with no problems.