4WD is controlled by a switch on the dash. I didn't notice a difference between running RWD and 4WD in snow except for ESC kicking in a lot. I'm saying this just because fuel economy suffers a lot. I will say, however, it is very reliable. No issues. Power is ok. Braking distance is long, but firm. Good storage room. Drives and rides like a truck. Safety is lacking (in early model years). Good passenger room, but front foot wells are painfully small. (Fuel eco (ltd V6 in 2WD) is about 16mpg. Stereo is ok. Nice truck overall, but no BMW, and fairly basic.
Can you guess what the X3 replaced?
(P.s: '99 Durango is crap. '91 Explorer rolled. '97 didn't)