When Honda resurrected the Passport name a few years ago, it was hailed as Honda’s answer to the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Toyota 4Runner. But is it a direct competitor to those off-road options? Let’s explore. This generation Passport has long sold on its rugged good looks, and for 2024 Honda Passport continues to impress. The core design remains largely unchanged, but there are some notable updates, especially for the Trail Sport trim.
The Trail Sport trim, designed to be more off-road capable, boasts added underbody protection and all-terrain tires as standard. However, the Passport distinguishes itself from the Grand Cherokee and 4Runner with its focus on family-friendly features.
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Measuring slightly shorter in length than its competitors, the 2024 Honda Passport offers significantly more interior space, including ample legroom and cargo capacity. Its boxy profile translates to more headroom and a larger cargo area, making it a practical choice for families on the go.
Safety is a top priority in the 2024 Honda Passport, with a suite of driver-assist technologies standard across all trims. From radar adaptive cruise control to blind-spot monitoring, Honda ensures peace of mind on every journey.
Under the hood, the 2024 Honda Passport retains its powerful 3.5L V6 engine and nine-speed automatic transmission. While some may lament the absence of a 10-speed option, Honda’s improvements to the transmission’s software ensure smooth performance on the road.
Handling is enhanced by the Intelligent Variable Torque Management all-wheel-drive system, providing better traction and control in various conditions. With its ability to distribute power to the rear wheels, the Passport offers a confident driving experience, whether navigating city streets or venturing off-road.
Inside, the 2024 Honda Passport offers a comfortable and versatile cabin, with thoughtful features like power-folding rear seats and ample storage options. While the infotainment system may not be the most cutting-edge, it provides all the essential features, including Smartphone integration and navigation.
Overall, the 2024 Honda Passport strikes a balance between rugged capability and family-friendly practicality. With its refreshed design and enhanced features, it remains a top choice for adventurous families seeking versatility and reliability on the road.
It means that this is an awful lot of fun to drive harder out on your favorite winding Mountain Road. Now, as I’ve noted before, the effect of this system is that you will find yourself going an awful lot faster uphill than you will downhill because going downhill; the torque vectoring is not doing anything for you. But this is an incredible all-wheel drive system from a design perspective because of the way this system functions and is laid out.
It also allows the rear axle to have essentially a limited slip mechanical function, something that you don’t find again in a Subaru Outback or a Santa Fe, etc. And you don’t even necessarily find it in every Jeep Grand Cherokee or every 4Runner, even in rear-wheel-drive-based SUVs with a transfer case.
If you don’t get an e-locker in the rear or a limited slip in the rear, it’s going to have an open differential, just like all of those other entries out there, like the Subaru, the Hyundai Santa Fe, etc. And that means that this system is a bit more capable of helping you out in sticky situations. It’s also going to feel more planted on snow, ice, etc.
Now, one thing we don’t know for 2024 is whether or not Honda has improved the cooling for the IVTM4 system. What has been a bit of a complaint in the past, is that yes, you can send a lot of power to the rear, but sometimes it can overheat if you’re challenging that system for long periods. Of course, if you let it cool down, you’re just fine, but that could be a bit of a bummer if you’re in a sticky situation and then you have to wait for your vehicle to cool down a bit.
For most drivers, overheating is not going to be a concern because it’s only going to happen if you’re off-roading for hours and hours and hours and you’re on trails that are a lot more technical than the average Trail you’d be finding at a national park or something like that.
When it comes to the handling score and the ride score, I’m certainly going to give the Passport an A. I think that Honda found the exact right balance for 2024 here. Handling is fantastic, bearing in mind that this is within this category, so 4Runner, Grand Cherokee, Outback, Santa Fe, maybe Sorento, pretty much everything in this mid-sized, mid-priced two-row category. The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is in there as well.
This feels more nimble than average thanks to the lower curb weight, the IVTM4 system, etc., and the fact that it’s a unibody SUV. And that’s certainly not something that we find in the 4Runner. The 4Runner handling ability is very, very old school, let’s say.
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to test the updated Trail Sport trim. It gets revised dampers and, of course, it gets the all-terrain tires, which are likely going to combine to give it a better quality ride on rougher surfaces like this gravel road that we’re on here.
The last time that I drove the Trail Sport that would be the pre-refresh model; I noted that the suspension was just a little bit too firm if you did plan on spending hours and hours on a rougher trail. And that’s certainly something that Honda had us do in that Trail Sport model. After about 2 to 3 hours, my neck was starting to feel the effects of that firmer suspension tune. So that has been revised for 2024.
Back out on the paved road, this Black Edition does an excellent job of soaking up large and small road imperfections, potholes, speed bumps, etc., without the suspension becoming upset. And that’s exactly what you want if you’re out on a fun winding mountain road like this at 50 mph. I measured 70 dB in here, making this a little bit quieter than the last Passport we tested, although I do get a little bit more wind noise through the side glass than I would like.
In terms of fuel economy, over the past 200 miles, we’ve been averaging 20 and a half MPG, which puts this ahead of the 4Runner and most versions of the Grand Cherokee. However, keep in mind that there are some hybrid entries in this segment. We have the plug-in hybrid Grand Cherokee.
It is pretty darn expensive, though. We have a hybrid Santa Fe. We, of course, have a hybrid Highlander as well. The Highlander, yes, it’s a two-row vehicle, but it’s a small third row, so a lot of folks keep that third row folded, and with it down, you’ll get about the same kind of storage space we find back there in the Passport. We, of course, are going to get a new Santa Fe, and it’s going to offer a hybrid system in the US as well.
The bottom line, at least for the moment with the 2024 Honda Passport, is that this is still a solid amount of fun. I know that people have been complaining about this 9-speed automatic transmission for a while, but this is the kind of family hauler where, when the kids are not in the back, you can have a surprising amount of fun out on winding mountain roads like this.
You can certainly drive the 2024 Honda Passport harder than you’d think and an awful lot harder than you’d ever be able to drive a 4Runner on this road surface. Yes, it’s not a rock crawler, it’s not going to do the kind of off-roading that a 4Runner can do, but most folks don’t do that. And if you want extra capability, if you want a lot of fun, and you want something practical reliable, and efficient, then you want to take a look at the Passport.
Honda Passport 2024 Pricing
Still a little bit disappointed that this interior hasn’t had a more thorough refresh. I would have loved to see them integrate a new full LCD instrument cluster and maybe a bigger infotainment system in the center of the dash as well. Since we know to price, we can take a deep dive into the 2024 Honda Passport pricing for 2024.
It’s going to start at $43,372, Moon roof, all of the active safety tech I mentioned earlier, the power hatch, front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats, and seat memory standard in the 2024 Honda Passport. As far as the base model goes, that is a very, very good value. It’s probably the best value in this segment, not the cheapest, but certainly the best value.
From there, we go up to the Trail Sport trim, which is going to be about 33% of the volume. That starts at $48,875, and it’s going to give you the off-road styling and the extra off-road capability that you’d expect. For extra underbody protection, we now get the all-terrain tires standard and the returned off-road suspension for 2024.
I was driving the Black Edition, which is the most expensive version of the 2024 Honda Passport. And at $49,345, it is not inexpensive. I would say we get the extra features like the sunshades, ventilated seats, the heated steering wheel, and the premium audio in that model.
Overview 2024 Honda Passport
Experience the thrill of exploring snowy mountain terrain as we put the 2024 Honda Passport to the ultimate test on Driving Sports. Join us as we uncover the enhanced features and capabilities of this newly updated SUV.
The 2024 Honda Passport has always been renowned as a top-tier two-row family SUV, and the Trail Sport edition takes it a step further with added off-road prowess. In 2024, Honda will bring us an upgraded version of this beloved vehicle, showcasing notable enhancements that elevate its performance on various terrains.
One of the most significant updates lies in its tires. The 2024 Honda Passport boasts General Grabber AT Sport tires, providing superior traction on diverse surfaces. Paired with stunning 18-inch alloy wheels, these all-terrain tires ensure stability and grip, enhancing the vehicle’s capability to tackle challenging landscapes.
Under the hood, the 2024 Honda Passport retains its reliable 3.5L V-6 engine, up to 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with a nine-speed automatic transmission and Honda’s i-vt m4 all-wheel drive system, the Passport Trail Sport maintains impressive efficiency and performance both on and off the road.
As we embark on our snowy mountain adventure, we witness the Trail Sport’s exceptional handling and maneuverability in various conditions. From navigating icy roads to ascending steep inclines, this SUV proves its mettle with confidence and ease.
While the 2024 Honda Passport may lack some of the advanced features found in its larger counterpart, the Pilot, its formidable performance and rugged design make it a formidable contender in its class.
Join us as we push the limits of the 2024 Honda Passport, showcasing its capability to conquer even the most challenging off-road trails. Experience the thrill of exploration and adventure with Honda’s latest offering in the SUV market.
2024 Honda Passport specs and 2024 Honda Passport colors Watch YouTube
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