I don't understand why we need such a wide variety of SUVs. I don't mean from different auto makers, but from one company. Honda has two SUVs that are similar in size (Passport and Pilot) yet one (the Pilot) seems larger.
Originally the Passport was a stopgap measure for Honda to get into the SUV market. I think some of us (me) thought when the Pilot was introduced the Passport would be phased out. Yet here it is.
I like the looks of the Passport. It's hard to make a SUV stand out and Honda has accomplished this with the Passport. In a crowded parking lot, with a lot of white SUVs, it was easy to find the Passport.
The Passport isn't all that big, at least not as SUVs go. It is 191.5" long on a wheelbase of 113.6", 79.4" wide, and 73.1" high. I spent some wheel time driving some Sonoma County 2-lanes (beautiful country) and the Passport Trailsport Elite, although definitely not built for the twisties, acquitted itself nicely.
Inside all was calm (I don't think I scared my wife), and comfy. I wouldn't say the seats screamed off-road or race car but they were comfortable and supportive.
The rear seat was the traditional "seats three" but really two will be better. My wife sat in the right rear seat on the highway drive back to our home from Sonoma (she prefers it back there) and I didn't hear any complaints.
There is 44 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seat, and up to 104.4 with the seats folded flat. The Passport, any Passport, can tow up to 5,000 lbs.
The only engine available is Honda's sweet 3.5-liter V6 that puts out 285 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. The power goes out through a 10-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels via Honda's 2nd Gen Intelligent Variable Torque AWD System. Smooth V6 power. Mostly I left the shift program in Economy. I did use Sport a couple of times and the engine/transmission was more aggressive, maybe just a tad too aggressive (the urge to GO was maybe my fault).
The downside of the V6 (and maybe my right foot) was the fuel economy you see on the gauge. EPA rates the Passport Trailsport Elite at 18-mpg in the city, and 23-mpg on highway. Maybe on a good day with a different driver (although I did not drive overly aggressively).
As I say up top, Technology is my nemesis! I know I'm not the most tech savy guy out there but twice technology misfired on my watch. First was a warning that popped up when I put my iPhone on the wireless charger. "Metal object on charger may overheat" or something to that effect. Well the metal object happens to be my iPhone so where am I supposed to put it? But that was just a minor thing.
I pair my phone with just about every car I drive, and I often play my music. This was the only vehicle I have ever had that made me reconnect my phone after turning the Passport off. It was weird, on the list of phones I could see it but when I tried to get the music it said "phone not found." Really annoying.
Like Don Quixote, I keep tilting at windmills. My windmills are gearshifts that try to redefine the traditional PRNDL lever. One lever has devolved into four buttons. Remember K.I.S.S.!
I don't understand auto pricing but it is what it is. The base price for a 2026 Honda Passport Trailsport Elite is $52,450. Three colors - Cyrstal Black Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, and Obsidian Blue Pearl - are no extra cost. Four other colors add $455 to the price. A base Passport RTL starts at $44,750. Prices are from automobiles.honda.com as of August 2, 2025.
If you're in the market for a SUV and you want one with a little attitude, you should check out a Passport. Honda products are known for their longevity so even at the top price a Passport should be a good deal.
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