Americans love their SUVs. And why not? The days of piling your kids, kit, and yeah, even the dog, into a station wagon are long behind us. From coast to coast, U.S. buyers want ride height, cargo volume, and the ability to drive where the pavement ends. But, for those in the two-row, mid-size SUV market, Honda thinks it has your do-everything solution sorted. It’s the 2026 Honda Passport, the brand’s answer to the question of whether a five-seater SUV can turn from sedate family-hauler to blood-pumping off-roader at a moment’s notice.
Base Trim Engine
3.5L V6 Gas
Base Trim Transmission
10-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
285 hp @ 6,100 rpm
Base Trim Torque
262 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
19/25/21 mpg
Make
Honda
Model
Passport
Segment
Midsize SUV
But it’s 2026. Not 2025, not 1974. The Honda Passport has some serious segment competition. Rivals like the Ford Bronco, Toyota Land Cruiser, and Subaru Outback have set the tone for adventurous, single-SUV small family solutions. The Honda Passport, even in 2026, has rivals rethinking things.
The Honda Passport got a full refresh for the 2026 model year, including a styling update, a modest bump in power, a longer, wider footprint, and a torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system.
The 2026 Honda Passport Crushes It Off Road And On
Honda
“The ultimate Honda adventure SUV.” That’s how the Japanese automaker bills its boxy Passport mid-size SUV for 2026. It’s a big claim, but the Honda SUV aims to deliver. For 2026, the model gets a much-needed refresh. Gone are the sober SUV segment styling cues. In their place, the Passport gets a rugged, angular aesthetic; it’s a total transformation. That said, adopting a more cubic look isn’t unique to the mid-size, two-row SUV segment. Just take a look at the Toyota Land Cruiser, Ford Bronco, and Jeep Wrangler. Boxy is in. But the Passport’s updates extend beyond a design refresh. Under the hood, the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 is back, though output rises from 280 horsepower to 285 horsepower. A 10-speed automatic gearbox is also new for the 2026 model year.
Nicole Wakelin/TopSpeed
Dimensions change, too. The 2026 Honda Passport’s wheelbase grew from last year’s 110.9 inches to 113.6. Front and rear track widths grew as well, and the Passport’s ground clearance is taller than last year’s SUV. There’s a reason for the overhauled dimensions. The Passport seeks to pull double duty: a comfortable family SUV on a typical weekday, and a trail-conquering off-roader upon request. To accomplish such a task, Honda gave the squarish mid-sizer an updated all-wheel drive system and a host of trail-going kit, especially at the TrailSport and TrailSport Elite trims. A shortened front overhang increases the Passport’s approach angle, the maximum angle an off-roader can climb without parts like the front bumper making contact with the ground. In short, the 2026 Honda Passport has the most trail-happy segment competition in its sights.
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Updated All-Wheel Drive
Nicole Wakelin/TopSpeed
For 2026, the Honda Passport gets the latest, newly updated version of the i-VTM4 all-wheel drive system. As part of the update, Honda installed a stouter rear drive unit. The automaker says the new AWD setup can tolerate 40% more torque than the first-generation i-VTM4. It also claims that the lighter, stronger rear drive unit is 30% quicker in responsiveness than the previous application. How does this work? The brand says an onboard electric motor drives a set of hydraulic pumps at each of the clutch packs, which in turn are controlled by the system’s ECU. The result? The torque-vectoring AWD setup can send 70% of the 3.5-liter V6’s grunt to the rear end. And all of that redistributed torque can then be further shifted to a left or right wheel. So, go ahead, leave that wheel hanging out while you climb over obstacles.
Honda
The updated 2026 Honda Passport adds seven drive modes to the formula, too. In addition to the Normal, Econ, Snow, and Sand modes, the Passport now offers a Sport mode, a Trail mode, and a dedicated Tow mode. Speaking of towing, the boxy new Passport can tow up to 5,000 pounds, the same as the 2025 model. It has, however, a more robust towing capacity than the Hyundai Santa Fe’s 3,500-pound limit or the Chevrolet Blazer’s 4,500-pound capacity. It’s not quite enough to best the Toyota Land Cruiser and its 6,000-pound maximum capacity, though.
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Prices Start At $46,455
Honda
The new look isn’t the only change for the Honda Passport in 2026. Things get pricier at both ends of the trim sheet for Honda’s resident two-row SUV. At the lower end, the base model Passport RTL starts at $44,750 for 2026, up from the entry-level model’s $43,895 starting price last year. The well-equipped TrailSport bumps the ask up to $49,900, up $3,450 from the previous model year. At the top of the lineup, the Passport TrailSport Elite carries a $53,900 starting price tag. As expected, the Passport keeps things competitive with segment rivals. The four-door Ford Bronco, for instance, starts at $42,490, while the Toyota Land Cruiser demands a substantial $59,095 for the entry-level Land Cruiser 1958 trim.
Nicole Wakelin/TopSpeed
Just under the $50,000 threshold, the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport trim represents the best value in the lineup. It gets a trim-specific suspension setup to bridge the gap between a comfortable daily driver and a capable off-roader. As for other off-road-ready touches, the TrailSport gets a set of skid plates, a four-view camera system, trim-unique 18-inch wheels, and improved ground clearance over the pre-facelift 2025 model. Above the TrailSport, the TrailSport Elite represents the top-of-the-line Passport offering for 2026. Opting for the Elite trim adds posher interior treatments, like ventilated leather front seats, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, rear climate controls, and a heated steering wheel.
2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Specs
Engine
Naturally Aspirated 3.5-Liter V6
Transmission
10-Speed Automatic
Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Horsepower, Torque
285 HP At 6,100 RPM, 262 LB-FT At 5,000 RPM
Cargo Volume
44 Cubic Feet (Behind Second Row)
Curb Weight
4,676 LBS
Towing Capacity
5,000 LBS
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2026 Honda Passport Trailsport HRCHonda
For 2026, the Honda Passport gets a modest power increase. Last year, the Passport’s naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 produced 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The latest model keeps the 3.5-liter mill, but power is up to 285 horsepower. It’s not just enough to outdo its predecessor; it’s enough brawn to outmuscle another segment mainstay: the 2026 Toyota 4Runner. Instead of a naturally aspirated six-cylinder, the 4Runner packs a turbocharged 278-horsepower 2.4-liter inline four good for 278 horsepower.
However, it’s not quite mighty enough to beat the Ford Bronco’s 300-horsepower turbocharged 2.3-liter I4 or 330-horsepower turbo 2.7-liter V6. And, unlike the Bronco, the Passport isn’t available with a manual transmission. The 10-speed automatic, up one gear from last year’s model, is the sole transmission option for the Honda SUV.
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All The Space
Honda
Straightforward and simple is the name of the game in the 2026 Honda Passport’s cabin. Even at the base model, you get leather-trimmed seats. Upgrading to the TrailSport adds easily-cleaned faux leather seats and a panoramic sunroof. As for space, the two-row SUV is accommodating enough for the whole family, with 44 cubic feet of storage behind the second row of seats. Fold those down, and the Passport offers up to 83.8 cubic feet of grocery room. It’s more than enough space for road trips and shopping trips alike, though it’s just shy of the Toyota 4Runner‘s 90.2 cubic feet with the second row stowed.
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The 2026 Honda Passport Kicks Things Up From 2025
Nicole Wakelin/TopSpeed
If beauty is only skin deep, the 2026 Honda Passport has a lot more to brag about than its new look. As part of its update, the Passport is a more capable off-roader than ever before. The Passport is so committed to the tough guy act that it even features a modular light-weight load-carrying equipment (MOLLE) system like you’d find on tactical gear and a campsite-ready removable picnic table. Because, you know, why not? More legroom is part of the equation for 2026, along with a quiet, refined, and understated cabin.
While the Passport’s towing capacity remains the same from the 2025 to 2026 models, the TrailSport gets a standard tow hitch with a seven-pin tow connector and enough pulling power to out-tow its segment competition. In fact, just to prove it was up to the task, Honda suspended three Passports from their recovery points. All three SUVs dangled from a crane, tethered using only the factory recovery point. Though you’re unlikely to go fishing using your Passport as a hook, it’s nice to know the point is stout enough. And with a starting price at $44,750 and a well-equipped TrailSport trim at $49,900, the Passport is competitive in the segment when it comes to affordability, too.
Sources: Honda, CarBuzz, Edmunds
