Yahoo Autos 2026 Honda Passport Brings Boxy Back and Toughens Up the TrailSport
The 2026 Honda Passport enters its fourth generation with a bigger and boxier design.
Along with a new 285-hp V-6 and 10-speed automatic, the mid-size SUV's off-road-oriented TrailSport treatment has enhanced capabilities.
The new Passport will reach dealerships early next year with a starting price in the mid-$40,000 range.
The original Honda Passport from the early 1990s was the brand's first sport-utility vehicle. It was also a badge-engineered Isuzu Rodeo, but that's beside the point. The point is the Passport helped Honda break into the lucrative SUV market, which has become one of the biggest moneymakers for automakers. Nowadays, pretty much every brand has a mid-size sport-ute to sell you. While the third-generation Honda Passport mostly blended in with the pack, the new fourth generation brings boxy back and boasts a double dose of the off-road-capable TrailSport trim.
Honda Passport, Redesigned
For 2026, the Passport is bigger and boxier than ever, with its redesign following the same blueprint as the three-row Honda Pilot. Both SUVs share a new platform that Honda says makes the Passport notably stiffer than before. Its lateral rigidity has increased by 72 percent up front, and its rear torsional rigidity is up 50 percent. Its wheelbase has also been stretched 2.9 inches to 113.8, matching the Pilot. Compared with its predecessor, the new Passport is 1.5 inches longer at 190.6 inches overall, and at 79.5 inches wide and 73.1 inches tall, it has grown by 0.9 inch in both directions. Its front and rear tracks have also been widened 1.2 and 1.5 inches, respectively.
The Passport's growth spurt pairs with a more muscular appearance, giving it legit curb appeal. Every Passport has a bolder face with its name stamped into the front bumper and rear hatch. Roof rails are standard, and there's a matte black rear section—Honda calls this a “backpack” design—that’s supposed to protect the body from scratches if you lean pointy stuff against it. The Passport's hood vent is fake but looks cool nonetheless. Its longer dash-to-axle ratio makes the two-row SUV appear stouter, but it still features a transverse-mounted V-6.
The Passport's naturally aspirated 3.5-liter engine has the same displacement as the previous generation, but it switches to a dual-overhead-cam setup. Not only does the 285-hp V-6 have better packaging, but it's more fuel efficient and produces fewer emissions too. The old nine-speed automatic transmission is replaced by a new 10-speed unit (paddle shifters included). All-wheel drive also remains standard. The system can route the majority of torque to the rear axle, including 100 percent to either wheel, which helps when the other wheel has little to no traction. All Passports also now have standard hill-descent control.
Honda set out to make the new Passport more capable and more refined. It has a new suspension setup with stronger parts, including forged steel control arms and cast-iron knuckles. The Passport's steering column is stiffer and the rack is quicker. The front brake rotors also grow from 12.6 to 13.8 inches and gain larger calipers. Honda also says the brakes resist heat better and the pedal stroke is shorter. To help stifle noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels, the new Passport is stuffed with more sound-deadening materials.
A Nicer Interior and More Features
The new Passport's interior looks like the Pilot's, but that's OK because it no longer looks like its predecessor inside. Gone is the nondescript dashboard design and the cabin's bland materials. The new dash has a simpler layout with clean horizontal lines and a useful storage shelf above the glovebox. A 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster is standard alongside a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has Google Built-In with voice assistant and a plethora of apps. We wish Honda would bring back a physical gear lever instead of the push-button shifter, but at least there are actual buttons for the stereo volume and the HVAC controls.
The cabin materials are markedly better too, with attractive trim that traces the dash and doors. Leather-trimmed seats are standard on the entry-level Passport, but the rest feature a synthetic leather material that's easy to clean. Honda says the back seat has an extra 1.3 inches of legroom, and when we sat back there, it felt appropriately roomy. There's also more room behind the second-row seats, with cargo space growing from 41 to 44 cubic feet. When those seats are folded down, the cargo area grows to 84 cubes (up from 78). There's a larger bin beneath the floor that holds the temporary spare tire. And in a throwback to old-school SUVs, the Passport is available with a full-size spare that mounts vertically behind the back seats.
The 2026 Honda Passport comes in three trim levels: RTL, TrailSport, and TrailSport Elite. They all have desirable standard features such as a power-operated liftgate, a wireless charging pad, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and an improved suite of driver assists. Adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist have been updated to behave more naturally, especially in traffic jams. Along with the addition of traffic-sign recognition, the blind-spot monitor has a longer range.
A Tale of Two TrailSports
The two TrailSport models are distinguished by their amber daytime running lights and orange-painted front tow hooks, which Honda says can break away in an accident for added safety. The Passport's 18-inch wheels also feature a recessed rim and a sunken valve stem to help protect them from damage. The TrailSport twins trade the RTL's standard all-season rubber for blockier General Grabber A/T Sport all-terrain tires. Sized 275/60R-18, they stand 31 inches tall—over an inch bigger than the previous TrailSport's.
Regardless of the trim level, every Passport has a shorter front overhang with a 23-degree approach angle (nearly 2 degrees more than before). The tailpipes have also been tucked under the rear bumper to better avoid getting crunched. The SUV's trailer hitch lets it tow up to 5000 pounds, and it features integrated recovery points in case the Passport needs to get towed out of trouble. All models have 8.3 inches of ground clearance, but if that's not high enough, the TrailSport and TrailSport Elite have steel skid plates that protect their bellies. Their suspension is also specially set up for trail duty. It features revised spring rates, retuned dampers with different valving, and a thinner front anti-roll bar for better articulation.
The TrailSport Elite has unique wheels, glossy black exterior trim, and some nicer interior materials. The top trim also comes standard with the new TrailWatch camera, which provides four different angles and shows the path of the front wheels. It also automatically turns on at speeds up to 15 mph. The Elite also boosts its desirability with a 12-speaker Bose sound system.
Both TrailSports are available in two exclusive paint colors: Ash Green Metallic and Sunset Orange. Honda also offers a slew of accessories that include an aluminum front scuff plate and robust rock sliders with stainless-steel plating. Cargo accessories include a roof rack and a shelf that transforms into a sturdy picnic table. The 2026 Honda Passport will reach dealerships early next year, and it will have a starting price in the mid-$40,000 range.
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