We also had a chance to try out the transmission's Winter mode on a side trip to the nearby Mammoth Mountain ski resort. The 16" wheels couldn't get a bite on the icy surface until we engaged the Winter mode. Then the Passport literally walked out of its parking space.
Back on paved (and ice-free) mountain roads the Passport was agile and sure. In radical transient maneuvers the rear-end loses traction before the front-end-just the way it should. The 4-wheel ABS system works as expected and keeps the vehicle straight and true in emergency stops. In fact, the ABS system even works well on rough dirt roads where other systems are lacking. Next Page