I live in Utah where we regularly get snow measuring feet deep. Driving up the canyon to go skiing, or doing anything in the state during winter or in all the wilderness, it is required by law to have 4WD.
All over the west there are roads that are impassable without 4WD. I use it all the time.
I go trout fishing a lot in North Georgia and many places I go would be accessible in a small fwd car. In fact if people saw you driving an incapable vehicle they would stop and warm you about proceeding further.
Anecdotal evidence makes me claim that electronic traction control systems are excellent, but still no match for good ol' manual systems - probably in part because the automagic systems are easily taken for granted, making drivers forget what icy conditions are like - and using the electronic systems to drive faster, not safer.