[eddiehaug]

Very soon I have to decide between buying a FWD 118d fully spec'd (Sport Line, EDC, 18 inch wheels, all the packages, sunroof, Harman Kardon, etc.) or an AWD 120d in base colour with fewer options (no EDC, no Stop&Go, no comfort package, no Harman Kardon, etc.).

I live in Norway, meaning that, for 9 out of 12 months, I'll be driving in autumn/winter conditions, from rain to all types of snow, slush, and icy roads. However, most of my driving is on highways and city roads. The times I'll be driving to the mountains could probably be counted on one hand during a normal year (and maybe I could either borrow or rent an AWD car).

I've been reading a lot of articles about FWD vs RWD vs AWD, but for the most part these are either old or very generic. So, I wonder if you guys that know how xDrive works and maybe have driven a FWD Audi or Mercedes think it is worth sacrificing a lot of options (which I actually like) to get AWD. One important thing: I'll be having my kid in the back seat, so for me security is paramount. I know that the most important thing is to drive carefully, but assuming I do so, would you say AWD is a no-brainer, or should the FWD car do just as fine?

Cheers!