Moving to Akron - Do I need an SUV or 4WD?

[dubyanumberone]

A front wheel drive vehicle and a little common sense when driving and you will be fine.

You don't need a Hummer or Escalade to drive during the winter in NE Ohio.

[Caleb Longstreet]

Originally Posted by ijano

I recently found out I'll be moving to Akron in July for work, and will likely be there only for one year. I currently live in the Southwest and drive a sports car convertible that I recently discovered first hand is useless in even a bit of snow/ice.

I'm almost definitely going to get rid of the convertible but I'm not big on SUV's. I just think they're overkill. especially since my wife already has one (which she'll need to get herself to work) and we have no kids and don't need the extra space - and would much rather just get a front-wheel drive sedan, and maybe get snow tires during the worst months.

I'm fairly familiar (though probably a bit rusty) with driving in snow since I grew up near Akron in Western PA, but my question is, is the snow bad enough in Akron that you really have to get an SUV? My work will often require me going to several places a day. So I can't really just have my wife drop me off and pick me up on "bad" snow days. But how often is there so much snow that a SUV with high ground clearance (or a car w/ AWD) is needed? Are most roads well maintained enough that they're drivable by an average front wheel drive sedan?

Are there any of you out there that don't have an SUV and drive a sedan (with FWD) that really regret it and wish you had an SUV?

I'm only going to be in Akron for 1 year then likely will move to an area further south without snow, so I really don't want to get an SUV just for that one year unless it's going to be necessary for me to reliably navigate to my work places during the winter.

I know this is a subjective question because nobody can predict if the 1 winter i spend there will be mild or record breaking for snow, and all vehicles are different to an extent, but I'd appreciate a general consensus. Thanks in advance for your advice!!

A 4WD might be nice but, for now, settle on boots and a very, very, very warm coat.....

[hairmetal4ever]

I lived in Akron from birth (1977) until 2007. Since then I've been in the Mid-Atlantic region.

I'll say this - it snows more often in Akron by far, but the BIG storms that hit the Mid-Atlantic in the form of Nor-easters aren't matched in Akron for the most part. Akron rarely gets a storm over 6" at a time, although multiple events often don't melt in-between, so total depth can be greater than that. Where here in Maryland, it may only snow once, but it could be 10"+.