2026 Honda Passport TrailSport: 6 reasons to love it, 3 reasons to think twice

Many were surprised by the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport, with its styling, capability, utility and price. Still, there’s always room for improvement.

JenniferLawrence

Dec 20, 2024 - 11:34

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2026 Honda Passport TrailSport: 6 reasons to love it, 3 reasons to think twice

While many automakers are offering a macho-looking, off-road variant of their soft-road crossovers, the 2025 Honda Passport TrailSport has real capability. Honda doubled down on the family hauler, making it very capable on easy to moderate off-road trails.

Thanks, in part, to its i-VTM4 all-wheel drive (AWD) system, the Honda Passport TrailSport is class-leading in many categories. It carries on with a powerful, non-turbo V6, which some consumers want, and its new, boxy body & rugged swagger didn’t hurt the reintroduction either. The question is: did Honda go far enough?

Reason to love it #1: Adventurous vibes

Honda didn’t just add the meaty 275/60R18 General Grabber all-terrain tires and black off-road 18-inch wheels for good looks. They are quite functional, as are the aluminum skid plates that cover all the vital spots underneath the vehicle.

Speaking of the undersides, given the 8.1 inches of ground clearance, Honda felt more armor would help, and it does. To that end, they made a dealer-installed slider package available that consists of a metal-covered, extruded aluminum rail that sits just underneath the doors. Almost out of sight, this feature can save the platform if the driver gets high-centered on an obstacle.

Reason to love it #2: Excellent powertrain

Despite being mostly a carryover, the 3.5-liter V6 makes 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, a 5-horsepower gain over the previous model’s output. Another increase is its number of transmission gears as the new Passport goes up to a 10-speed over the 9-speed automatic transmission from the previous model.

EPA numbers have not been released yet, although the previous TrailSport was rated at 18 mpg city and 23 mpg highway. Non-TrailSport AWD models get one MPG more, thanks in part to its non-off-road-bias tires. I suspect the new model may match or slightly beat the previous model.

2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite
Honda

Reason to love it #3: Well laid out interior

Aside from the extra Trail Sport badging and less cluttered interior design, the new Trail Sport gets more tech and a roomy interior. Seating comfort is quite good, and there’s tons of headroom. Those seats are covered in a durable leather substitute with a unique orange TrailSport-themed design. You also get 44 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat and 83.5 cu-ft of cargo room with the rear seats folded.

Those who like tech may be pleased with the 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment screen. It also has the “second generation” Trail Watch camera system that helps drivers see obstacles most systems would omit. Offered on the Elite TrailSport package, the system also sets up guide paths to further aid in navigation.

Reason to love it #4: It should be competitively priced

The 2026 Honda Passport will come in three trims: RTL, TrailSport, and TrailSport Elite. Honda says the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport will have a starting price in the “mid $40,000 range.” For comparison, the current Passport TrailSport has a base price of $44,500.

Reason to love it #5: Great utility

Honda wanted the new Passport TrailSport to truly be a companion for those who enjoy adventure. To that end, they added some nifty features to make the crossover even more utilitarian, like a special location in the rear cargo area for a full-size spare, straps, and tie-downs.

The TrailSport has a MOLLE (modular lightweight load-carrying equipment) storage system on the passenger side of the rear cargo area. The roof rack should be able to hold a decent-sized roof-top tent, and there's a matte section of the rear pillar that's resistant to scratching and, thus, an ideal spot for ladders.

Finally, there's a slick nod to Honda's utility past. Early Honda CR-V's had folding tables, and so does the 2026 Passport TrailSport, but only as an option. It's sturdy and blends into the cargo section's floor.

Reason to love it #6: One of the best AWD systems in its class

Honda's i-VTM4 AWD system is one of the best of its kind in any crossover I've tested in this class. Unlike ABS/traction-controlled electric systems that only use braking to force power to another wheel, the i-VTM4 is mechanical too. It's capable of sending 70 percent of the available torque to the rear axle, and up to 100 percent of that power can move side-to-side as needed. It works well off-road and helps on-road driving too.

This is the second generation of the system, which now has a stronger rear drive unit, and is 30 percent faster to respond than the previous system. It now has six drive modes that depend on this system.

These modes are:

Normal: Your standard commuting mode
Sport: Enhanced performance mode - holds gears longer
Econ: Eases up on throttle inputs and other bits for better MPG
Snow: Obviously, a mode for driving on snowy roads
Sand: This is a mode for driving on soft sand
Tow: This vehicle is rated to tow up to 5,000 lbs when properly equipped
Trail: Maximum traction, grip, and throttle control for off-roading

Reason to think twice #1: It looks like a giant Bronco Sport

Bronco Sport? Not a “real” Bronco? Yup, the silhouette of the new, completely redesigned Honda Passport has a very similar shape, albeit larger. I’m not the only one who sees it, either. It’s not ugly or ungainly in the slightest but from the side, there is a real resemblance.

Reason to think twice #2: No hybrid offered

While I am a fan of the V6, I must admit that it isn’t going to be that efficient. Compared to hybrid crossovers and some SUVs (the new Lane Cruiser comes to mind), the former TrailSport was a bit down. Maybe that new 10-speed transmission will help?

In addition, many consumers are seeing the range and MPG benefits of hybrids as a positive. Still, many people also like having an old-school V6 and a real automatic transmission. Only a handful of vehicles in these classes have such a setup.

Reason to think twice #3: Way too low to the ground

For a vehicle with this much traction and AWD capability, it’s a shame that it’s only 8.1 inches off the ground. If you’re serious about heading off-road and you deflate your tires for a wider footprint and extra grip), your ground clearance will be that of most minivans. It’s just too low for taking on tall obstacles.

During my off-road drive and bounding over rough terrain, I bottomed out several times. Fortunately, the skid plates and sliders prevented serious harm to the vehicle. It’s probably why they pushed for more armor, but I would say an additional inch would make some critics happy.

Final thoughts

Still, the whole point is to find a compromise between a daily driver with decent aerodynamics and an off-road vehicle that has enough height to make it over some challenging terrain.

Sure, there is room for improvement, but as it is, the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport is an outstanding compromise between daily utility and off-road capability. It is the best crossover Honda has built thus far, and it makes me curious how the rest of its fleet will evolve following the 2026 Passport.

We should see these in showrooms in the first quarter of 2025.