Honda has just transformed the Passport SUV. The outgoing model’s bland styling is being replaced with a much more rugged-looking shape.
Just ignore that some of that styling is clearly borrowed from its competitors because the hardware underneath — including an upgraded TrailSport off-roader — is all new.
Tougher Styling Looks Oddly Familiar
The automaker says the design is meant to have a backpack theme. That includes details like the matte-black finish on the back of the roof that lets you lean skis or fishing poles on your SUV without scratching the paint. But to us, it looks like Honda took the side profile of the last-generation Chevrolet Tahoe and mixed it with the nose of the original Nissan Pathfinder.
Just look at that slot above the grille and the four-hole insert inside. Pure Pathfinder, but also very rugged. All of Honda’s images are the TrailSport model, so expect some different inserts on the other versions of this mid-sized crossover.
More importantly than its inspirations, the shorter Passport now has a much different look than its longer sibling, the Honda Pilot. The two are now clearly different vehicles, each with unique styling.
More Cargo Space, Rear Seat Room
The cabin is bigger than last year. Honda says it has more legroom — 1.3 inches more — than last year. It also offers more cargo space, with up to 85.3 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded. With the seats up, it can hold 44 cubic feet, 2.8 more than last year.
The new Passport can hold golf bags laid sideways or a really big stroller. Fold the seats, and it’ll take two mountain bikes with the front wheels removed.
Honda is keeping a V6 in the Passport. The 3.5L V6 is a modified version of the engine in the old model and is the same as the one in the latest Pilot. It makes 285 horsepower, five more than last year, and 262 pound-feet of torque. The 10-speed automatic is new this year.
Like the Pilot, the 2026 Honda Passport has a new AWD system. A new, stronger rear drive unit can handle 40% more torque and respond 40% more quickly. Honda says it can handle 70% of the engine’s 262 pound-feet and send all of that 70% to each of the rear tires as needed.
TrailSport Gets More Trail-Friendly Features
Honda’s off-road TrailSport trim has been upgraded this year. The package was tested in Moab, Glamis, and the Kentucky hills.
The special grade comes with spring rates and shock tuning meant for off-road comfort, and new stabilizer bars designed to improve suspension articulation. The package also includes steel skid plates for the oil pan, transmission, and gas tank. Honda says the beefier plates are strong enough to take the full weight of the SUV crashing down on a rock or similar trail obstacle.
TrailSport Elite, the highest grade, comes with a TrailWatch camera system that automatically turns on the nose camera below 15 miles per hour in the Trail drive mode. It also has new graphics on the center screen to help drivers put their 31-inch General Grabber all-terrain tires in the right spot.
Other new additions include tow hooks that can handle twice the weight of the vehicle — enough strength to make sure they’re actually useful off the beaten path.
Inside 4th-Gen Passport
Inside, Honda has given the driver a standard 10.2-inch digital dash. The Passport also gets a 12.3-inch center screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. All Passports get 60W USB-C ports, and TrailSport models get a pair of 110V power outlets.
Lastly, Honda says it plans to offer more accessories than ever before to help owners get the most out of their SUVs. The list includes cargo shelves, a stowable picnic table, a roof platform, MOLLE storage systems, and skid plates, with more to come.
2026 Honda Passport Availability & Pricing
Expect the 2026 Honda Passport to hit U.S. dealer lots in early 2025. Expect a “starting price in the mid-$40,000s,” with the Trailsport models, of course, demanding a considerable premium over that.
