Power doors for motor vehicles having hold open control systems and methods

A power actuator for controlling motion of a door of a vehicle, the door moveable between an open position and a closed position, the power actuator comprising:

• a drive mechanism operatively coupled to one of the door and a vehicle body of the vehicle for imparting a motion to the door about a pivot axis;
• a geartrain assembly operatively coupled to the drive mechanism;
• and
• an electric motor operatively coupled to the geartrain assembly, wherein the electric motor is configured to control the motion of the door in one of a powered mode in which electrical power is applied thereto and a not powered mode in which the electrical power is not applied thereto, the electric motor configured to move the door about the pivot axis to a partially open position between the open position and the closed position in the powered mode and not move the door about the pivot axis in the not powered mode,
• wherein the pivot axis is selected to ensure the door remains at the partially open position whereat the door does not move towards the open position nor the closed position under an effect of gravity in response to the electric motor being in the not powered mode and the vehicle being on a surface being substantially level.