Had no idea about the ice or snow. I am a very, very casual driver and for me a car is just a metal box to get from point A to B. Really not interesed in the gears to be honest and never interested in putting my foot down, no matter how clear the roads are.
Even when I had a manual I would only use the gears really to get going and to come to a stop, besides that it was pretty much just stick it in 4th and that's it.
Never heard of a rear wheel drive. Heard of 4 wheel drive, but never rear wheel.
As you might deduce, I know very, very little about motor vehicles.