A crossover may not be everyone’s first choice when it comes to off-roading, but Honda’s TrailSport lineup – CR-V, Passport, and Pilot – promises more capability than one might expect when the path turns muddy. The automaker wants to make it that much easier for its four-wheeling fans to get out and about, so it developed a new app for TrailSport owners that provides real-time vehicle information and social features to make rugged adventures a little bit simpler (and more fun).
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
Segment
Midsize SUV
Auxiliary Gauges Go Digital
The system, called Honda Trail Experience (HTX), is available in the Apple store for iPhone users. Once downloaded, HTX appears as an on-screen icon in the SUV’s CarPlay display, where it connects to the vehicle in question and provides real-time driving data relevant to off-roading. A pitch and roll readout will be one of the more useful functions, and it also calls to mind the gyroscopic inclinometers seen on such old-school trucks as the Mitsubishi Montero and first-generation Toyota 4Runner.
2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Interior Dashboard HTX Vehicle Status DisplayHonda
The app also provides such crucial information as elevation, latitude and longitude, brake pressure, throttle application, steering angle, and engine temperature, helping drivers keep their vehicles healthy when out on a lonely, dusty trail. And since all of the information is app-based and connected to the SUV via CarPlay, owners can suggest additional features directly to Honda’s developers, meaning more functions and readouts could become available in future updates.
A Mobile Content Creator
Since we live in an endlessly digital world, it’s only natural that HTX would also have some social functions built in. Working through the user’s iPhone camera, the app can capture video from the CarPlay screen, then overlay the footage with maps and performance data. And since the TrailSport lineup all comes standard with wireless integration, the phone can be mounted inside or outside the car or even held by a passenger. The app also supports still image capture. Once the footage is all stitched together, it’s exported to your phone’s camera roll, ready to share on TikTok or send to friends and family.
2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Interior Dashboard HTX DisplayHonda
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters
With the advent of ruggedized crossovers like the Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek Edition and Ford Explorer Tremor – to say nothing of the recently re-introduced Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk – it’s probably fair to expect features like these to become more common. Off-roading is a pretty social activity by nature, and having as much data as possible can help improve decision-making out on the trail too.
Related
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All-terrain tires and some tweaked cosmetics don’t provide much improvement, but neither do they spoil what’s already a competent crossover.
That said, those keen on spending days on end out in the wild might be smart to include off-road–specific navigation, like a Garmin Tread device or onX downloadable map. Like the Passport TrailSport itself, the Honda Trail Experience app is probably best suited to less technical adventures and more for fire roads and well-traveled OHV paths.
Source: Honda
