Honda Passport test drive.

The new Honda Passport is a great-looking SUV. Far nicer than the previous generation, which came out in 2018. And was based on the even older previous generation Honda Pilot

The new design resembles a larger version of the Ford Bronco Sport. And it just looks really good from every angle.

The interior, although very nice as well, looked familiar to me. That’s because it is almost the exact same as the Honda Pilot. (bottom pic). Except for the “Passport” letters below the screen. (a convenient feature in case you forgot what you were driving). While it’s a nice interior, it is too bad Honda couldn’t give the Passport at least its own dashboard design.

Just like in the Pilot, everything is nice and solid. However, don’t expect any personality in here. Or anything really modern. Since the Pilot with the exact same interior is almost 3 years old already…

Just like the larger Pilot, the Honda Passport is trying hard to replace any wood trim with some odd plastic pattern on the doors. Something that is less than successful.

The rear seat is, of course, very roomy. Which makes sense since the Passport and Pilot have the same wheelbase. And the cargo area is huge.

The first thing you notice when you first drive the Passport is its size. While it is about 9 inches shorter than the 7-seater Honda Pilot, it is actually an inch wider. And only an inch and a half narrower than a Chevrolet Tahoe. Which makes it basically very, very wide. Something you feel right away. And something that becomes a pain around town, especially when looking for parking.

The second thing I noticed was how light the steering felt. I mean, again, this is closer to a large GM truck or even a 1970s station wagon than any other Honda models I’ve ever driven. Of course, it’s been a while since I drove the larger Pilot, but this seems much lighter. With zero feel. Switching to the spots model only makes things feel more artificial and not that much better.

The steering feel is actually pretty shocking at first. The strange feeling is also compounded by the extra soft suspension. Which is fairly comfortable, but produces way too much constant head bobbing from side to side.

The best part of the new Passport, like all large Honda models, is the fantastically smooth powertrain. The big 3.5-liter V6/10-speed combo is almost magical. And probably one of the best around at any price. It is almost EV-quiet at all times.

However, that comes with a price. While the new Passport Elite AWD is rated at 18/23 MPG, I was only able to get 14 to 15 around town, trying very hard. And yes, 23/24 was the best I got on the freeway. (Which is worse than the 27 MPG I got with the Pilot).

14city and 23 HWY shouldn’t be acceptable in 2025. I remember renting a big Cadillac sedan with a V8 in the 1990s and getting over 30MPG on the freeway. 23MPG is also what I got many years ago with the Infiniti QX50 and I thought it was bad then.

At around $52,000 for the loaded Elite model, the new Passport isn’t cheap, but the competition isn’t either. A base Chevrolet Tahoe starts at $59,000. A Jeep Grand Cherokee can go well past $65,00 with everything.

The new Honda Passport is a super roomy, great-looking SUV with a newfound off-road personality, powered by an amazing engine. Which is a huge plus over any of its competitors. However, the wobbly ride, one finger steering, and size, unfortunately turns it into a less-than-satisfying daily driver.

In my opinion, the Honda Prologue is a far better choice for the majority of Honda buyers. I’ve read many criticisms about it not being a “real Honda”. And yet, the Prologue feels much closer to what you would expect of a Honda than the new Passport. A nice steering feel and a comfortable, much more settled suspension are key to a much better daily experience. Much cheaper lease payments also help…