2026 Ford Bronco vs. Honda Passport: A Pair of Off-Road-Ready Boxes

• Ford's Bronco is true to its trail-driving roots yet updated enough for modern life.
• While a little more road-focused, the Passport has the dirt-ready look and decent capability, especially in TrailSport trim.
• Which of these boxy SUVs checks all of your boxes?

Edmunds' behind-the-scenes data shows that these two are often cross-shopped, so we've highlighted some of their specs and test results to help prospective buyers choose their fighter. For our purposes, we're going to keep the portal count consistent and ignore the two-door Bronco, and since there's no high-po Passport, the Bronco Raptor is off the table as well.

Power and fuel economy

Ford offers a choice of two turbocharged engines on the standard Bronco, both of which have higher output numbers than the Honda V6. A 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder comes on base, Big Bend, Outer Banks, Badlands and Heritage Edition trims, while the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 is optional in the Outer Banks and Badlands and included on the Stroppe Edition. Buyers can spec a manual transmission on some 2.3-liter configurations, while all other Broncos use a 10-speed automatic. Some form of four-wheel drive is standard across the board.

Regardless of whether you go for one of the off-road-ready TrailSports or the slightly more street-friendly RTL trims, the Passport comes only with a 285-hp V6 mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. A more road-focused all-wheel-drive system is there to prevent the binding and other complications of using a true 4WD system mostly on the road. 

It's not exactly a fair fight when considering engine output alone. Keep in mind, though, that depending on the equipment, the Bronco can be anywhere from about 200 pounds lighter to 1,000 pounds heavier than the Honda, with the Ford generally weighing more. In Edmunds' testing, various non-Raptor Broncos have returned 0 to 60 mph sprints as quick as 7.0 seconds and as slow as 8.4 seconds. The Passport needs 7.9 seconds to hit 60, and while it's spunky enough around town, it can't quite catch its breath when passing at highway speeds.

When it's time to scrub off some speed, it's a different story. In addition to taking a long-ish 146 feet to stop from 60 mph, the Bronco exhibits lots of nosedive due to its soft, high-travel suspension. The Honda, meanwhile, stays poised when you hit the brake pedal, contributing to a more civil on-road demeanor, and it needed just 128 feet to make the same 60 mph stop. 

Interior

On the subject of civility, the Honda's cabin has a much more finished feel. This is due in part to the fact that the Passport's doors and roof are not meant to be removed. The Bronco, meanwhile, can be fitted with either a hardtop, a soft top, or no top at all. The hard roof provides some temperature and sound insulation, while the soft one basically just keeps out the elements.

A note on the interior measurements: There are ranges for both the Bronco and Passport in most metrics; the larger of the Ford's correspond to soft-top models, while the Honda's slightly greater amounts are for the less off-road-y RTL trims. Headroom numbers are pretty similar, while the Passport has a clear win in rear legroom. Honda wins again in cargo volume, and it gets extra points for the security of that cargo since, as we've mentioned, the roof is not meant to be dismantled.

Technology and safety equipment

Both of our contestants feature a pair of screens up front, one for the gauges and a center touchscreen for infotainment duty. Ford's both measure 12 inches, while Honda fits a 10.2-inch driver display and a 12.3-inch touchscreen. Ford's Sync 4 is starting to feel a bit long in the tooth but still gets the job done with minimal fuss. Honda's latest infotainment software is Google-based, simple to navigate, and quick to respond to inputs. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on both SUVs. To power your digital life, Ford offers up to six USB ports, while Honda includes four USB-Cs and a wireless charging pad.

Ford and Honda take different approaches to safety tech. The Passport comes with everything in the Honda Sensing bag of tricks from the start, including forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking with pedestrian detection, road departure mitigation, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, traffic sign recognition, traffic jam assist, blind-spot warning, cross-traffic monitoring, and parking sensors front and rear.

Ford only includes a few things standard in its Co-Pilot 360 suite — forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and post-collision braking — and then offers additional features in packages on upper trims. Those include blind-spot warning, cross-traffic alert and lane keeping assistance. Adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera system are available as part of the Lux package that's optional on midtier trims and standard toward the top of the range.

Trims and pricing

The barest of bare-bones four-door Broncos — we're talking soft top, manual transmission, open rear differential, single-zone manual climate control — runs $42,490, including a $1,995 destination charge. From that starting point, there are a slew of trims, configurations, and options to select from, which can quickly drive the price up. The Stroppe Edition starts at $71,990 before any options.

Honda charges a minimum of $46,445 (with a $1,495 destination charge) for the Passport RTL, and it comes with a lot more standard equipment than the Bronco. At the tippy top of the Passport range is the TrailSport Elite Blackout at $55,345, destination fee inclusive.

The Passport is the better value overall and easier to live with day to day. But if you plan to do some serious off-roading — or just want the look and capability if you were to choose to leave pavement — the Bronco has the clear edge. Before you choose, though, consider how likely you are to find yourself on a challenging trail and choose your tool wisely.