2026 Honda Passport Preview
The 2026 Passport TrailSport will be Honda’s most rugged SUV ever. Their development team reportedly pushed its “Born Wild” concept to the limit with over 1,500 miles of treks across both California and Nevada, trail testing that ranged from the Moab sand dunes to the Appalachian Mountains. They also took part in October 2024’s Rebelle Rally, a competition in which teams had to navigate challenging terrain without the help of cell service or GPS. When Honda says the 2026 Passport has authentic off-road capability, they mean it.
The Passport will show off a full redesign for model year, 2026 and it will surely stand out from the other Hondas with its backpack-themed design. Its revamped powertrain carries one of the most powerful engines in the segment, and its i-VTM4 all-wheel drive system will boast best-in-class torque vectoring. The Passport’s interior is set to exceed many of its main competitors in passenger room and cargo space, with class-leading utility in its cargo bay, including more underfloor storage. For passenger comfort, Honda not only improved second-row legroom, but its all-new body stabilizing front seats have earned best-in-class comfort. Plus, there are new trim-specific interior designs featuring premium materials and upgraded technologies. Please continue reading to learn more about the ‘26 Passport, which is expected to arrive at Bernardi Honda soon.
Trims, Powertrain, and Performance
Honda has announced three trims for the ‘26 Passport: RTL, TrailSport, and TrailSport Elite. The lineup will be driven by a new 3.5-liter V6 engine and the model’s first-ever 10-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain is projected to generate 285 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque, with a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. All-wheel drive and hill descent control will be standard on all trims, and the intelligent traction management system will have more drive settings than ever before: Tow, Trail, Sport, Snow, Sand, Econ, and Normal. The TrailSport Elite will take off-roading to another level with TrailWatch, an innovative camera system that provides 360-degree views to help the driver avoid hard-to-see obstacles on the path ahead.
Notable Amenities
Honda has already disclosed that the ‘26 Passport will have the most cargo room in the vehicle’s history. Each cabin will have double-tiered storage bins inside the doors, a multipurpose tray in front of the gear shifter, a redesigned center console with more storage space than before, a new passenger-side instrument panel shelf, an expanded underfloor storage compartment behind the second row, and 10 total beverage holders, including six that’ll accommodate 32-ounce water bottles.
The RTL will come with a leather-trimmed interior, heated and power-adjustable front seats, wireless smartphone charging, dual USB ports in the front and second rows, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a power tailgate, shark-gray 18-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires, and matte-black rocker trim and roof spoiler. Although the TrailSport and TrailSport Elite will have separate feature sets, they will reportedly share certain elements, including new orange recovery hooks in front, 18-inch alloy wheels with General Grabber all-terrain tires, a gloss-black grille and exterior trim, amber-colored LED daytime running lights, LED fog lights, metallic silver front and rear skid garnishes, a heated windshield, power-folding side mirrors, and 110-volt power outlets in the center console and cargo area. Both TrailSport trims will be available in two new paint colors: Ash Green Metallic and Sunset Orange.
The TrailSport cabin is expected to have a panoramic sunroof, all-season floor mats, and synthetic leather upholstery with orange contrast stitching and head restraints embroidered with the TrailSport logo. The confirmed features for the TrailSport Elite include perforated leather upholstery with contrasting piping, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, new ambient cabin lighting, rear climate controls, rear door shades, and smart entry.
Active Driving Aids
The most recent press release has stated the redesigned Passport will lead the midsized SUV segment in terms of safety features and performance. This prediction comes courtesy of Honda’s newest Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure, new knee airbags in the front row, a next-generation front passenger airbag, upgraded front-side airbags, and an enhanced version of the Honda Sensing suite. Although complete details are yet to be released, if the outgoing model is any indication, we expect to see a majority of these Honda Sensing features: auto high-beam headlights, the blind-spot information system, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation, forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking, a cross-traffic monitor, adaptive cruise control, and front and rear parking sensors.
Multimedia and Connectivity
Every trim level of the 2026 Honda Passport will come loaded with the newest connectivity features and exciting upgrades, including a 12.3-inch color touchscreen, wireless Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, Google built-in, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Using last season’s model as a benchmark, it should also be outfitted with Bluetooth connectivity, HD Radio, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Finally, Honda has announced that the TrailSport Elite will have an all-new Bose premium audio system with 12 speakers, a subwoofer, SurroundStage digital signal processing, and Bose Centerpoint technology.
