2026 Honda Passport TrailSport First Look: A Much-Needed Makeover

• The Honda Passport's redesign focuses on off-road capability.
• Honda's best tech, including a 12.3-inch touchscreen with Google built-in, comes standard.
• Pricing is expected to start in the mid-$40,000s.

An all-new look (finally)

Boxy design is all the rage at the moment. There are obvious examples like the Ford Bronco and Land Rover Defender, but even Lexus and Hyundai are following suit with the GX and Santa Fe SUVs. Now, it's Honda's turn.

Every new Passport features the same blocky styling as the vehicles mentioned above, but it's the off-road-ready TrailSport trim that maxes things out. There are nonfunctional bits like the hood scoop, but most of the Passport’s design is there to work hard off-road. The front fascia has two recovery hooks that can handle double the vehicle’s weight in a situation where it needs to be pulled out. And between them is a thick steel skid plate to protect the SUV's underside while you're out on the trail.

The new TrailSport rocks 31-inch General Grabber all-terrain tires — the largest that Honda has ever fitted to a vehicle — in addition to a wider front and rear track compared to the previous Passport. There isn't any major suspension trickery like what you'll get in a TRD Pro Toyota, but Honda added stronger steel arms and cast iron knuckles up front along with a retuned multilink rear suspension setup. Basically, the Passport is better able to handle rough terrain.

The Passport retains its 3.5-liter V6, which now makes 285 horsepower, a whopping 5-hp increase over the previous model. While the engine itself is largely unchanged, the Passport does get a new 10-speed automatic transmission. The combo sends power to Honda’s new all-wheel-drive system, which can handle more torque at the rear axle and shift side to side to an individual wheel. Translation: The 2026 Passport is better at getting you out of sticky situations.

People can customize this SUV more than ever before thanks to a long list of dealer-installed accessories. Honda showed us just a sampling, but they include custom wheels, rock sliders for extra off-road protection, and a cargo shelf that doubles as a table for when you’re camping (first-gen CR-V, anyone?).

Interior steps up its game

To accompany its fun new exterior, the Passport also shakes things up in the cabin with some big upgrades. There's a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen that comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; this is actually more screen real estate than you get in the larger Honda Pilot. Another nice feature found in the Passport is Google built-in services with maps, voice assistant and the app store to download third-party things like Spotify. We’ve played around with this in the Honda Accord and Civic and came away very impressed.

In the second row, Honda added more legroom compared to the last-generation Passport. Overall, this SUV has a spacious, comfortable rear cabin, with cupholders everywhere and two USB-C ports to charge your phone. The top-spec TrailSport Elite even comes with heated seats in the back. Honda also improved the cargo space, now up to 44 cubic feet with all seats upright. There’s a clever lower cargo area that provides safe storage for smaller items. And for the die-hard off-roaders, you can option a full-size spare tire that fits into the cargo area with straps and remove it once you’re back home.

The new Passport is coming soon

It’s clear that Honda wants a bigger bite of the apple with the new Passport, and the biggest targets all strong competitors. The Subaru Outback Wilderness, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner all offer a similar package for the money. The new Passport stacks up nicely against the group, especially with the strong standard technology that Honda includes on every model. 

Honda will offer three trim levels: RLT, TrailSport and TrailSport Elite. Pricing will start in the mid-$40,000 range, likely sneaking up a few grand from where the current model sits. It will go on sale early next year, and we expect to take our first drive around the same time.