2019 Honda Passport Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byTravis LangnessReviews Editor

　　Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.

　　

What's new

All-new modelBased on the larger three-row Honda PilotStart of the third Passport generation

　　Automakers occasionally recycle nameplates from the past rather than come up with all-new names. Honda isn't one to dip into its back catalog all that often, but it has done so with the new 2019 Honda Passport.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Honda Passport Sport 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$171/mo  for Passport Sport

　　Passport Sport

　　Sport 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $31,990 MSRPSport 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $33,890 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $36,410 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 9A) (Most Popular) - $38,310 MSRPTouring 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $39,280 MSRPTouring 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $41,180 MSRPElite 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 9A) - $43,680 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　Curiously, this isn't a name bursting with positive equity; the last Honda Passport was a rebadged Isuzu from the 1990s that lasted less than a decade before getting axed. Perhaps Honda figures enough time has passed that few people will remember that trucky SUV. Either that or it knows Americans like comeback stories.

　　Essentially, the reborn Passport is a shorter and taller Honda Pilot, which is certainly a good place to start. The Pilot is one of our favorite three-row crossover SUVs right now. Because it's shorter, the Passport doesn't have a third-row seat like the Pilot does. Instead, it dedicates more interior space for its second-row passengers. Honda also made the Passport a little more off-road capable thanks to a higher ground clearance and better approach and departure angles.

　　Under the hood, the Passport gets the same V6 engine and nine-speed automatic transmission that the Pilot uses. That V6 gives it 5,000 pounds of towing capability and strong unladen acceleration. We've been critical of the Pilot's nine-speed automatic in the past for clunky shifts. But with the Passport, Honda has seemed to have solved most of those issues.

　　The 2019 Honda Passport joins competitive vehicles such as the Ford Edge and new Chevrolet Blazer, which is another blast-from-the-past SUV this year. And among this group, it looks to be very competitive in regards to interior space, features and versatility. Whether you're interested in a vehicle capable of long weekend excursions or just something to comfortably tackle your daily commute, the 2019 Honda Passport is an excellent choice.

　　Notably, we picked the 2019 Passport as one of zzdcar' Best Midsize SUVs for this year.

　　

What's it like to live with?

Want to know even more about the Passport? The zzdcar editorial team acquired a 2019 Honda Passport Touring to determine how this top-rated SUV performed over a full year of ownership. In many ways the Passport exceeded expectations, but there are some flaws to know about if you're considering one for yourself. Read our Best Midsize SUVs to learn more.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

8.1 / 10

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Honda Passport Elite (3.5L V6 | 9-speed automatic | AWD).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	8.1 / 10
Driving	8.0
Comfort	8.0
Interior	8.0
Utility	8.5
Technology	8.0

　　

Driving

8.0

　　With a powerful engine, a transmission that offers full manual control, and above-average handling chops, the Passport is easily a class leader in terms of the on-road driving experience. Its braking performance could stand to be improved a bit. And although it has been designed for better off-road capability, the Passport is still merely average in that metric.

　　

Acceleration

8.0

　　The V6 delivers smooth and punchy acceleration. In zzdcar' instrumented testing, the Passport covered 0-60 mph in 6.8 seconds, which is among the quickest in the class. At full throttle, the nine-speed transmission shifts quickly and efficiently. Steering wheel shift paddles are also on hand to give you manual control.

　　

Braking

7.0

　　The brakes offer a consistent feel and are easy to modulate. Under hard braking, the pedal feels a bit squishy. There's also a fair bit of nosedive that can make sudden stops feel a touch skittish. The Passport needed 126 feet to stop from 60 mph, which is average for a midsize SUV.

　　

Steering

7.5

　　There may not be a lot of feel, but the steering is precise when going around turns and provides stability when cruising on the highway. Like the Honda Pilot, the lane keeping feature — if active — can be intrusive when cornering.

　　

Handling

8.0

　　There's no denying the Passport is a high-riding and heavy SUV. Still, it manages to feel lighter and nimbler than most other rival SUVs. You can make quick lane changes with ease, and it's easy to drive around turns.

　　

Drivability

8.0

　　The Passport easily pulls away from a stop. It delivers power smoothly and the transmission shifts without hesitation. The engine has power from the bottom to the top end of the rpm range. It's one of the best in this class of SUV for drivability.

　　

Off-road

7.0

　　Honda gave the Passport's suspension roughly 1 inch more ground clearance and a shorter rear overhang compared to the Pilot, and that results in a better approach, breakover and departure angles. It lacks specific off-road aids such as hill descent control, but the AWD system's active center and rear differentials help to distribute torque where it's needed.

　　

Comfort

8.0

　　The Passport is spacious and does comfort better than many in the segment. It has a wonderful ride quality, seats that you can spend all day in, a good tri-zone climate control, and available heated and ventilated seats.

　　

Seat comfort

8.5

　　The front seats are wide and plush and provide hours of comfort. The seat height is set a bit higher so there's less height adjustability than in some other SUVs. Lateral bolstering is lacking. The adjustable inboard armrests are great, as is the power lumbar support. The second-row seats are equally comfortable, provide a lot of fore and aft travel, and can recline.

　　

Ride comfort

8.0

　　The Passport has a slightly firmer suspension than the Pilot but sacrifices little ride comfort. It controls large body motions and small, high-frequency bumps equally well. Overall, ride quality is one of the best in the segment.

　　

Noise & vibration

8.0

　　Tire and wind noise is minimal, and the door sealing is very good. Honda's V6 sounds good at high rpm, too. Passengers are insulated from vibrations even over significant surface changes.

　　

Climate control

8.0

　　The tri-zone climate system is easy to control and effective at both heating and cooling. But sometimes it struggles to automatically adjust to maintain a target cabin temperature. The front seats are heated and ventilated, and they remember your last setting. Second-row passengers have their own set of climate control buttons, and they also have seat heaters in the Elite trim.

　　

Interior

8.0

　　The Passport offers a good combination of roominess, visibility and practicality. The driving position feels a bit upright and high, but that's usually what SUV buyers are looking for.

　　

Ease of use

8.0

　　The responsive and vibrant touchscreen infotainment system is easy to use. Having knobs and buttons for other controls and functions is a good thing. The unique push-button-style shifter saves space but takes some getting used to.

　　

Getting in/getting out

7.5

　　The Passport has large door openings and comfortable seating positions that make it easy to enter and exit. Its slightly raised ride height, compared to the Honda Pilot, makes for a pretty negligible difference from a passenger standpoint.

　　

Driving position

8.0

　　Even at its lowest setting, the seat height feels high. We wouldn't say it's uncomfortable, but not everyone will like it. The steering wheel has good tilt adjustment, but some taller drivers might want the column to extend out a bit farther.

　　

Roominess

8.5

　　The interior is airy and provides lots of room in every dimension. Both front and rear seats have good head-, legroom and elbow room for the average occupant. You could even get away with sitting three adults in the back in comfort.

　　

Visibility

8.0

　　The Passport offers useful visibility all around. The multi-angle rearview camera is good but not as good as a 360-degree system that some competitors offer. The front and rear parking sensors come in handy.

　　

Quality

8.5

　　Fit and finish is the hallmark of Honda, and the Passport is no different. The materials and assembly quality are high for a non-luxury vehicle. The soft-touch plastics on the dash combined with high-gloss black trim and matte-finish secondary controls look and feel good. The panel gaps are small and even.

　　

Utility

8.5

　　The Passport is an extremely useful SUV for hauling stuff. The abundant cargo area and multitude of interior storage bins come in handy for just about any use you'll have.

　　

Small-item storage

9.0

　　The Passport has large door pockets, decent-size cupholders, a configurable small-item storage within the center console, and an abundance of shelves and cubbies. You will be hard-pressed to fill them all. There's a place for all personal items and then some.

　　

Cargo space

8.0

　　The Passport is only bested by the Toyota 4Runner in cargo capacity, and by a small margin. It has ample amounts of space for cargo: 41.2 cubic feet behind the second row and a max volume of about 77.9 cubic feet. The load height, however, is on the higher side.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

8.0

　　There's a good amount of space for car seat installations in the second row. LATCH anchor access is easy. The rear tethers are located on the second-row seatbacks.

　　

Towing

7.5

　　Rated at 5,000 pounds, the AWD Passport's towing capacity matches that of most of the class but requires the Honda towing package. Two-wheel-drive versions are limited to 3,500 pounds.

　　

Technology

8.0

　　The Passport is packed with much of the modern technology features one would want. The infotainment touchscreen features a large high-contrast display and is easy to use. Device integration is simple, and there are power ports aplenty. But Honda's adaptive cruise in the Passport can be maddening because it only works above 20 mph.

　　

Audio & navigation

8.0

　　The premium audio system, which is available on Touring trims and up, sounds great, fills the cabin space well, and allows for some pretty flexible sound adjustments. The subwoofer bass output is particularly good. The navigation system responds quickly to pinch and swipe gestures for easy map zooming and rotation. It offers various viewing modes as well.

　　

Smartphone integration

9.0

　　Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard in the Passport and are easy to set up. Two 2.5-amp USBs reside up front: one for data and one for charging. The front row gets a wireless charger and two 12-volt power outlets. Two additional charge-only USB ports and a 115-volt AC outlet are in the second row. HondaLink allows users to connect to the in-cabin Wi-Fi.

　　

Driver aids

7.0

　　The adaptive cruise control only works above 20 mph, making it not useful when you're in traffic, and the system isn't as smooth as others. All the other systems such as the lane keeping assist and blind-spot monitoring work well. The front sonar worked best with objects off to the side and not as well with objects directly in front.

　　

Voice control

7.5

　　The integrated voice controls provide easy-to-follow prompts. The available functions are basic (you can't adjust the climate controls, for instance), but what there is works well. You can also access Siri or Google through the cabin voice control button when your smartphone is plugged in.

　　

Which Passport does zzdcar recommend?

　　The topped-out Passport Elite is certainly the most desirable trim level with its ventilated seats and LED interior lighting, but we recommend most buyers look at the midlevel EX-L first. The EX-L offers all the standard safety equipment of the base Sport trim plus extras such as blind-spot monitoring and heated front seats. The EX-L also gets the Passport's larger 8-inch center screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

　　

2019 Honda Passport models

　　The Passport is available in four trim levels: Sport, EX-L, Touring and Elite. Every Passport comes with Honda's 3.5-liter V6 (280 horsepower, 262 pound-feet of torque) and a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard on the Sport, EX-L and Touring. All-wheel drive is standard on the Elite and optional on the other three trim levels.

　　Standard feature highlights for the Sport include 20-inch wheels, LED headlights, tri-zone automatic climate control, keyless access and ignition, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, Bluetooth, a 5-inch central display and a seven-speaker audio system.

　　In addition to the Sport features, the EX-L adds a power liftgate, a sunroof, leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable front seats, blind-spot monitoring, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, extra USB ports, satellite radio and an upgraded 8-inch touchscreen.

　　The Touring is a bit more comfortable and versatile thanks to features such as heated rear seats, a 10-speaker sound system, a hands-free liftgate, front and rear parking sensors, a 115-volt power outlet and integrated navigation.

　　With pretty much all the equipment the Passport has to offer, the Elite trim adds to the Touring trim level with auto-dimming side mirrors, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, LED interior lighting and a wireless smartphone charging pad.

　　Jump to:Related 2019 Passport articles

　　

2019 Passport Highlights

Trim: SportEX-LTouringEliteSport

　　

Base MSRP	$31,990
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$171/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	41.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles