If you need to drive in the snow, snow tires are better than AWD with all-season tires. AWD is a waste unless you're climbing a lot of hills or need to go off road
Please don't be offended, but this is both completely incorrect and horrible advice.
But really, a couple things about this thread.
You asked the question - "Please give me some guidance on buying car . . . ."
A lot of the answers are answers to the question: "What car do you like and recommend?"
Not quite the same.
First things first - all wheel drive is freaking awesome, if you drive in snow enough to make it worthwhile. Quick review (assuming no posi-traction/limited slip diffs) . . .
Rear wheel drive - one rear wheel powers car, old school, but some sports cars and trucks have it.
Front wheel drive - one front wheel powers car - standard.
AWD - Only intended to get you out of a stuck situation. Not a robust system, and not meant for heavy torque or high velocity use. On my CR-V, it is driven by a small shaft, a small rear differential, and an electric clutch. It will not come on if you slam the accelerator. Also, it shuts off automatically above a certain low speed. Also, it's automatic - there is no switch to engage it. When engaged, one front wheel and one rear wheel simultaneously power car.
FourWD - Like AWD, but you can manually engage it, it is robust and can handle the full torque of the engine, and can be operated at high velocity (although that is generally not needed or desirable, and, for example, the Rav4 I own will shut of 4WD over about 25mph). Like AWD, one front and one rear tire drive car when engaged.
I live in the snow belt off the lake. Took me several years of living here before I bought an AWD and 4WD - never going back. FrontWD with studded snows can't hold a candle to an AWD with all season radials with good treads (and never have to swap tires for winter). It's a value decision, really. What AWD does is make it a lot tougher to get stuck. A lot. You have to work hard to get stuck. FrontWD? one tire on ice or on the high side of a ditched car, and you might be done. Highly recommend if you drive in snow more than X times per year, with the number X determined by how much the several grand more you're going to pay means to you.
Regarding the car? Depends where you're at and where you're going in life.
Right? I can say "get a Honda" or "don't ever buy a Ford," but that neglects to consider what you want. You do a lot of beaver trapping? You're going to be able to trap a lot more beaver with a nifty looking used BMW or a Lexus than with a new Honda CR-V. A lot. You want to look professional getting out of the car? Better to step down out of a larger SUV than crawl out of a sedan. You want to have fun driving for not too much? Maybe a Jetta. You want to go off road? Maybe a Jeep. You want straight best value for the money? Hyundai. You want fuel efficiency? The new hybrid electrics are really competitive (again, Hyundai). You want to be as safe as possible? More mass is safer, and no amount of safety features, air bags, and the like will change that. All else being equal, but you'll pay for it in sticker price and fuel. Crumple zones and energy absorbing glass are nice, but a Pacifica hitting a Civic is a no contest. You want to easily make friends at my tavern? Ford 150, preferably with some unprimed Bondo work on the rocker panels.
My point is, take all of the input in this thread, but then find that car that fits your 1. Pocket 2. Purpose, and 3. Penchant.
Buy a car that you can afford, that will effectively do what you need it to do, while allowing you to get maximum enjoyment out of it. In that order, because 1 begets 2 which begets 3.
