Inside all the trims of the 2019 Passport, you will find a 3.5 Liter naturally aspirated engine betrothed to a 9-speed automatic transmission. It churns out 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, and power gets sent to the front wheels as standard, but AWD is an option as well. Elite is the only trim which has AWD as standard.
With the above arrangement, the 2019 Passport sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, which is a quirky acceleration for a midsize SUV. This makes it the second-fastest SUV in the competition because the top spot has been stolen by the Blazer with just 0.1 seconds difference. Blazer also has the highest power figures among the rivals.
Model
|
2019 Honda Passport Sport
|
2019 Ford Edge SE
|
2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo
|
2019 Chevrolet Blazer LT
|
MSRP
|
$33,890
|
$31,990
|
$34,245
|
$33,300
|
Engine
|
3.6 Liter V6
|
2.0 Liter turbo inline-4
|
3.6 Liter V6
|
3.6 Liter V6
|
Drivetrain
|
AWD
|
AWD
|
4WD
|
AWD
|
Transmission
|
9-speed automatic
|
8-speed automatic
|
8-speed automatic
|
9-speed automatic
|
Power (hp @ rpm)
|
280 hp @ 6000 rpm
|
245 hp @ 5500 rpm
|
295 hp @ 6400 rpm
|
308 hp @ 6600 rpm
|
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm)
|
262 ft-lbs. @ 4700 rpm
|
275 ft-lbs. @ 3000 rpm
|
260 ft-lbs. @ 4000 rpm
|
270 ft-lbs. @ 5000 rpm
|
0-60 MPH
|
6.2
|
7.6
|
7.7
|
6.1
|
Quarter Mile
|
14.7
|
15.9
|
15.8
|
14.7
|
Top Speed
|
112
|
130
|
135
|
NA
|
The top spot might have been stolen by the Blazer, but in terms of top speed, the Grand Cherokee is the winner. However, the Grand Cherokee has the worst acceleration as it crosses 0-60 mph in 7.7 seconds. Meanwhile, the Edge is the only SUV in the competition with a different engine configuration and a turbocharger. That said, it reaches 60 mph from the standstill 0.1 seconds earlier than the Grand Cherokee.
Ride and Handling
The 2019 Honda is nimble on the road despite facing the high air resistance because of the height. The throttle response is smooth, and you can feel the punchy acceleration as you go hard with the gas pedal. The ride is stable, and the steering response is great. It is easy to change the lanes, and the Passport poses no problem on the sharp turns. The transmission is in great sync with the engine, and you can enjoy your ride over long distances.
Honda lacks the hill descent control, but it still offers a comfortable drive and gives a decent off-road experience. But as compared to rivals, it is still lacking. You also have off-road driving modes if you are driving on sand, snow, or muddy terrain. There is a color-changing light strip on the gauge cluster which shows how good you’re driving the passport. It can tow up to 5,000 lbs, which is significantly higher than the other SUVs in the competition.
Braking:
The 2019 Honda Passport has the smallest front brake rotors, but it has the biggest pair of rear brake rotors which are also shared by the Grand Cherokee. The Passport requires 130 feet to come to halt from 60 mph, which is close to average for the midsize SUV. The brakes are responsive, but the brake pedal can be sloppy under hard braking.
Model
|
2019 Honda Passport Sport
|
2019 Ford Edge SE
|
2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo
|
2019 Chevrolet Blazer LT
|
Brake Rotors Front (in.)
|
12.6
|
13.6
|
13
|
12.64
|
Brake Rotors Rear (in.)
|
13
|
12.4
|
13
|
12.4
|
Curb Weight (lbs)
|
4149
|
4124
|
4677
|
4210
|
60-0 MPH (ft.)
|
130
|
129
|
124
|
126
|
Despite having the highest curb weight, the Grand Cherokee takes just 124 feet to go from 60-0 mph, which is the least braking distance in the competition. The Blazer has the smallest rear brake rotor, same as the Edge, and it stops 2 feet further than the Grand Cherokee. Lastly, the Edge has a braking distance that is one feet less than the Passport.