winter traction: Narrow vs wide tires

Is it my imagination, or are narrow rimmed vehicles much better in the snow than wider rimmed vihicles, or is it simply a matter of chassis design? The cars are the same hieght off the ground My little old rice-burnner was much better in the snow than my mid-size GM malibu.

As a matter of fact I need studded snows all the way around to go anywhere in the winter. THATS EXPENSIVE! All-seasons will not cut it at all with this car.

Yep, the narrower tires do much better in the snow and ice. They just sort of cut right through it, while wider tires are spread across more area, meaning you're sitting on even more snow/ice.