Off-Road Comparison Test: Honda Passport TrailSport vs. Toyota Land Cruiser

• What's new: We know these two SUVs aren't equal, but we want to see if the Passport TrailSport has any chance of keeping up with the Land Cruiser.
• Why it matters: Extra capability usually costs extra dollars … and that's displayed perfectly by the almost $15,000 price difference between these two. 
• Edmunds says: The Passport impressed us in our four-pack of off-road tests. Was it enough to take down the Toyota? Read on to find out.

The Land Cruiser made mincemeat of the hill, even though it's on a pretty tame set of all-terrain tires. I was able to set my foot at about one-third throttle, and it clambered up, sending torque to all the right places regardless of how many wheels were on terra firma.

In the Passport, setting it up was much simpler: Just put it into its Trail driving mode to allow for some slip. Its 3.5-liter V6 sends power to an all-wheel-drive system with brake-based traction control. It also made it up the hill, but with more effort. I had to adjust the throttle more, and it was clear the Passport was struggling for more traction.

We think that for most light off-road excursions, both of these SUVs will be plenty capable. But it was clearly easier for the Land Cruiser to get up the hill.

Test #2: Ziggurat

This is our stand-in for an RTI ramp. Essentially what we have here is a set of large concrete steps that test out the flexibility of each of these suspensions. It also became a way to test clearances, because one of these SUVs ran out of room for its nose and that stopped any further progress up the steps.

The Toyota has a superior approach angle (32 degrees vs. 23 degrees) and more ground clearance (8.7 inches vs. 8.1 inches). Plus, it has that disconnecting front anti-roll bar, though the Passport has thinner stabilizer bars as well to give it added articulation over the less off-road-oriented RTL model.

We measure this test by how far up the steps each SUV makes it before it runs out of clearance or the rear tire lifts off the ground. The Land Cruiser made it up two full steps, while the Passport, because of its lower-hanging nose, only made it up a single step. It's no surprise the Toyota won this test. Because it's built on a truck platform, it allows more wheel travel at each corner.

One thing to watch out for, though, is that the Passport comes with better out-of-the-box underbody protection, with skid plates covering most of the crucial parts underneath, like the engine, transmission and fuel tank. On the Land Cruiser, you'll have to add those on as a dealer option, and that will incur some additional cost. Points to Honda here for better preparation from the factory. 

Test #3: Trail drive

Much of off-roading looks like this: a drive down a trail or a fire road to get to your next destination. This time, the Passport struck back. Its car-based platform makes it much better to drive on pavement and on a dirt road, where the suspension isn't getting overloaded; it's much more comfortable and quiet. Not to mention that its back seat and cargo area offer significantly more space for passengers and cargo.

The Land Cruiser isn't bad by any stretch; it just fails to settle in as smoothly, and its powertrain can feel a bit coarse when the gas engine kicks on. You might think there are a lot of fuel savings to be had, helping tip things the Toyota's way. But even though it has a hybrid powertrain, the fuel economy difference is not as big as you'd think against the V6-powered Honda: 23 mpg vs. 20 mpg combined. Plus, we've found it difficult to match those numbers in the real world in both of these cars.

Test #4: Sandy wash run

We saved my favorite test for last, a fast run through a dried-out riverbed that let us really wind out these engines and see how well the suspensions can handle more dynamic movements.

The Land Cruiser's hybrid powertrain shone here, as it did on the hillclimb. The electric motor produces around 50 horsepower but significantly more torque — 184 lb-ft of the stuff. That gives it an almost 200 lb-ft advantage over the Passport, and it was easier to keep the wheels moving in the Toyota. There wasn't any way to lock the Land Cruiser into a gear, but in its Sand mode, it loves to hold onto gears in the first place.

This responsiveness allowed me to use the throttle and steering wheel to get through the turns quickly, with plenty of sand flung all around. The suspension that felt chattery and unsettled on the trail came to life in the wash as well, absorbing the bigger impacts well.

That set a high bar for the Honda, one that unfortunately the Passport wasn't able to clear. Its V6 was constantly searching for power, even with paddle shifters to help out (and a Sand mode of its own), it was harder to maintain momentum. The suspension was also quickly overwhelmed; large impacts shook the whole cabin, and there was a constant vibration that made me feel like neither the SUV nor I was really enjoying this task. The steering feel was also much worse, and getting the Passport turned in and then straightened again was much more difficult. 

Conclusion

The Land Cruiser took the win in three of the four tests, which wasn't a surprise. But the Passport TrailSport put up a good fight; the only thing it couldn't really complete in the same way was on the ziggurat. As unenjoyable as it was in the sand, it did still get through it.

If your plans include any rock crawling or tougher trails, the Land Cruiser makes sense. But otherwise, if your plans are to use it to go camping or up to the mountains in the winter, the Honda isn't just nicer on the road — it's easier to live with, has a lot more room inside, and (perhaps most importantly) costs about $15,000 less.

My first rule of car buying is to buy what you like. But a close second is to buy what you need.