A control system for a vehicle includes an internal vehicle reference model that determines reference states for the vehicle that represent an expected vehicle response, sensors that determine measured states for the vehicle, and a vehicle motion control system that determines desired states for the vehicle. A stability determining module identifies a reference deviation between the reference states and the measured states, identifies a desired deviation between the desired states and measured states, and outputs a command for reducing the reference deviation and the desired deviation. Actuators are operable to reduce the reference deviation and the desired deviation in response to the command.