2026 Honda Passport First Drive: Running 'Round the Rainforest

• A few days both on- and off-road show Honda's new midsize SUV is better than ever.
• The updated TrailSport trim provides better off-road capabilities thanks to all-terrain tires, underbody protection and a revised suspension.
• The 2026 Passport starts at just over $46,000 with destination charges.

Fresh and familiar

The midsize Passport is Honda's second-largest SUV, slotting between the CR-V and Pilot. On paper, the Passport is essentially a Pilot with a few inches chopped out of the middle and no third row. That's hardly a bad thing as the Pilot offers a spacious cabin, smooth powertrain and lots of standard features. The Pilot's third row is one of the smallest in the class, so I'm not exactly missing it in the Passport. It's also fitting that the current Passport owes its origin to another vehicle — the original 1990s Honda Passport was a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo.

The prior Passport was based on the Pilot, too, but for this latest SUV, Honda has done more — at least on the outside — to separate the two models. Where the old Passport looked nearly identical to the Pilot, the new one features boxier and more athletic styling.

Step inside, though, and you'll be hard-pressed to know which SUV you're in — unless you're checking for that third row. The interiors are largely identical, though again, that's a plus for the Passport. Cargo space is good for the class, and storage in the front of the cabin is cleverly designed. There's lots of usable space up front.

The powertrain is all new, too. The Passport still uses a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6, but the new dual-overhead cam design makes a bit more power, up to 285 and 262 lb-ft of torque. The old nine-speed automatic is out, and good riddance. I was never a fan. The old transmission was lazy and too eager to upshift, but the 2026 Passport's 10-speed automatic is smoother and features much better shifting logic.

When the 2026 Passport hits showrooms later this year, Honda will only offer it in three basic flavors: RTL, TrailSport and the loaded TrailSport Elite. Every one comes well equipped, with standard features like a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and all-wheel drive.

With a base price of $46,200, the Passport is a lot more to start with than its rivals, and there's definitely room below the RTL trim for a more affordable version with fewer features. Honda only had TrailSports available for the drive in Puerto Rico.

As the name suggests, the TrailSport is the more rough-and-tumble version of the Passport. This isn't a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco, but the TrailSport provides a bit more capability than the standard crossover. Ground clearance has been increased slightly compared to the RTL thanks to a revised suspension setup. The added ride height improves the Passport's approach, breakover and departure angles, too, making it a bit more maneuverable off-road.

All Passport TrailSports are fitted with 18-inch wheels with 31-inch General Grabber A/T tires. Underneath, the TrailSport gets steel skid plates for the oil pan, transmission and fuel tank. There are recovery points on both ends of the car, just in case you get in a little over your head on the wrong trail.

The rear recovery point is located on the trailer hitch, the latter a first for the Passport. The Passport is rated to tow 5,000 pounds, which is less than the Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Tackling trails

The routes Honda mapped out were around the southeastern side of the island, with dirt paths winding through some of the most diverse greenery I've ever seen. There were some steep grades, but just enough to show off the hill descent control or the strength of the all-wheel-drive system. There was even a short stretch along the beach where I was essentially told to set the drive mode to Sand and gun it.

Most of the time, I had the Passport set in Trail mode. Like similar settings in other SUVs, this one sets the Passport up for optimal driving on unpaved surfaces. There's some torque vectoring going on, subtlety grabbing the front brakes to manage traction. There's no low-range four-wheel drive, but the torque vectoring and all-wheel drive get you pretty far. Honda didn't set up any rock crawling, but the Passport didn't struggle on loose surfaces.

In the warm, humid air, the Passport's V6 felt smooth and strong. If I was at higher elevation in, say, Utah or Colorado, the Honda's naturally aspirated engine might feel a bit wheezy and out of breath compared to 4Runner's turbocharged inline-four, but it had no problem around these trails.

On the rough stuff, Honda had me driving the loaded TrailSport Elite models. In addition to a few extra niceties like full leather upholstery and ventilated front seats, the Elite model includes what Honda calls the TrailWatch camera system. Basically, you can activate the forward-facing camera (part of the Elite's standard surround-view camera system) while driving at low speeds.

It gives you a great view of the road ahead, perfect for managing blind crests or other low-visibility obstacles. There's even an overlay on the screen to show where your tires will line up. It's not unique to Honda, but it's a neat and genuinely useful feature for off-roading.

Iguana crossing

The Passport might have increased its focus on off-road prowess, but that doesn't mean Honda's engineers have skimped on day-to-day usability and comfort on the street. Compared to rivals, the Passport is quieter and more refined. It feels a bit more grown-up, with less wind and road noise and a smoother ride, the latter a boon on roads that have been beaten down and worn away repeatedly over the years by hurricanes.

The Passport feels less like a truck than the 4Runner or Grand Cherokee, with a more compliant ride and less body movement when braking or turning. I was impressed by the brakes, too. The local green iguanas were the size of small dogs, so when one ran right out in front of me on my drive, I chose to hit the brakes rather than leave a smear on the underside of the Passport. I'm sure the skid plate could have handled it, but it would have been a mess to clean up.

The Passport, especially in TrailSport trim, offers a bit more personality and capability than the average crossover. Honda's own CR-V is a solid vehicle in its own right, but it's not exactly oozing charm. The Passport gives you some of that original SUV feel without compromising the gains in daily drivability that have been made over the years.