Snow driving

[Snelens]

Gday all.

The good wife & I are planning to go up to Hotham on the weekend with our little fella.
Anyway, we have access to a Nissan X-trail SUV p.o.s. that seems to pass as a 4wd for unchained access up the mountain.
I am not that keen as on the highway it is positively dangerous, its slow, handles terribly, doesn't stop, wobbles all over the place, and generally scares me at anything over 90KPH. The wives daily is a SAAB 9-5 Aero wagon with a few goodies inc a full Bilstein set up so it corners VERY well (for a medium size wagon), very stable, quiet and makes you feel very safe (Id say 100% better than a standard 9-5).
My argument is that we would be safer and happier in the SAAB for the sake of a few Ks up the mountain on chains, but she says we need the X Trail 4wd. But I got thinking (the dangerous part) why would the X trail with its pathetic chassis dynamics be able to go all the way up WITHOUT chains but the SAAB FWD with much better dynamics wouldn't be able to?
Surely the SAAB would be so much safer? The X trail is mainly FWD anyway and the rear drive kicks in occasionally so wouldn't a car with better dynamics, better tyres, be just simply safer chains or no chains?
I realise a true 4wd (or a Subie) would be a different story so I am not trying to discuss that point just the SAAB v's X trail.

Look forward to the comments.