Had some real bad snow up here in NY overnight. Overall I was pleased with the 05 X's performance & gas milage.

The X handles itself real well in the snow. The only thing that bugged me was the VDC. If your used to driving a 4X4, your normal driving responses will be overtaken here & there by the computer. It's a little unnerving when your instinctive responses dont match the results you get. When I turned off the VDC, it behaved like a normal 4X4.

For inexperienced drivers, VDC is probably a Godsend. For me it felt more "real" with it off.

I have a 05 with VDC and sometimes its no fun you are right. We have been getting dumped on here in the rockies. I am a new 4x4 owner and you are right I have to leave it in 2 and shut the VDC off to have any fun!!! But I am learning. :cool:

Thanks for the heads up. I drive 4X4 pickups in the Wyoming oilfield all year 'round, including winter and have become quite used to the way snow, ice and mud shape 4X4 travel. A change now would be a bit interesting. I bought my X (2005 S - I will put my own ammenities in later) Saturday and have yet to take it into any 4-wheeling type of situations. That will come later this month as I travel to Lake Tahoe for X-mas.

XC

Thanks for the heads up. I drive 4X4 pickups in the Wyoming oilfield all year 'round, including winter and have become quite used to the way snow, ice and mud shape 4X4 travel. A change now would be a bit interesting. I bought my X (2005 S - I will put my own ammenities in later) Saturday and have yet to take it into any 4-wheeling type of situations. That will come later this month as I travel to Lake Tahoe for X-mas.

XC

No need to worry. The 05 SE is the only one that has VDC. The 05 S doesnt. Even so, theres a button to disable VDC if you want, but, the default is "on" everytime you start the car.

The 05 S does come with a option on the VDC because I have it! I have a loaded S with everything except the radio, and the controls are on the steering colume. And the SE has a better suspension. Thats it, everything else is the same. For 6,000$ cheaper. I love it.

The 05 S does come with a option on the VDC because I have it! I have a loaded S with everything except the radio, and the controls are on the steering colume. And the SE has a better suspension. Thats it, everything else is the same. For 6,000$ cheaper. I love it.

Hmmm, thats interesting... If you dont mind me asking, what did you pay for it? I paid $25K out the door for the SE...

My S also has the VDC option. I am finally home long enough to go play in the snow with it. Heading for the mountains, will come back with snow pics or at least a good story (pronounced "lie"). At any rate, back in a while.

XC

I finally got to play with my X in the snow. Not much. SW Wyoming only got a couple of inches. Enough to go out and check traction capabilities with all stock equipment. I was impressed. Boofer is correct about the VDC. Though effective, it really makes it tough to just go out and have some fun. I had to try HARD to get sideways in a parking lot with the VDC on. With it off - much more fun...

Went out and climbed White Mountain (more of a tall bluff near my house - about 500 feet tall or so). The dirt road is not maintained during winter and can be very steep. Some sections are about 15% grade. My X easily took the hills, snow and all. At the top there were about 5 in. of snow.

I tried, knowing the end result before I even started, to crawl up a 30% grade. No dice.

Probably the most annoying thing I could see was that the X is much shorter than any of the other vehicles I have owned for a while, and I can feel it when making steering corrections.

XC

Ya the VDC is a cool option. But it is more fun with it off haha. And I paid about 21,000 for a loaded S. And they threw in a 100,000 miles or 5 year protection plan. At least John Elway was good for something haha (john Elway Nissian).