All-New, Rugged Honda Passport Starts at $46,200

Honda has given its Passport 2-row midsize SUV a dramatic makeover for the 2026 model year. Long one of the most family-friendly vehicles in its class, the new Passport still has the passenger space and comfort to seem at home in the pickup line at school. But it’s newly made for the trail, too, with chunky hiking-boot looks and a pair of available TrailSport trims built for rock crawling with the Jeeps. The new Passport will start at $46,200 (including a $1,450 destination fee).

Dealers begin selling the 2026 Passport today, making it perhaps the first car from the 2026 model year to appear for sale.

Honda Sticks With V6

Many automakers have switched from V6 engines to turbocharged 4-cylinder engines for midsize vehicles. This requires some mechanical complication but helps them achieve similar engine power with better fuel economy.

Honda hasn’t joined them. The new Passport uses a 3.5-liter V6, putting out 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Power goes through a new 10-speed automatic transmission. Every Passport is all-wheel drive (AWD). Some trim levels get 20 mpg in combined driving, while others get 21.

As you’d expect, it’s one of the more powerful setups in its class, but many rivals beat it on mpg.

Honda says the new Passport should be more engaging to drive than the old one, thanks mostly to much stiffer construction. It carries the second generation of Honda’s torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, which “features a stronger rear drive unit that can handle 40% more torque and provides 30% faster response, optimizing available traction in all driving scenarios. Up to 70% of the engine’s torque can be sent to the rear axle, and 100% of that torque can be distributed to either the left or right rear wheel.”

Broad Shoulders, Matte Black Accents

The old Passport wore the big grille look common to today’s SUVs but didn’t extend the look beyond its grille.

The new one almost looks like a Ford SUV from the early 2000s, so boxy and brawny is its vibe. Honda says backpacks inspired the look. Concentrate on the thick C-pillar, matte black rear roof section, and thicker roof rails, and you can almost see what they mean — this SUV is wearing a daypack.

Vents just above the grille — Honda calls them a “hood scoop,” but there’s no scoop here — add to the sense of a hard-working truck.

More Space, Bigger Storage

The Passport has always been known for its passenger friendliness. That carries over in the 2026 update, with improved legroom for rear-seat passengers. There’s even a shelf for the front passenger.

The phone tray can accommodate two devices. A full tablet can fit inside the center console storage bin.

The driver sees a 10.2-inch digital display. A 12.3-inch central touchscreen handles infotainment functions and runs wireless versions of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

TrailSport Trims Show the New Honda’s Priorities

Honda began issuing rugged TrailSport trim levels of some vehicles three years ago. They’ve grown more capable with every new model. The 2026 Passport gets not one but two.

TrailSport models get “an off-road-tuned suspension, expanded all-wheel drive system capabilities, robust steel underbody skid plates, exposed bright orange heavy-duty recovery hooks, specially-engineered all-terrain tires, and more,” Honda says.

TrailSport Elite models get all that plus “a new TrailWatch camera system, perforated leather seating, and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system.”