Haven't bought it yet, but in the market for a new car for the SO for the coming winter months here in the East coast. She doesn't drive too much, but enough highway and backroads during her commute to make me worry sometimes.
I'm currently deciding between the Infiniti FX50S or the BMW X6 x50i, and knowing me I would love to go with the Infiniti just because I'm driving the previous gen. FX45. The SO on the other hand absolutely the X6 since they came out and every time she sees one she goes gaga over it. Advice anyone?
I drove a rental X6 when I was getting my (dads) car serviced, and it was really fun. I couldn't imagine either of these vehicles being any better in the snow than a FWD sedan though. The extra heft you're lugging around means the traction you gain from a AWD vehicle in the snow is seldom worth it. If it was 4WD with lockers, that would be a decent tradeoff. If you're worried about her in the snow you should probably remember that 4WD/AWD only helps you get going, once you're moving it's actually easier to lose control of your vehicle (especially with dynamic performance control on the X6. I don't know if the FX50 has a similar system).
Also, it's much, much easier to get an AWD vehicle stuck in the snow or the mud, because of how they transfer power between the wheels rather than locking them all together.
That being said the X6 was tonnes of fun to drive and I kinda felt sad when I had to give it back. Even though it kind of looks like a dog taking a poo, it was extremely fun to be "seen in" and it had a pretty nice interior as well. Not to mention the cabin was very cozy and visibility was pretty excellent all around (despite the windows in the back being kind of small). You could also throw a surprising amount of stuff into it.
You should screw the safety and get her an X6M!