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Driving Impressions
Obviously, the bread-and-butter of a sport utility vehicle is how it is able to negotiate more harrowing terrain. And in that department, the Passport EX was a pleasure to drive. The large, unitized body was attached over the entire length of the frame, stiffening the overall structure and absorbing the shock of potholes, rocky roads and off-road bumps and dips. When we took it out on a muddy, partly snow-covered field, we were pleasantly jostled as we bounced over and through the dirt mounds, snow banks and icy patches.The variable-assist steering, meanwhile, allowed for one-fingered steering, and one-handed parallel parking, with minimal pressure on the leather-wrapped wheel. The steering made its presence felt when deftly darting in and out of traffic, much to the chagrin of our fellow motorists. A five-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard on all models. An electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive and lockup torque converter is available as an option on the LX and EX models. The overdrive gear improved gas mileage and reduced engine noise at highway speeds. The transmission's winter mode, meanwhile, started out in third gear to prevent wheel-spinning on icy surfaces. The Passport went from 0 to 40 mph in five seconds while in the 4WD mode not sports-car performance, to be sure, but on par with most passenger sedans. And when braking at 30 mph, the Passport came to a secure, controlled stop.
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