The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Is Tougher Than You Think: First Drive Review

With more buyers seeking solace in the great outdoors, they need vehicles capable of getting them there. That’s why most automakers have taken a ruler and chisel to their beloved family haulers in hopes of capitalizing on those calls for adventure.

The previous Honda Passport started life as a soft and squishy mid-size SUV. Not even in the TrailSport trim could it meet the demands of adventure-seeking buyers. But the new 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport heeds those needs with a bold new look and a bevy of genuine off-road equipment that transforms this former soft-roader into a trail-ready SUV.

Visually, the previous Passport was mostly a blob. But this new one looks damned good. Honda sharpened up its mid-sizer with a tapered shape, yielding a genuinely attractive-looking SUV the likes we haven’t seen out of Honda… maybe ever?

The nearly flat front end is highlighted by a slim upper grille (with a functional shutter) that morphs seamlessly into two rectangular headlight fixtures. Orange daytime running lights—a fun, retro touch—make the Passport look meaner in the rearview mirror, while a larger lower grille accented by a silvery trim piece adds an extra air of toughness.

From the side profile, the Passport is about as shapely as a cardboard box, but the angled C-pillar and rearmost black-painted roof portion help make it look more angular. The roof rack doesn’t hurt, either. The 18-inch wheels fill out the wheel wells nicely, and the Passport’s back-end has strong first-generation Pilot vibes with its vertically oriented tail light fixtures and a nearly flat trunk lid. To make it look more truck-like, Honda stamped “PASSPORT” into the tailgate.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Pros: Handsome Design, Nice To Drive, Genuinely Capable, Roomy

My tester wears a Platinum Pearl White finish, which looks sharp against the darkened silver and black accents. But as a strong proponent of fun colors, Sunset Orange and Ash Green metallic are the way to go.

The interior is simple but likeable. The TrailSport Elite adds fancy leather seats to go with the black-and-orange motif, but I prefer the simplicity of the standard Passport TrailSport’s faux-leather-and-cloth seats and grey cloth accents across the dash.

A 12.3-inch touchscreen graces the center of the dash, and a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster sits just behind the steering wheel. All of the graphics are crisp and the main touchscreen is easy to cycle through thanks to the Google Built-In system, while the digital cluster is highly configurable with a few nifty preset screen options—including a specific off-road setting with roll, pitch, and elevation displays. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, as does a Qi wireless charging pad.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Where so many others have opted for turbocharging or hybridization, Honda sticks with the same naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 engine from last year. With new pistons and cylinder heads, it now makes 285 horsepower—5 additional horsepower—and the same 262 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired to a newer, better 10-speed automatic transmission.

Honda’s commitment to the naturally aspirated V-6 is admirable, I guess, but the new Passport certainly could’ve done with some boost. It’s not the torqueiest engine, especially down low, which means a heavier foot for low-speed obstacles and hammering the throttle at highway speeds. Even at those speeds, you need to keep your foot buried for best results.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Cons: Needs More Torque, Best Stuff Is Optional

The Passport does at least respond quickly to throttle inputs, which makes it easy to modulate at crawling speeds, especially with Honda’s new Trail and Sand off-road modes. Alongside Sport mode, Trail and Sand change the way the accelerator pedal responds depending on each use case. But, most of the credit goes to the new 10-speed for those improved response times.

All-wheel drive is standard across all Passport trims, which is what you want for an off-road-focused SUV, naturally. Clever electronic torque vectoring sends up to 70 percent of power to the rear, and up to 100 percent of power to either of the rear wheels. There’s a noticeable transfer of torque to the tires that need it most when three-wheeling, especially, which helps to quickly get you out of that situation.

The bad news, for fans of efficiency, is that fuel economy actually drops on the Passport TrailSport for 2026. Whereas the previous model was good for 19 miles per gallon city, 24 highway, and 21 combined, the new Passport TrailSport gets just 18 city, 23 highway, and 20 combined.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Not only does the new Passport TrailSport look tougher—it is tougher. Honda touts big improvements in stiffness and a suspension tuned for off-road use in the TrailSport. That gives the Passport much better body control, which means tall rocks and deep ruts that would have undoubtedly unsettled the previous model are barely a challenge for this new one.

The 2026 Passport TrailSport skips over obstacles and uneven terrain with excellent articulation (for a unibody crossover, at least) and a generous 23.0-degree approach angle. Overall ground clearance jumps from 8.1 inches in the previous Passport TrailSport to 8.3 inches here. Another plus.

Because the new Passport’s wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer than its predecessor, the breakover angle is slightly worse (17.3 to 16.7 degrees). Extra overhang also results in a moderately worse departure angle (24.3 to 23.1 degrees). With that, you think it’d be more difficult to maneuver. But in reality, the stiffer chassis means it’s no less nimble than its better-on-paper predecessor, and the new variable-ratio electric power steering makes positioning the Passport’s nose no problem, even in tighter areas of the trail. If anything, the turning radius could be just a titch tighter.

Hill-descent control and brake hold allow the Passport to smoothly attack steep declines, while the top-end TrailSport Elite comes with front- and side-facing cameras that are an absolute must if you hit the trail regularly. For a tall-hooded, wide-bodied mid-sizer like the Passport, those cameras provide a much clearer view of the surroundings. A nifty button on the end of the wiper stalk allows you to quickly cycle through two different views, too.

Standard steel skid plates protect the oil pan, transmission, and gas tank—and they saved my ass on more than one occasion—while the 31-inch all-terrain tires are extra grippy (aired down, in this case). There’s even an exposed heavy-duty tow hook at the front of the car in case you get stuck; it’s painted orange for good measure.

Even with that newfound focus on stiffness and capability, my butt and back were barely sore after two hours of off-roading. The plush leather seats on the Elite trim offer ample support, while Honda fixed one of my biggest gripes with the previous Passport: The seating position. No longer does it feel like you’re propped up too high. The telescoping steering wheel, meanwhile, makes it a breeze to find the ideal driving position.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

On the road, though, there’s definitely some ride harshness—surprising, given how good the suspension is off-road. Maybe it’s the all-terrain tires, maybe it’s the chassis, or maybe it’s Puerto Rico’s jagged pavement; either way, the Passport TrailSport isn’t nearly as plush as the previous model and stiffer still than competitors like the Jeep Grand Cherokee or Nissan Murano.

Dynamically, at least, the Passport rises heads and shoulders above the competition in terms of athleticism. That added rigidity makes it nice and tidy in corners, and the steering is tight but not too heavy. Something that can’t be said of many mid-size SUVs, the Passport is genuinely fun to drive.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

The Passport TrailSport starts at $49,900 with destination, which makes it about $3,000 pricier than its predecessor. No small sum. But when you consider that a similarly equipped Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland costs $58,990 out of the box, the Passport TrailSport doesn’t sound all that bad. And really, there isn’t another competitor that comes close to the Passport TrailSport’s capability.

If you’re simply interested in a 2026 Passport without the TrailSport’s frills, the base RTL model costs a pricier, relative to the segment, $46,200. The Hyundai Santa Fe starts at $35,775, the newest Nissan Murano is $41,860, and the Mazda CX-70 costs. $41,900

Overall, though, the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport truly nails the basics: It looks good, it has a nice interior, and it’s pretty nifty to drive. Tack on off-road capability—which buyers can’t get enough of these days—and Honda has produced another winner. If only the engine were a bit torquier, it’d be perfect.

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Source: Jeff Perez / Motor1