The Honda Passport Trail Sport is a version of the Honda Passport that is made for off-road driving and outdoor activities. It has special features that help it handle rough terrain better.
Car
Honda TrailSport
The Honda TrailSport is a special version of Honda vehicles that is made to handle off-road conditions better.
i-VTM 4 is a system that helps the car's wheels get the right amount of power to keep them from slipping, especially when driving on slippery or rough surfaces.
Torque vectoring helps cars handle better by sending power to the wheels that need it most, which can make turning and driving on slippery roads easier.
Super Handling All-Wheel Drive is a special system that helps cars handle better by sending power to the wheels that need it, especially when turning. It makes driving feel more stable and controlled.
Traction management is how a car helps keep its tires from slipping on the road. It uses technology to make sure the car stays stable and doesn't lose grip, especially when driving on wet or slippery surfaces.
The Subaru Outback Wilderness is a special version of the Outback that is made for driving on rough roads and trails. It has features that help it go off-road better.
The Kia Sorento X-Pro is a version of the Sorento SUV that is designed to be better for off-road driving. It has more features that help it handle rough terrain.
Unibody construction means that the car's body and frame are made as one piece instead of two separate parts. This helps the car be lighter and use less fuel.
Turbocharged means the engine has a special device that helps it produce more power by pushing in extra air. This makes the car faster and more efficient.
The Honda CR-V is a small SUV that is great for families or anyone who needs extra space. It's known for being dependable and easy to drive, making it a favorite for people who want a vehicle that works well for daily use.
Body-on-frame means the car's body is built separately from its frame, like a truck. This makes it strong and good for carrying heavy things, but it can feel rougher to drive than cars built with a different method.
All-terrain tires are special tires that work well on different types of ground, like roads and dirt. They help cars drive better whether you're on a smooth street or a rough trail.
ADAS means systems in cars that help drivers stay safe and make driving easier. These can include warnings for blind spots and features that help keep the car in its lane.
Adaptive cruise control helps your car keep a safe distance from the car in front of you by automatically changing your speed. If the car ahead slows down, your car will slow down too.
The EPA is a government organization that checks how much fuel cars use and how clean they are for the environment. They give ratings to help people choose more efficient cars.
The Mercury Mariner is a small SUV that was made a while ago and is similar to the Ford Escape. It's designed to be comfortable and easy to drive, but it's not as common today since Mercury is no longer making cars.
Fuel economy tells you how far a car can go on a certain amount of gas. It's usually shown in miles per gallon (MPG), and it's important because it helps you understand how much money you'll spend on fuel.
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You want off-road capability, but no, you're not going to do extreme boulder hopping.
This is the 2026 Honda Passport Trail Sport.
It might be exactly what you need.
I'm going to tell you all about it and not waste your time with good photography.
Watch these on your television.
They look great.
Driving by vehicles parked in driveways these days, most of us are heading to the wilderness.
And yet, campgrounds don't feel it more crowded.
It couldn't be an image thing, could it?
When Honda resurrected the two-row Passport back in 2019, it sold like Patagonia Puffy
Jackets.
The 2026 Passport is new.
For starters, it looks tougher.
The wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer, and the trail sport trim that I'm driving
gets more serious about its off-road mission.
New dedicated recovery points aren't just fashion statements.
In the do not try this at home department, even if you have a crane in the backyard, Honda
wants you to know the hooks can take on twice the weight of the vehicle.
I recommend trail mode.
Passport Trail Sport competed at Mudfest 2025, put on by the Northwest Automotive Press
Association.
According to Honda's Brad Nelson, talk about what trail sport adds.
Whenever you shift into trail mode, you get the trail watch camera.
Then ask yourself, do I need more capability than this?
Off-road tune suspension.
So it allows better articulation.
Trail sport adds impressive underbody protection.
This skid plate defends the oil pan and transmission.
Going by on the right is armor for the fuel tank.
You could put more than the full weight of the vehicle, slam it down on a rock with those
skid plates.
No issue.
Really?
Yes.
OK.
Those are skid plates.
They are serious.
Yes.
Every passport runs with all-wheel drive using Honda's new i-VTM 4 rear differential.
That acts like a locking diff.
Another really good point to make is that we have true torque vectoring where some
manufacturers use brake torque to create a simulated torque vectoring system.
Is that a result of super handling all-wheel drive over the years?
I mean, it's a very similar system, tuned a little bit differently.
For everyday use, kid wrangling and grocery getting, the standard Passport RTX is all
that's needed.
Sadly, it can't be had in elite trim.
First and second trail sport owners might even avoid this kind of a train.
All right, so we can take the severe hill climb?
Oh, of course.
It is a $54,000 SUV after all.
Here we go.
Oh, wow.
Down.
Piece of cake.
Yeah.
Tyres.
Tyres make a big difference.
Yes.
And actually, traction management is a big deal.
We do that really well with our all-wheel drive system.
And if you push your vehicle harder, give me a call.
Sounds like fun.
Passport pricing with destination starts at around $46,000.
This is the trail sport elite MSRP.
This one is 54 grand.
If you're cross shopping and smart shoppers always do, you might look at something like
Kia Soretto X Pro or Subaru Outback Wilderness.
Both of those, like passports, are unibody construction.
If you're thinking about body on frame, maybe Ford Bronco or Toyota 4Runner, you just need
to know your needs.
All passports are powered by a 3.5-liter V6, cranking out 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet
of torque.
Apparently, the most powerful V6 Honda has ever offered in the US.
Notice the tailpipes are up out of harm's way.
Cod swaps are done with a 10-speed transmission, teamed up to Honda's selector.
That always takes me a few days to get used to.
There's a drive mode for every day of the week, sport, tow, and trail are new.
General grabber all-terrain tires with sunken valve stems are mounted to 18-inch wheels that
are recessed, so it's tough for to scuff them on rocks or curbs.
Passport has some capability.
It'll tow up to 5,000 pounds, and it's relatively quick, 0-to-60.
It'll spool up in about seven seconds.
And in a world with more and more turbocharged four-cylinders, this has a V6 that's very smooth,
plus it sounds great.
My ears like that.
Honda Crows, the fourth-generation passport, has the stiffest body structure ever, allowing
engineers to tune the suspension for better dynamics on all surfaces.
Done with TrailSport's off-road tune setup, Passport tracks down the road without micro-corrections.
As tested, it's not as car-like as CR-V, but everyday driving isn't penalized much by the
off-road capability.
This is unibody construction, and it does have a little bit of a trucky feel to it,
It's more pleasant to drive than a body-on-frame truck on a regular basis.
Yes, body-on-frame vehicles have gotten better, but this is superior.
This is what you're going to want to drive every day.
The elevated seating position isn't overly high, and even though 2026 Passports are 2.5
inches longer and nearly an inch wider, it maneuvers urban situations just fine.
The TrailSport Elite that I'm in gets extra sound insulation.
Over the years, I've found that Honda's let a certain amount of road noise in.
This has all-terrain tires, right?
So it's a little surprising that this is as hushed as it is.
I mean, it's not luxury car quiet, but it's pretty good.
Also visibility, excellent.
No real blind spots.
Honda-sensing ADAS features like blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping
assist are up to modern levels, though nothing advanced like supercruise.
I did not try out the automatic emergency braking, probably a good thing.
One thing I almost forgot to mention, the transmission, it's really smooth.
You just don't notice it.
Also smooth, the automatic engine stop-start system.
A lot of times, these are kind of clunky, but Honda has done a really nice job with this.
You hardly notice it, so you'll probably leave it on.
The V6 sure sounds good, but it is on the thirsty side.
The EPA rates the average of the TrailSport at 20 miles per gallon.
That's one less than the standard Passport.
And CR-V hybrid is getting the TrailSport treatment, but this is not available with the hybrid powertrain.
Like the exterior, there's not much outdoorsy cosplay in here.
There are two other colorways if the black cabin isn't your thing.
Brown is particularly fetching.
Want panoramic glass, contrasting stitching, and a heated windshield?
TrailSport is your trim.
Elite adds leather upholstery and venting to the heated seats, plus a very loud Bose sound system, great for scaring off woodland creatures.
There are condominiums that don't have the kind of storage that Passport has, and all of these slots and cubbies are useful.
Even larger vehicles do with less stowage.
Drivers get their information from a 10.2 inch gauge cluster screen that can be rearranged.
The interface on a 12.3 inch display is classic Honda, a simple conservative look with good response.
The home screen can be customized.
This has Google Assistant.
Yes, you do have to pay for a data plan once the trial period is over.
But this works really well.
It allows you to keep your eyes on the road.
You just use natural voice commands.
Hey, tune the radio to AM Band 710.
OK, here's a band 710 on your car radio.
There you go.
Works really well.
I'm going to listen to the Mariners.
They're doing really well this year.
The Mariners, the only team to never go to the World Series, ever.
Physical buttons?
Yes, enough to keep eyes on the road.
The wireless charge pad keeps the phone topped off, even when using battery-sucking wireless
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Lots of room back here.
I'm 5'9", and headroom is epic.
Remember the wheelbase is stretched for 2026.
That means more legroom.
Honda says 1.3 inches.
Knee, leg, and footroom?
Very generous.
Cushions are high enough and long enough for good thigh sports.
And door openings are big, so if you have kids and the car seats that come with them,
they go in and out no sweat.
Same as the front, the doors get lots of storage.
That applies to the seats too.
Pockets on both seat backs?
Yes, but also this one.
I like this a lot.
Loading stuff up onto the roof rack?
This little step helps.
Built-in sunshades?
I've had luxury vehicles that have skipped those.
There's a separate climate zone back here and heated seats on the outboard positions.
Powering up devices should be no problem.
Honda has you covered.
Considering the capability of this, I'm surprised the floor is board-flat.
The big glass roof offers nice ambiance.
It's not too often that I say three adults will fit comfortably in a back seat.
They will in Passport even for longer trips.
It's pretty spacious back here.
The 2026 Passport no longer looks like a pilot with the back lopped off.
Even in Trail Sport trim, Generation 4's styling stands out for its restraint.
OK, all the neighbors will know what you drive, or should see an ophthalmologist if they don't.
I'm specifically talking about cladding.
It is an overwrought plastic armor.
Subaru wilderness.
Trail Sport gets amber LED DRLs and fog lights raised out of harm's way.
Honda calls this area the backpack.
The black material doesn't get scuffed up when skis, fishing poles, or NBA players
lean against it.
Form follows function.
It's kind of a theme with Passport.
The recovery points even get a breakaway feature safer in case of a crash.
Oftentimes, Honda engineers have this unique ability to carve out a maximum amount of space
inside relative to the exterior size of the vehicle.
Great for cargo.
Like the cabin, healthy slots and bins keep things organized, an AC outlet too.
More on this button in a second.
There's storage under here, the spare takes up the rest of the room.
I would like remote seat releases since it's a heck of a reach to drop the backs.
Only everyone will have to go around to the rear doors.
No 40-20-40 split or pass through either.
But the floor is flat and the space is huge, nearly 84 cubic feet.
Even with all the seats loaded with the clan, Passport hauls a lot of kit to the camp
crown or an enormous Costco run.
44 cubic feet translates to 13 packs.
Impressive.
I always bring out an extra, just in case I eyeball wrong.
Remember that button?
Once you push it and you hear the beep, it will close.
But not until you're done loading or unloading.
Watch.
See?
Nothing.
But if I walk away, there you go.
Tires wanting the creature comforts of the elite trim are forced into trail sport, even
if they don't need the skid plates, recovery points, and all-terrain tires.
Some families just want all-wheel drive, a good sound system, and room for the kids.
The new Passport has a lot going for it.
It does have off-road chops, and yet, on pavement, it's pretty docile.
This is where these vehicles are used the most, right?
It's comfortable.
It's relatively quiet.
It's got a great V6 sound.
Unfortunately, it's got V6 fuel economy.
It's a little thirsty, but you know, there are no perfect vehicles.
Honda's new Passport Trail Sport is a Goldilocks SUV.
The size, utility, and on-road comfort versus off-road capability hits the sweet spot.
The conservative look doesn't shout to the neighbors that you're off to the woods.
We should all be so confident with our image.
At Mudfest, the Passport had an optional security cover and shelf that doubles as a table when
legs are attached.
It's 425 bucks.
The first-generation CR-V had something like that.
You all know that Martin Campbell drives while I shoot running footage.
I couldn't do these videos without him, and since you've had a couple hours behind the wheel,
what do you think?
I like it.
For the price point, the amenities is pretty good.
It feels a little more on the truck-y side.
Yeah, it does, especially for a unibody vehicle.
Yeah.
Yeah, but nice.
Nice.
And a good alternative to something like 4Runner or Bronco.
Very much so.
I would prefer this.
I think so.
Me too.
Don't forget to check out Martin's Instagram channel.
He always has loads of detailed shots of the vehicle, edited up with excellent music.
He's also a DJ and makes killer sourdough bread, a renaissance man.
Thinking about buying an SUV?
Check out my Mudfest 2025 video.
Mudfest is a competition put on by the Northwest Automotive Press Association.
It's not a manufacturer's event.
This year, it's 19 journalists looking at 21 different vehicles.
A full comparison, on-road, off-road, capabilities, utility.
You name it.
It's probably the best video I do every year, and one of the least watched because
I think the internet algorithm thinks it's some sort of wrestling match.
Check it out.
Okay?
Thanks.
Hey, you're here at the end.
So I'm assuming you enjoyed the video.
Subscribe to the channel, okay?
I'm on all the major social media platforms, so follow me there.
And if you have a question, leave it in the comments.
Either I will get to you or one of my followers will.
It's become a great community.
Really, check it out.
That's Driven.
I'm Tom Volk.
About this episode
The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport is designed for those seeking off-road capability without extreme demands. With a tougher look and enhanced features like dedicated recovery points and an off-road tuned suspension, it stands out in its class. The episode dives into its performance, including a powerful V6 engine and advanced all-wheel drive system, while also discussing its spacious interior and modern tech features. Comparisons are made to competitors like the Kia Sorento X Pro and Subaru Outback Wilderness, highlighting the Passport's balance of utility and comfort for everyday use.
There are dozens of SUVs to choose from. Some coddle the family at the expense of off-road performance. Others can tackle Moab but punish drivers on the pavement heading there. The new 4th generation Honda Passport TrailSport is the sweet spot, offering traction on tough trails and comfort in the concrete canyons (you know, where most miles are driven). It's not an extreme boulder crawler but in many ways it's the goldilocks SUV. Tom Voelk and Martin Campbell take it on and off road and find it might be the perfect vehicle for family adventures.
