The basic viscous AWD in my Legacy (open rear diff) strikes a rather tame median between the entertaining yet somewhat unavoidable oversteer of my old BMW and the sometimes alarming helplessness of a FWD. It doesn't do anything I didn't ask it to do, and it does basically anything I request. I'm not sure how it's so unpredictable -- if you're mostly pointed straight, excess throttle will result in understeer; if you want rotation, lift-off oversteer is key, unless you crank the wheel from a low speed.
Coming from daily-driving a RWD for years, it took some time to learn the importance of lift-off oversteer, and drifting isn't as simple or freely possible (more speed is required, for one thing), but "dangerous and unpredictable" is completely backwards to how I would describe it. My BMW required a certain minimum of attentiveness at every turn, and I feel uncomfortable driving a FWD in snow. Not to sound like the cliché Subaru owner, but the Legacy just goes.
And no, I don't run winter tires; soon after I got the car I gave it the same class of Pirelli all seasons my BMW originally wore (which performed significantly better in snow than the Yokohamas it had later). With a good set of all seasons a little care and foresight is "all you need," whatever the drivetrain. But I could understand being frustrated with the lower limits if you're accustomed to snow tires.
I'm not one who thinks AWD is invincible or all-capable, but it meets my expectations. It lends a distinct advantage in property assessing, clawing around soggy farmyards, and over unplowed rural drives and access trails. On cruddy days homeowners will often ask how I managed to make it up the driveway.
