My Thoughts Exactly: 2024 Honda Passport TrailSport
The test of an off-road ready vehicle is where you take one from the mall onto the trail without any harm or foul on the vehicle and its driver.
Everybody wants to be an off-roader.
Certainly, off-road ready vehicles look cool. All-terrain tires, lifted suspensions, and additional cladding certainly make a mere SUV right sexy.
The test of an off-road ready vehicle is where you take one from the mall onto the trail without any harm or foul on the vehicle and its driver. For some vehicles, this requires a serious reality check.
The 2024 Honda Passport TrailSport is a vehicle begging for such a test. Let’s take it onto our new off-highway test…
Our new test loop includes a newly re-opened sandy trail that sits north of our Twin Cities base. I was surprised they used sand instead of gravel or the soil beneath it. Sand is a good test ground, as it induces some stability challenges to maintain grip and a “straight line” along the course. It offers minimal elevation, or rutted areas. It is fine because most drivers if SUVs will drive on such trails more than finding extreme courses where articulation and suspension travel is tested to its limits.
Before we discuss the results it’s off-road test, I should tell you more about the 2024 Honda Passport TrailSport.
It rides on the same platform as the Honda Ridgeline and Odyssey. It also built on the same assembly line as these two. What the Passport offers is a shortened, purpose-built SUV with only two rows of seats and a lot of cargo space for activities.
The Passport shares some exterior design elements with the Ridgeline, but with a taller stance. The roofline is long, but with a slope for the glass area. There are no design embellishments that distract the eyes – just a straightforward SUV with off-road intentions.
This TrailSport tester adds more rugged details to the basic Passport package. New for 2024 are a set of standard 18-inch all-terrain tires shod on alloy wheels. Another distinction is a specific standard grille and orange TrailSport badges. In all, it has a look that wants to play outside all of the time.
The interior has a lot of elements from previous model years that still works. Knowing that the Pilot and Ridgeline have moved onto the newer Honda instrument cluster design, the Passport continues to offer a wide digital screen flanked by two analog gauges for fuel and coolant temperature. It still works with the right amount if information you need.
The eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, along with the climate and audio controls, command the center stack. The main center console offers a few controls, including a series of buttons for the nine-speed automatic transmission. Sound is emitted through seven speakers throughout the cabin.
Leather-trimmed seating with contrasting orange stitching and TrailSport logos greet you towards adventure. The front seats are huge, comfortable and supportive. Rear seat space is exceptional. There is a lot of room between the two rows of seats for four adults or a family of five.
What blew my mind was the huge cargo space behind the rear seats. That measures out to 41.2 cubic feet. However, that space expands to a whopping 77.7 cubic feet with the rear seats down. For its size class, that’s massive!
A 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 propels the Passport along the highway and off of it. It also puts down 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine is connected to a nine-speed automatic transmission, along with its i-VTM4 all-wheel drive system and Intelligent Traction Management.
Overall, I found the Passport’s acceleration adequate. Once cruising, it is just fine. However, it does better off the highway, using its Intelligent Traction Management in deliver traction on the sand and dirt course. In turn, I observed a fuel economy average of 23.4 MPG.
The Passport TrailSport’s off-road suspension felt smooth on many surfaces – from broken pavement to that sandy course. Handling and cornering were on the soft side, with some controlled roll through the turns.
Steering was pretty good with solid on-center feel and decent response from the wheel. The turning radius was actually quite decent, with some quick turning in necessary areas. Brakes were fine, with solid pedal action. The Passport yielded average stops in normal and panic situations.
There are three 2024 Honda Passports to choose from, with prices starting at $41,900. This TrailSport tester came with a sticker price of $46,350.
No one should really knock the Honda Passport. It is what it is intended to be – a vehicle that is for playtime. Yet, it is very practical and rides quite well. It can play in a sandbox or dusty trail, however.
If you choose a Honda Passport for your two-row mid-size SUV, get the TrailSport.
DISCLAIMER: Vehicle provided by American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
All photos by Randy Stern