First, I never suggested that the 400h is an off-road vehicle. It's not and my mention of my Sequoia ownership and experience with that SUV were meant to convey that I realize that the 400h is not as competent as certain dedicated 4WD or AWD vehicles. With that said, I can attest to the 400h's performance in heavy snow as can other members of this forum. Snow tires and driver technique, as discussed ad nauseum here, are critical when you live in snowy areas. If you don't change your tires, you'll likely complain about the AWD system or end up "off-road" as many of our MA and CT visitors do. My comments are based less on my "good experience" and more on my impressions of the 400h's capability when properly equipped and driven. My concern here, as with prior "winter" related posts, is the newcomer to this forum who is addressing this issue as I did several years ago. I want to make sure they hear accurately from people who have actually driven the 400h in winter conditions. Fortunately, when I first accessed this forum over two years ago, there were several owners in "snowy" states who alleviated my concerns about trading my Sequoia for a 400h. I haven't been disappointed. Like you, I love the car!!