When posing is the new normal, it can be difficult to tell who actually walks the walk. See, while it’s now customary for automakers to give their crossovers a dose of creatine with knobbly tires and extra cladding, many of these efforts skip leg day when it comes to recovery points, skid plates, and differentials. Not the Honda Passport TrailSport. It gets all of those things, so it should be the complete package.
However, big tires and raised ride height can also sort of ruin a car. All-terrain meats are often louder than highway tires, an elevated center of gravity isn’t great for handling, and added metal off-road parts certainly add weight. So, are we looking at a jack-of-all-trades or a mere spreadsheet compromise? After living with the Passport TrailSport for a bit, it might just be the crossover many 4Runner owners actually need.
[Full disclosure: Honda Canada let me borrow this Passport TrailSport Elite Black so long as I kept the shiny side up, washed it, returned it with a full tank of fuel, and reviewed it.]
The Basics
Engine: 3.5-liter naturally aspirated quad-cam V6 with cylinder deactivation and variable valve timing.
Transmission: Ten-speed conventional torque converter automatic.
Drive: Full-time all-wheel-drive with torque-vectoring rear differential.
Output: 285 horsepower at 6,100 RPM, 262 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,000 RPM.
Fuel Economy: 18 MPG city, 23 MPG highway, 20 MPG combined (12.6 L/100km city, 9.9 L/100km highway, 11.4 L/100km combined)
Towing Capacity: 5,000 pounds.
Body Style: Five-door midsize crossover.
Base Price: $49,945 including freight ($58,990 Canadian)
Price As-tested: $55,600 including freight ($64,040 Canadian)
Why Does It Exist?
As the midsize two-row crossover continues to get squeezed by smaller compact offerings (think Toyota RAV4) and larger three-row models (think Kia Telluride), it’s really become a case of adapt or die. Mazda just deleted the third row on a CX-90 and whipped up a CX-70 badge. Hyundai turned the Santa Fe into a sort of right-sized three-row model. Honda? It’s doing something completely different with the Passport TrailSport. This model’s leaning into outdoorsiness, and while plenty of crossovers merely talk the talk, this one gets a limited-slip rear differential and real skid plates, not some flimsy plastic pieces. Our own Brian Silvestro can attest to bashing those skid plates like piñatas with no problems. In essence, Honda’s created something that toes the line between crossover and unibody SUV. For those who spend most of their lives on pavement, that ought to be tempting.
How Does It Look?
My, my, hasn’t Honda crafted a handsome machine? It all starts with a bulldog face featuring amber daytime running lights and the “Passport” name molded into the front bumper. Combined with decidedly square styling, this down-the-road graphic is a bit busy in certain details but comes together to be hugely effective.
Honda’s midsizer cuts a decent silhouette, too. The black graphic over the rear portion of the roof, a bit of wedge to the beltline, and that canted C-pillar give it a smidge of rakishness without compromising practicality. The Passport looks butch without being too macho, so it’s sure to find its fair share of fans.
What About The Interior?
Over the past few years, Honda’s gained a new merit badge by building the sort of interiors Volkswagen used to make. Smart, no-nonsense, well-assembled with soft, tightly-grained materials. The Passport is no exception. Sure, it’s a bit expensive, but it feels it from the clicks of the climate control knobs to the smooth, satin leather on the steering wheel. Even the herringbone trim shows thought.
While a wide console armrest and plenty of phone storage space are nice, the big benefit to a Passport over a CR-V really starts to appear in the rear seat. There’s just an enormous amount of space back here for three adults, from headroom to legroom to hip room. An almost stadium-style seating arrangement ought to mitigate motion sickness, especially when paired with tall windows and a panoramic moonroof. Oh, and it goes without saying that cargo space is huge. You get a massive square area for normal stuff and huge bins on either side for storing smaller items.
How Does It Drive?
In an age of downsizing and turbocharging, the Honda Passport sticks with a traditional naturally aspirated V6. While 285 horsepower should be plenty, Honda’s new midsizer is more than 500 pounds heavier than its predecessor. As a result, even with an extra gear in its automatic transmission, it’s noticeably slower than the old one. Figure zero-to-60 mph in a shade under 7.5 seconds rather than the roughly six-second run the previous Passport could click off. However, there is a tradeoff in the long haul, and I’m not just talking about the eager sound of the somewhat peaky V6: This revised engine uses hydraulic lifters, so you never have to worry about valve adjustment. Score.
Mind you, the engine is only one part of what makes the Passport go. Its all-wheel-drive system can send up to 70 percent of the torque rearward, and then a torque vectoring rear differential can send up to 100 percent of rear axle torque to a single wheel. What this means is that as you hammer down an on-ramp, you get to experience the wizardry of the incredible shrinking Passport. Keep pressure on the skinny pedal, and that clever rear diff overdrives the outside wheel, tucking this big crossover into the corner on throttle as you enjoy pleasantly weighted steering.
That’s a cool party trick, but it’s also just one of the ways in which the Passport is easy to drive. Sure, it rides a bit firm for the segment, but visibility is almost panoramic, the brake pedal’s confident and progressive, and placing this 79.4-inch-wide machine on the road or in a parking spot is surprisingly intuitive. It’s definitely not as svelte as something a size class down, but it’s nowhere near as ponderous as a traditional SUV. The only real weirdness is the button shifter, although even it comes with chimes to let you know that, say, reverse is selected.
Does It Have The Electronic Crap I Want?
As expected, my test unit’s a TrailSport Elite Black means it comes with everything. Google built-in, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, Bose audio, a panoramic moonroof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a full camera suite, a digital instrument cluster, and even little washer nozzles to clean the front and rear cameras. Most of this extensive selection of kit works well, and the heated seats get properly warm, but I did notice a few annoyances.
The advanced driver assistance system suite’s lane-centering is prone to ping-ponging, and the button to cue up the parking cameras is on the end of the wiper stalk, where you’ll never find it. However, the single weirdest design flaw on the Passport is that manually cranking up the heated seat disables the automatic climate control. Strange. Oh, and it’s best to turn off surround sound processing on the Bose system because it sacrifices sound clarity. Still, for the most part, using the Passport is seamless. Three knobs for the climate control, a knob for volume, loads of wonderfully clicky buttons, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Three Things To Know About The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport
- It has real skid plates and a torque-vectoring limited-slip rear differential.
- It’s nearly as wide as an F-150, which means rear seat space is enormous.
- Big plastic bins on either side of the cargo area mean you won’t have to worry about a smashed gallon of milk being absorbed by the carpets.
Does The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Fulfil Its Purpose?
The Honda Passport TrailSport is one of the most compelling bigger two-row crossovers right now. It has enough capability for some light off-roading, it doesn’t sacrifice many—if any—road manners in the process, and it just feels well-made. However, it is a bit expensive. It starts at nearly $50,000, and it’s not alone in the larger crossover field. If you’re looking for something more upscale and road-focused, check out the Mazda CX-70 and CX-90. These twins might not have the off-road chops of the Passport, but they’re more refined, more premium machines. Likewise, if you’re going to be doing serious off-roading, you’ll want something like a Toyota 4Runner. However, the Passport TrailSport is a happy medium, and those who buy it are sure to enjoy it.
What’s The Punctum Of The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport?
Want a 4Runner but your idea of off-roading is the dirt road to the trailhead? Drive one of these first.
Top graphic image: Thomas Hundal
Does the back seat fold down relatively flat so a 6 foot tall person can sleep comfortably in the back?
I’m sorry but that fuel economy is just absolutely atrocious. It’s worse than the outgoing Passport, worse than the body-on-frame 4Runner/LandCruiser. Shoot, it’s about on par with V8 Full-sized pickups.
Nice review, but I want to know how it does in the dirt (and not from some hack publication, I need real Autopian level journalism on this).
Get on in DT’s hands and send him to the mountains.
Head to head, driven to the limits comparison with the Murano cab offroad? Throw the Comanche into the mix as well. That could be fun.
I miss Downsview. Beautiful old Avro and DeHavilland hangers, now filled with an awesome climbing gym and indoor sports hall among lots of other cool businesses.
If you modernised the design of a first gen Ford Escape, this is it.
I get large Bronco Sport vibes.
I think publishing the Pilot and Passport on the same day, several hours apart, while barely acknowledging them as likely substitutes is….confusing.
The mainstream car rags like to pretend they’re completely different, but all I see is a slightly more capable, uglier, less useful, but similarly priced Pilot here. I’ve seen plenty in person and they still give me Bronco Sport vibes. And not in a good way.
I see this as the archetype for the CX-90/70 conundrum: What do we do to make people spend the same (or more) money for essentially the same car?
Sorry for the critique, but I’d definitely love to see more “ignoring the corporate marketing” from a lot of outlets.
The last gen was 100% the CX90/70 issue, even with the shortened rear overhang, but I disagree on these versions. There’s still some overlap where someone may consider both, but I think this is the most compelling version of the large two-row crossover I’ve ever seen. In most other cases I’m left wondering why you would give up the third row, but this isn’t just a Pilot with the rear seats pulled out.
I think they’ve struck a good balance with this round. With focusing the Passport more toward the adventurey theme for now, it seems like the initial model mix has favored the TrailSport Elite which is close to a Pilot Elite but that has 20″ wheels and not the off-road bits so some separation. The other trims run about a grand less for the Passport, both between TrailSports and between RTL Passport vs. AWD EX-L Pilot. I wouldn’t disagree if you said that it seems like it should be a bigger difference, but that difference could increase with ’26 Pilot too. In usability the 3rd row is the only thing it really gives up, cargo space is surprisingly close with PP down about 4 cubic feet seats up/down each vs. the Pilot.
For me, the design looks great at the front and sides, but then falls apart at the rear. It’s everything from the contrasting trim on the rear roof, to the nonsensical taillight design, to P-A-S-S-P-O-R-T embossed ostentatiously across the lower part of the liftgate. And if this doesn’t have separately opening rear glass, it really should.
I wouldn’t say the rear is as disjointed as, say, a modern Subaru, but it’s a miss for me.
I agree on the rear being a bit overdone, and while I really like this car overall it wasn’t until recently I noticed the Passport debossed on the front and in the center console. I could do without both, they’re a bit overdone. And especially now that I’m also noticing the third debossed nameplate in the tailgate…
I love everything about these except the horrific gas mileage, and it sure doesn’t look like a hybrid is coming to save the day. With the Scout and Rivian R2 right around the corner I’m not sure that a Passport will be on my radar anymore when it’s time for my next car. Which is a shame because they’re pretty perfect for me in every other way.
Yikes, that is bad. You’d think it could crack 25 MPG on the highway. Maybe it’s the axle gearing.
18/23 for a crossover is just inexcusable in 2025
A mild counterpoint, but 87 octane is pretty cheap once you figure in the depreciation and insurance on an EV.
But your point stands and I would never buy a car with EPA numbers like that today. Ours is a decade old and makes sense to keep now. But in today’s competive landscape, it’s not helping Honda one bit.
Saw one of these live last week in orange (?) and it was lust at first sight. I like green shade pictured here, but I want mine with the white wheel package. The MPG situation isn’t great, as with all big Hondas, but what the heck, the President wants us to patriotically burn more gas anyway, so just being a good citizen.
To be honest though, the average car buyer today never has been worried about valve adjustments…
Someone told me those might be required along with the TB change on our Honda V6 and I thought they had lost their minds. Then I checked the manual and talked to a couple of indy mechanics. Wow. (to be clear, we passed on spending the extra four figures on it, many people said you’ll normally get a lot of advanced notice from a noisy valvetrain)
Obligatory We love our Pilot comment, as is tradition
Aghast! Are those recovery points on the front????
The “unibody off roader” was nearly perfect as an XJ Cherokee.