I just love the Passport’s size and off-road capability. Not everyone needs a clunky SUV with 3 rows of seating, nor another under powered compact crossover that you can’t take off-road. The Passport fits right in between and it’s nice to have decent power and a capable AWD system without having to go premium.
Passport makes no sense. Get the pilot for a couple of grand more with more space and features. The Mazda gives you more power and great engine reliability and off road and 3 row suv. There are other cars in the same segment that do better than this passport and pilot.
Ryan!!! Finally a factory vehicle with some proper tires. All the AWD in the world is useless in the snow and mud without proper tires. Good for Honda!
Great video. I own a 2020 Passport Elite and with winter tires, the thing is an absolute beast in the snow. I was in Lake Tahoe after a major storm driving on roads that Jeeps were getting stuck on. It’s crazy what a great AWD system and some good rubber can do.
Thanks for this real world test! While most Passport owners may not put their vehicle to the challenge, it's nice to see the Honda perform quite well is these not so easy conditions.
We've had our '24 Passport Trailsport for 5 weeks. We traded my wife's 17 yr old blue CR-V for the sky blue Trailsport. I love it already. We went to the Adirondacks last weekend. Dry pavement going, 6" of fresh snow coming home. It handled the snow-white interstate with ease.
I drove a 1968 Ford Station wagon with rear wheel drive and studded snow tires when I got my drivers license in the winter of '76. We had a lot of snow in the Chicago area that winter and I never got stick once, the car was a beast, a snow plow. We didn't have any big hills to drive up and the clearance could have been an issue. But for on road driving, it was a tank. I drive a 2018 Ridgeline today and love the AWD system and most things about the vehicle. My daughter who lives in Wisconsin needs a new vehicle and the pilot looks to be the best choice if my Grandsons can fit in the back seats. They are both north of 6' and need leg room.
My dad had the exact same car when I was a kid. Took my driver’s license road test in it. Yes, that car with studded snow tires WAS an absolute BEAST in the snow. It would go ALMOST anywhere…including mud.
Great video, Ryan! Drone shots are amazing btw I agree Honda nailed it - wish it was a next gen model to have the latest tech inside but I do hope they keep the v6 on the next one comes along.
Your timing is impeccable! I just bought a 2024 Passport Trailsport two weeks ago and we are getting snow like crazy out here in Nebraska. I am just now watching your video but I can say mine just goes through about everything (and yes, I did watch TFL overheat the diff on their ranch). I want to add that the oil pan factory skid plate is an optional add on. I bought a used No Lo front skid plate for $80 that I plan to add.
@@luperamos7307 Pilot was 5K more and I just have me and the dog. It’s a bit more vehicle than what I really wanted. I figure a front skid plate and possibly a lift down the road and it will get me to the majority of the locations where I go. Nothing against the Pilot and yeah, I wish Honda would have brought over some its magic but the Passport was the size I was looking for. Kinda that Tahoe vs. Suburban equation.
Different era and made by Isuzu, my '96 Passport was a beast in deep snow. If the frame didn't rust out I would have never gotten rid of it. Starting to get pretty intrigued by the new Passport. Great content.
Five-seater medium-sized SUVs are very rare in the market and this Honda Pilot is a great option, I it just had my hopes that Honda would launch a refreshed version but it's understandable because is not a bigger-seller such as the Pilot, so probably we'll see a new Passport for '25 🤞
We bought a ‘23 Passport to replace our ‘10 pilot this fall & love it! We don’t live in snow country but do get snow & ice occasionally. Good info here
Good video. Would've liked to see how mud mode worked in the snow. I think that mode usually sits between sand and snow modes performance wise. Passport needs a little more ground clearance too.
When I had my Ridgeline, I found mud mode was the best for getting through deep snow (40cm). Snow mode was great for most times when it was a dusting or just covering the road but was too restricting in deeper stuff.
Feels like my price expectations will never recalibrate to the cost of new vehicles. We had 10+ years of inflation in the space of 3 years so I'm still looking at this package and thinking it's a solid 30-35K vehicle but here it is at 47K before on-road costs
I thought the same when I test drove a Passport. It didn't feel like something that would cost that much. Ended up picking up a GX 460 with 19k miles for 41k. Only downside is MPG, which isn't even that bad highway - I've seen 22mpg mostly highway.
@@ShadowBend love the GX460. I was very close to buying a pre-owned one pre-pandemic because they were seriously overlooked and running cheaper than same model year 4-runners. Coulda, woulda, shoulda!
50k out the door for one of these that isnt a PHEV seems really steep for the segment the Passport sits in. Its capable and great in a vacuum, but considering this price point could put you in a TRD off-road package, the passport loses a lot of its luster. Have fun with the cold weather on the way, finally an excuse to bust out the winter coat!
While you have the crosstrek wilderness, I'd love to see a "battle of AWD" video comparing TrailSport vs Wilderness. (And maybe vs Trailhawk vs bronco sport...etc. any unibody AWD "off road" models) Obviously the passport is about 17x larger than the crosstrek, but it'll still be interesting to see how each computer AWD system preform.
I bought a 2023 pilot trailsport because last winter was brutal but this year we only have gotten about an inch so far. I'm excited to drive the pilot in a snow storm because I haven't found a good AWD vehicle since my old Subaru 2.5rs with a rear 1.5 diff and no traction aids.
Greetings from southern Ontario Canada I really enjoyed the video hopefully this passport will be available in a phev or hybrid in thefuture as honda wants to be fullyelectric by 2040, -10 C here so its been colder than wherever you are filming
Kinda wish you tested the Ex-l or Elite with the normal tires just to see how they perform. I'd expect this trailsport now on designated AT tires to perform excellent as they did
I really like that-- but it looks a tad big for me.. I'm 67 and looking for something a tad smaller. BUT- that system looks VERY good.. and I like Honda quality.
The prior last year’s model was so good there really wasn’t much of anything to change nor fix. And simply spending $800 for a new set of ‘all terrain’ is all that’s needed if one was interested in a tad more of off-road driving and saving money other than buying the 2024 Passport. 🤷🏼🤔
Would like to see you rank their awd systems or rank their off road ability compared other vehicles. Maybe RAV4 hybrid is a 5 and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is a 10 and the Honda Passport is a ?
A lot also depends on the driver's driving capability, which seems very lacking as of late in my area...a couple inches of snow, and well people that can't drive in good weather think they can drive in bad weather and clog up the roads with slide off's and wrecks.
Yeah I know it’s driver skill and tires, always hear that for ranking. You can say the same for 0-60 and quarter mile times. When asking for rankings they are asking “all things (other variables) equal how do they (awd systems in this case) compare.
I hope Honda doesn't screw this up by making it bigger and adding third row seats unnecessarily. Instead, Remove the silly button gear shifter and add a turbo 4 cylinder engine with similar power as the v6 engine; upgrade the transmission cooling setup.
I still wish Honda would include mid and rear clutch buttons like Bronco Sport has, maybe it's not needed again roller test would show if ivtm4 aggressivity improved as their older versions were doing way too many spins before it actually use the clutch and move
This performed well, but I see zero reason to buy this vehicle until it's refreshed. The Pilot just looks so much nicer, and if I recall correctly, it's about the same price. I will say those General tires look fantastic, I don't see them on the General site, I wonder if the only reason they're not 3 peak rated is because they're an OEM only offering? I think that's the case with the Toyota Falken AT3s as well.
The Pilot Trailsport is $4000+ more than. Passport Trailsport. Plus the Passport feels more nimble while not really losing much space vs the Pilot. I would agree though in that I like the new Pilot design and I’d consider waiting to see if the 25 Passport gets a new design.
@@kubi0461 I looked it up and you're correct. For some reason I was thinking the Pilot TS started at 46k, which was the as-tested price of this Passport. I haven't driven either, so I'll take your word about nimbleness. Personally, while I don't need a 3rd row, I'd prefer the larger cargo area of the Pilot. I often sleep in my 4Runner when camping, the Passport looks a tad short for that.
Maybe Honda could have considered to step up to a Firestone Destination XT tire; a quiet, no fuel penalty sleeper tire based in my 2 years of experience in the highway and backcountry and mountain foothills of Alberta.
The older I get, the more I realize mpg efficiency doesn't really matter. What matters is overall repair costs over the years. This thing is more or less solid long term
I am trying to decide between the Honda Pilot Trailsport, and the Subaru Ascent, for a Canadian road trip. Any comparison, with specific focus on snow driving, would be very helpful.
@Sansintube as someone who likes Subaru I agree with JSchwizle - CVT's suck the fun out of driving and even though Subaru's are great snow-vehicles in general, Honda has an excellent AWD system as well and their V6's are peppy and fun. I'd go for the Trailsport.
I bought the 2024 TS Pilot in Sky Blue. It is a head turner. The top view camera and sensors sold me. The front camera might seem silly, but if you are topping a hill crest it will let you see if there is dirt or air in front of the car. The magic auto dimming headlight are phenomenal and switch just before you would. It rides super quiet. This is counter intuitive, but I usually drive, so I set my wife's phone as primary. If she isn't in the car, mine connects. By making her primary, she is in charge of navigation , rerouting, and tunes while I drive.
Don't listen to the naysayers until you try it for yourself. I've owned many many vehicles over the decades, and my current CVT powered CrossTrek is by far the best and smoothest transmission I've ever driven. Want 'fun'? Engage the paddle shifters and you'll get all the fun you seek.
A mid cycle refresh usually just comes with a facelift, reduce issues from the assembly line (usually next to none), possibly an updated infotainment; just minor things IMO. All-new Passport should be coming out this year and then it should have the newer drivetrain, 12” screen etc.. Edit: made correction to Model name. Also in 2024 I wouldn’t look at the Passport until I see pricing on the 2025 and see what discounts will be out for this one.
@@Lionelrockz the 4 runner starts $10K more and the sequoia starts at $63 and exceeds $80K depending on trim. They are not in the same categories or price ranges.
I seriously considered this Honda to replace my aging XTerra but decided against it because it has a transversal engine with a timing belt needing replacement and manual valve adjustment . I do my own car maintenance and keep cars for 15 years so even though I liked it, it was not for me.
A few things… 1: I love that Honda has a V6, and the VTM4 System without a doubt is one of the best AWD systems. The only downfall is the terrible gas mileage. 2: I really wanted to get a Passport however the exterior design, especially the rear, is incredibly boring. The new Pilot looks much better and until they do a true new generation, it’s just a generic design SUV. Same with the interior. It’s very bland. I really wanted to like it. 3: I’m honestly a little worried they may not do another generation. There’s not a lot of anything out there about a new Ridgeline or Passport. If that’s the case then getting a Pilot would only make sense since it’s got a lot of the better upgrades and updates.
I feel like the Passport is too similar to the Pilot (except somehow more expensive, less space, and worse mpg). I thought it was supposed to be a relatively small, offroad capable SUV closer to the Forester. Don’t really know why the Passport exists right now.
it’s definitely weird, but I see them everywhere where I live so the market research Honda did must’ve been good 😂 I would love to see them really go for off roadiness in the refresh to compete with the outback wilderness
I like that the QT1 system is rear-biased and full-time, but the Honda system is more advanced in how it shifts power side-to-side making it a more flexible system. That said, watch our second video with the Passport dropping this weekend.
I’d like to see what an sq5 with factory air ride w proper off-road wheels n tires could do. Anyone build a mild softlander out of one of those? Quattro is amazing down here in Fl sand n rain n mud.
I wish Honda would make their more fuel efficient and affordable CRV as capable as their Passport so it could reach more people. From the many reviews of light off road testing I've seen, the CRV consistently had the lowest capability of all competitors in its class.
Honda has oversensitive sensors so they don’t overheat. This forces people to back off. Acura is same way. This is why you can’t hold gears too. Honda wants safety and reliability. Even the Type S MDX is neutered with over sensitive sensors.
Watch JonDZ videos on his passport. He takes it through very rough terrains and no issues. He knows more about this system. He’s got a lift and all protection underneath. He’s more than confident in the system.
Great review as always. I really want to like this product, but it's still plagued with a very unreliable 9ZF transmission. That thing needs to go. Add a little more ground clearance, a little better approach angle, and we have a serious off road contender here.
We have put in multiple requests. Ford hasn’t sent one to the PNW. We only had an early Maverick review because we bought one. They seem to cater to Detroit and Los Angeles publications.
Why do journalists focus so much on tires offered on vehicles? They are so easy to swap it really has no “value “ to a vehicle. I’ve never understood that.
@@robertblack6630 all they did was slap all terrain tires on a passport different suspension with a couple of badges and called it a trail sport.. Subaru is lifted, better awd system, more ground clearance, different bumpers, underbody protection, water resistant seats, dual x mode with hill decent control…all for cheaper
