@MarkM
Good post. I mentioned the Outback because of it’s overall comfort. Friend has the v6 and loves it for cruising as much as his BMW. We have a RAV and it has been absolutely trouble free for nine years but for a battery change last year . An economical option might be one of a plethora of off lease cars of the 2011vintage, before the design change. Daughter is on her second CRV. The first was let out to pasture after 15 years and 250k. No problems, except for rust at the end.
We live 1 mile from high school. Wife decided our teens would have nicer first cars than dads current car. Buying new tires for kids car is also fun. Easy to find out how son drives. Just ask his sister.
There are plenty of Civic’s here in the North East. They have no problem with the snow here. So I suspect that it’ll do fine in Arizona.
Depending on where she lives in Flag (which is a pretty small town), she won’t even need a car. I’ve never met a more bikeable or walkable city in my life. Keep the Civic, and get her some crampons for her boots and fat tires for her bike, is my advice.
One other thing: Flag’s roads do get pretty hairy in the winter, because they don’t use salt (it was implicated in the deaths of some Ponderosa pines). But at least it’ll save the undercarriage from some rust!
I agree with Dag.
Is she to be living on campus? If so, she need not even be driving in bad weather. If she can be trusted to subscribe to that simple item of common sense, than the Civic with the new all season tires will be fine. Unless, of course, she falls in love with a ski instructor… 
If she will feel the need to drive in bad weather, winter tires would be a great idea. Having driven for well over 45 years without ever having 4wd in much poorer (worser? badder?) weather than she’ll see there without problem, I don’t believe she needs a new car. Just common sense.
If she had children, or were not a college student, my suggestions would be dramatically different.
If the weather is bad enough that it will prevent a Civic with snow tires from going anywhere then the destination is probably not worth the effort anyway. Odds are many others will be socked in.
I’ve been through Flagstaff a number of times and when the snow was really piling up I saw nothing but snow plows moving anyway…
It you take the question verbatim thoughh. “The best car for winter driving in Flagstaff, AR ?” Being a retired math person, I tend to do that. There is no mention of economics, no mention of limited use, no mention of alternatives. Therefore…Awd with snow tires…
Thank you all for your opinions and advice! It will help us to make a decision.