Text by John Biel
2022 Honda Passport Trailsport
Specs
Class: Midsize Crossover/SUV
Miles Driven: 533
Fuel Used: 28.4 gallons
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Comfort | A |
| Power and Performance | B+ |
| Fit and Finish | B+ |
| Fuel Economy | B- |
| Value | A- |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup. | |
| Big & Tall Comfort | |
| Big Guy | A |
| Tall Guy | A |
| Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 280-hp 3.5 liter |
| Engine Type | V6 |
| Transmission | 9-speed automatic |
| Drive Wheels | All-wheel drive |
Real-world fuel economy: 18.8 mpg
Driving mix: 40% city, 60% highway
EPA-estimated fuel economy: 19/24/21 (mpg city/highway/combined)
Fuel type: Regular gasoline
Base price: $42,470 (not including $1225 destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Platinum White Pearl paint ($395)
Price as tested: $44,090
Pros and Cons
The great: Extra-spacious cabin for a 5-passenger midsize SUV–roomy for both passengers and cargo; satisfying V6 powertrain
The good: Fashionably adventurous looks in Trailsport trim; pleasant ride and handling
The not so good: Our observed fuel economy fell short of EPA estimates; Trailsport model doesn’t add any significant off-roading upgrades
More Passport price and availability information
Review
Get “Shorty.” That’s either the title of a 1995 John Travolta gangster comedy or it’s Honda’s advice to people seeking an off-road-oriented midsize sport-utility vehicle.
Shorty—in the second instance—would be the Passport, the bobtailed 2-row version of the Honda Pilot that came out for 2019. In a model roster that has been shaken up for 2022, Passport welcomes a new midlevel version called TrailSport that’s designed to better foster the image Honda wants the vehicle to have among off-the-beaten-path drivers.
Changes
Barely altered from one year to the next in its first three seasons on the market, the Passport gets freshened frontal styling for ’22. It also goes from four trim levels to three. The former base Sport and second-from-top Touring have been axed, leaving the EX-L as the new entry-level Passport (and the only one available with front-wheel drive). TrailSport steps in between the EX-L and the Elite at a starting price of $43,695, including delivery. Only Platinum White Peal paint pushed the full cost of the TrailSport tested by Consumer Guide to $44,090.
Standard Equipment
Set them up side by side and it’s clear that the TrailSport is equipped very much like one or the other of its running mates—or sometimes both. The greatest functional difference for the new model is its footwear, 245/60R18 all-season tires with taller sidewalls than the 265/45R20 rubber on the other two Passports. (There’s no difference in ground clearance; the underside of every AWD Passport is a maximum 8.1 inches from terra firma. The TrailSport’s track width of 67.1 inches front and rear is 0.4 inch wider than the others.) Just about anything you can do in a TrailSport you ought to be able to do in any Passport, except maybe connect to the Internet, enjoy your tunes to their fullest, or open the tailgate with your hands in your pockets—a Wi-Fi hotspot, 10-speaker premium audio, and hands-free liftgate are Elite-only items.
TrailSport
Indeed, everything else that’s specific to the TrailSport is mostly for looks. There’s a gray finish to the 18-inch alloy wheels, grille, and bumper skid garnish. Black-edged orange nameplate badges appear on the grille and tailgate. Inside, TrailSport logos appear on the heftier all-season floor mats and on the front headrests, where they’re stitched in the same orange thread that runs through the seats, armrests, and steering-wheel wrap. Cabin ambient lighting is orange too. Honda considers TrailSport a “halo” vehicle for its family of light trucks and we can guess what color that ethereal ring must be.
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As more of a trim level than a specialized model, the TrailSport marks the point where certain things become standard, including roof rails, LED fog lights, power-folding side mirrors, navigation, a 115-volt power outlet at the back of the console, and rear-door sun shades. Every Passport comes equipped with leather upholstery; heated, power-adjustable front seats with driver’s-seat memory; leather-wrapped steering wheel; push-button starting; cruise control; 8-inch infotainment touchscreen; Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration; front and rear USB charging ports; satellite and HD radio; wireless charging; tri-zone automatic climate control; remote keyless entry; LED headlights; and a power moonroof. Also found across the board is the Honda Sensing suite of safety features.
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Engines
Given the consistency of the current-generation Passport, we weren’t surprised to find that in everyday use the TrailSport behaved much like the Elite we tested in 2019. They had the same 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and 9-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle is peppy on the street and cruises smoothly in expressway driving, even if the transmission can be a touch slow to kick down when speed is needed. EPA fuel-economy estimates remain 19 mpg in city driving, 24 mpg in highway use, and 21 combined. With the TrailSport, this driver logged 18.9 mpg after a run of 118.2 miles that included 66 percent city-style operation—a good 1.5 mpg worse than he did in the ’19 Elite under similar conditions. The automatic stop/start system works with subtlety.
Ride and Handling
The TrailSport’s specific tires exacted no penalty on ride comfort or handling ease, both of which are well-attuned to day-in/day-out commuting. There is a modicum of cornering lean—hardly distressing—and the trim exterior dimensions (6.2 inches shorter than the 3-row Pilot) make for good maneuverability. Though we didn’t need anything but “Normal” mode during our test, the AWD system includes “Snow,” “Mud,” and “Sand” settings that match power delivery to surface conditions.
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Room and Comfort
For the class, the Passport cabin feels wide and airy, with good driver vision. A nearly flat floor opens up the possibility of three adults occupying the rear seat. No matter where they sit, passengers will find lots of leg- and headroom. Seats offer a good level of comfort. Surroundings are sturdy but not stark. The tops of the rear-door panels are textured plastic without any give but the dash, front doors, and all armrests have some padding. Gauges are clustered in a colorful control display. The infotainment touchscreen is easy to program and use; climate controls require repetitive pushes for everything, which isn’t as convenient as dials. For personal-item storage there is a spacious glove box and even bigger console box, plus pouches on the backs of the front seats. Front doors feature a tray under the armrest and a long pocket at the bottom. Eight cup holders stand ready to serve up to five passengers.
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Value
A broad, flat cargo floor accepts loads at bumper height, though it is on the high side. More than 50 cubic feet of space rests behind the second-row seats and capacity about doubles when the 60/40-split seats fold flush with the cargo floor, though there’s a gap where the seat backs pivot. A good-sized bin rests under the load floor.
Honda is crowing about rising sales for the Passport in 2021 and its apparent ability to keep existing brand customers in the fold by offering them something different. With the TrailSport, there’s now another reason to get Shorty.
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2022 Honda Passport Trailsport Gallery
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2022 Honda Passport Trailsport
2022 Honda Passport Trailsport
2022 Honda Passport Trailsport
