I’m driving a brand-new Honda Passport Trailsport through the jungle of Puerto Rico, and I have the vehicle at such an awkward angle that one of my tires is hanging in the air. The rock obstacle I’m traversing on this particular four-wheel-drive trail is steep and off-camber, forcing the nose of the SUV down and the back right wheel to completely abandon the ground. I’m a “four tires on the ground” kind of driver, so I panic about how expensive rolling this vehicle will be. It still has that new car smell. I also think about the location of the nearest hospital. Typically in this situation, reason would take over and I would let off the gas, roll backward, and attack the obstacle at a safer angle, but a voice coming through my walkie-talkie tells me to trust the vehicle and apply steady pressure to the gas.
Watch: Test Driving the 2026 Honda Passport Trailsport SUV
I do what I’m told, powering through the rock slab (and my discomfort) only to come down smooth and safe on the other side. This is the beauty of the new Honda Passport Trailsport: Like a finely tuned full-suspension mountain bike, it irons out difficult terrain, making off-road trails more approachable for the masses.
This little debacle is part of my two-day test drive of the 2026 Passport Trailsport in Puerto Rico, where I had the opportunity to drive the mid-sized SUV over a variety of terrain, from winding two-lane roads to deep sandy beaches to an off-road course through the jungle designed to show off the vehicle’s adventure prowess. Honda is hoping the Passport Trailsport will win over hardcore fans of the Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Cherokee, and to be honest, the car made a hell of a first impression. Its rugged exterior, comfortable ride, and user-friendly off-road capabilities certainly won me over.
2026 Honda Trailsport Passport Specifications
Price: Starts at $48,450
Power: 285 horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine
Transmission: 10-speed automatic with paddle shifters
MPG: 18 city/23 highway
I am not a rabid off-road enthusiast. I don’t spend my weekends rock crawling through the desert, and my expendable income isn’t earmarked for after-market skid plates and suspension kits. But I do appreciate what a four-wheel-drive vehicle allows me to do. I’ve driven open-aired ATVs on multi-day tours across Utah and Nevada, and spent countless nights camping out of the back of four-wheel-drive vehicles. I’ve owned Jeep Cherokees, Toyota 4Runners, and Nissan Pathfinders. I currently drive an F-150 with an FX4 off-road package that includes a lift and enhanced suspension.
I’ve liked all of these vehicles because they can get me deeper into the backcountry while carrying the gear I need. I like to camp deep in the forest away from the crowds, so I need a vehicle that can handle rough trails. But the truth is, I mostly use my truck for running errands on paved roads around town.
In short, I am the target audience for the new Honda Passport Trailsport—someone who spends 90 percent of my drive time on paved roads, but occasionally wants an SUV that can handle snow, beach driving, and four-wheel-drive trails. Honda’s Trailsport development team says it was designed to be a daily driver that doubles as a gear hauler and off-road workhorse. Honda is touting the Passport Trailsport as their most capable off-road vehicle to date. It’s also damn pretty to look at and a super comfortable ride.
Off-Road Performance
Honda gave the Trailsport plenty of power with a standard V-6 engine and enhanced off-road capability with a new front and rear suspension system with increased lateral stiffness and forged-steel arms; the all-wheel-drive system also boasts 40 percent more torque than previous models. The Trailsport also has 8.4 inches of clearance, about a quarter inch more than the previous model, that’s maximized by a front overhang that is set back to increase clearance on steep terrain. The undercarriage has beefy protection from ground contact thanks to steel-armored plates protecting the fuel tank, transmission, and oil pan. Wide, 18-inch all-terrain tires (the biggest tires Honda has ever used on an SUV) and front and rear recovery hooks round out the standard off-road package.
I drove this vehicle across terrain that I normally would not attempt in any of the four-wheel-drive vehicles I have owned in the past, navigating a jungle course and trails through rock, off-camber angles, steep ascents and descents, and deep sand, all of which tested my own off-road skills. I think I was cantilevered with a wheel in the air more often during my two-hour jungle drive than in my entire adult life. And the Trailsport not only outperformed my expectations, but did so in total comfort, and with a user interface that is intuitive, even if you don’t have much experience driving off-road.
Simply use a button to choose which off-road mode you want (Trail, Sand, Snow, Mud), all of which calibrate the suspension and torque based on the conditions. For instance, if you’re in Trail Mode, which is the general four-wheel-drive setting, and you lose contact with the ground on one or more tires, 75 percent of the torque will be sent to the wheels that are still in contact with the ground; the system maintains 25 percent of potential torque on the airborne wheels, so there’s an immediate transfer of power once ground contact is regained. This is what allows you to carefully throttle through certain obstacles.
And while you’re in Trail Mode, the Trail Watch camera system is activated on the 12.5-inch touch screen, engaging four cameras so you have a complete view of what’s around your vehicle while you’re navigating the trail. This enhanced view gives uneasy drivers more confidence that they’re keeping their vehicle safely on the trail and allows them to see obstacles that might be hidden from their natural point of view. Gauges on the dash track your elevation, pitch, and rollover status on the driver display so you can keep an eye on key factors that keep you safe in rough terrain.
I also really liked the Downhill Descent feature: Click a button on super steep terrain and the Trailsport goes into “autopilot,” maintaining your speed on the downhill. A similar Brake Stop feature will keep you from sliding backwards on steep ascents.
None of this is ground-breaking technology, but the fact that it all comes standard in the Passport Trailsport is incredibly enticing, especially to a casual off-road enthusiast who isn’t quite sure what features he/she should add on to their purchase.
On-Road Comfort
That’s not to say the Trailsport is only an off-road workhorse. The truth is, most people that buy this SUV won’t test its limits the way I did in Puerto Rico. It is an easy, comfortable car to drive, whether you’re heading deep into the desert or taking kids to their Saturday soccer game. The cabin is plush, with synthetic leather seats that wipe clean, a panoramic roof that comes standard, and lots of easy-to-navigate tech with a large touchscreen as the infotainment hub. The seats are heated and there’s even a built-in wireless phone charger in the front console.
Cargo space is off the charts, too, thanks to the almost 84-cubic-feet of hauling space when the second row seats are folded down. That means you can fit two adult mountain bikes inside the vehicle. There’s also under-floor-storage that holds a spare, and is big enough for folded camping chairs or other camping gear even with the spare stored inside. Large side storage bins add dedicated spots for smaller items too. Even the cupholders between the two front seats are big—large enough to fit 32-ounce Nalgene and Hydroflask bottles.
One of my favorite details is that every model of the Passport Trailsport comes standard with all-season rubber floor mats, which is typically my first purchase after I get a vehicle.
Adventure Ready
Honda also created a new line of accessories that can be added at the factory or dealership, giving you a handful of packages that enhance certain aspects of the vehicle. There’s a Pet Package that includes seat covers and a separation barrier, and a Tow Package that adds a trailer hitch, hitch harness, and ball mount. My favorite is the Trailsport Adventure Package, which includes a platform roof rack, Molle storage panels in the trunk, a rear LED cargo light, and a cargo shelf that increases the hauling capacity in the trunk and can be converted into a picnic table with the screw-on legs that are stored next to the spare tire.
Another cool detail that won me over: There’s a garnish on the tail end of the roof that’s made of a resin material that allows you to lean skis or fly rods against the vehicle without scratching the body.
Final Thoughts on the Honda Passport Trailsport
Honda built the Trailsport to compete with the Toyota 4Runner, in hopes of gaining some die-hard 4Runner fans with its combination of off-road prowess and top-of-the-line styling. Normally, I’d say there is no chance that a new SUV would win the hearts of 4Runner devotees because of their cult-like enthusiasm for that rig (I say that as a card-carrying cult member myself). But I know that a lot of 4Runner fans are upset that Toyota has abandoned the V-6 for a 4-cylinder turbo engine, so I think there’s a window for Honda to pick up some ground in the mid-sized SUV category.
My two-day test drive of the Passport Trailsport was a winning experience, and if I were in the market for a new SUV, this would be at the top of my list. But the Trailsport is not perfect, at least not for my personal requirements. First and foremost, Honda is not producing a hybrid version of the Passport Trailsport. I want my vehicle to do three things: take me into the backcountry, carry my gear, and do as little environmental damage as possible. Hybrids and electric vehicles aren’t a silver bullet, but I do believe they’re a step in the right direction, and I think my next vehicle will be a hybrid (if not fully electric). That’s a personal preference, and I’m sure many will disagree with me in the comments.
Another thing to consider: the Passport Trailsport only has two rows of seats. This is less of an issue for me now that my kids are driving their own vehicles, but I know plenty of people who simply will not buy an SUV that doesn’t have third-row-seating. That’s a non-starter for them.
But the Honda Passport Trailsport is a badass vehicle. It will take you deep into the backcountry, handling a variety of terrain along the way. And with its superior cargo space and smart accessories, it will carry the gear you want to use once you reach your destination. And isn’t that exactly what we all want from an off-road vehicle?
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The post How Rugged Is the New Honda Passport? I Drove One Through the Jungle to Find Out. appeared first on Outside Online.
