The 2020 Honda Passport is available in four trim levels which are Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. All of them feature a 3.5-liter V6 engine which is mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard while all-wheel drive is optional. The base trim starts at $31,990 and packs in a couple of nifty features and some unheard features for the base trim like tri-zone automatic climate control. Moving up you have the EX-L trim starting at $36,410 and adding more creature comfort features, a bigger infotainment system, and leather-trimmed seats. The Touring trim starts at $39,280 and is the topmost trim available with an FWD while the top-end Elite trim priced at $43,780 only comes with AWD.

We Recommend

The Honda Passport comes with a V6 powertrain as standard in all the trim levels. You can equip it with an all-wheel drive for $2000 extra. Most shoppers will be happy with the EX-L trim which adds connectivity and a host of safety features. The price hike is justified for the added features like heated and power-adjustable front seats, sunroof, etc.

"With ample power, a transmission offering full manual control and respectable handling, the Pilot is an athlete in the three-row SUV segment. It's a champ on mountain roads, and it can manage slippery surfaces should you opt for all-wheel drive."- Edmunds

The 2020 Honda Passport shares the powertrain from the Honda Pilot. Under the hood, you get a 3.5-liter V6 which produces 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard while all-wheel drive is optional. The engine does its job well and Passport being lighter than the Pilot due to one less row of seats accelerates really well off the line. Getting up to highway speeds even under full load is also not an issue. 

Honda Passport with its 3.5-liter V6 engine comes with lively acceleration and does 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds which is quicker than most of the rivals in this segment. At higher RPMs, the gears shift smoothly and efficiently. That said, the FWD models can tow 3,500 pounds, while Passport SUVs with AWD can pull up to 5,000 pounds. Honda's 9-speed automatic is the most advanced in this segment and provides seamless gearshift and optimum power delivery.

Honda's Passport is marketed as an off-road capable SUV owing to its increased ground clearance and favorable approach and departure angles. The heart of its off-road capability is courtesy of Honda's I-VTM all-wheel-drive system that uses an active torque vectoring to power the rear wheels. It enhances the handling of the Passport to better tackle snowy roads or sandy trails. Tested in harshest environments the traction control system features Normal, Snow, Sand, and Mud. 

The Honda Passport comes with brakes that are consistent, and easy to modulate around town and in heavy traffic. The bite is good and does not fade on repetitive use. It takes around 129 feet to stop from 60 mph which is good for this segment. The 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) work in conjunction to help the Passport shed speed as quickly as possible.

Among the rivals, the Highlander produces the highest power and torque figures while the Santa Fe and RDX are the only SUV that comes with a turbocharged inline-4 engine whereas rest of the SUVs are powered by a naturally aspirated V6 engine. Acceleration timings are quickest from the Passport with the RDX being the only other SUV with an under seven seconds 0-60 mph time after Passport.

The 2020 Honda Passport gets only one engine option and with the FWD configuration has an EPA estimated gas mileage of 20 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined. While going for the AWD configuration sees a drop of one mpg across all three driving conditions. That said, the Passport packs in the biggest 19.5-gallon fuel tank that helps it return a phenomenal range of 390 miles in the city and 488 miles on the highway from a full tank of gas.

You would be disappointed to note that the Honda Passport isn't the most fuel-efficient SUV out there. Heck, even the V6-powered Highlander returns higher gas mileage both in the city and on the highway compared o the Passport. While the Acura RDX takes the crown of being the most fuel-efficient SUV out there returning 2 mpg more in the city and 3 mpg more on the highway compared to the Passport.

"The front seats are wide and comfortable, with a handy armrest that can be adjusted for optimal comfort. The back seat is also roomy and allows the Passport to transport up to five people." -caranddriver

The 2020 Passport is much like the Honda Pilot from the inside while the dashboard design has a lot of resemblance with the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck. For this year, the steering wheel, dashboard, and center console remain unchanged. Crafted from upscale material, the sophisticated cabin offers class-leading space for five passengers. Soft-touch surfaces adorn the dashboard and door panels are also padded. Outward visibility is improved because of thin roof pillars and high seating positions with a commanding view.

Leather-trimmed seats are comfortable and very supportive for long journeys. The Passport offers an ample amount of headroom and legroom, both front and back for an average individual. It is a paragon of utility and efficiency. The 2020 Passport provides 41.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. The 60/40-split folding rear seats when folded completely increase the cargo capacity to 78 cubic feet. In addition, you also get around 2.5 cubic feet of storage space under the floor for storing small items.

The 2020 Passport comes with a 5-inch screen as its infotainment display for the base model while the EX-L and higher trim get an 8-inch touchscreen unit. The base unit is pretty basic and is accompanied by a seven-speaker audio setup while the touchscreen system comes with a host of features and smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Moving to the Elite trim and above the seven-speaker sound system is replaced with a much better ten-speaker sound system.

Highlander is the only SUV here with seating for eight-passenger while the rest of the SUVs offer only seating for five. When we talk about the front seats the Santa Fe offers the best legroom here, the Passport has the best shoulder room on offer, and the Highlander has the best headroom. While in the rear seat the Highlander offers much better legroom with a slight compromise on the headroom and shoulder room which is better on the Passport. As for the cargo space, the Passport is the clearcut winner here followed by the Santa Fe.

Interior Features:

• 60/40-split bench seats
• Ambient lighting
• Wireless charging
• Tri-zone climate control
• Available Advanced Rear Entertainment System with a 10.2-inch screen
• Available Heated leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Available Leather-trimmed seating surfaces
• Available 8-inch touchscreen w/ Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

"With its truncated tail, the 2020 Honda Passport has a lot in common with the larger Pilot. The 2020 Honda Passport has a clean, cohesive look with better proportions than big three-row crossovers." - carconnection

The 2020 Honda Passport is based on the underpinnings of the Pilot but due to its raised height and a bit aggressive design, it is hard to correlate for an average Joe. The Passport and Pilot share the same 111-inch wheelbase, though the Passport's body is 6.5 inches shorter. Its adventure-seeking design is highlighted by higher ride height, 20-inch alloys, and a scratch-resistant matte black grille and bumper.

For around-town sophistication, you have blackout headlights, LED accents, and chrome exhaust finishers. The floating C-pillar and dynamic wheel arches accentuate its athletic design. Passport is based on Honda's Global Light Truck platform which has a fully boxed floor that is sophisticated yet strong with four-wheel independent suspension. Passport's side profile looks best with bold character lines running throughout the body.

When it comes to sheer length then the Highlander's 194.9-inches of body length has no match and due to that it also has the longest wheelbase of 112.2-inches thus making it easy to offer three-row seats. As for the width and height surely it is the Passport that is the widest and tallest among all and the reason why it has the best head and shoulder room inside its cabin. The Highlander with 8-inch ground clearance not only has the highest clearance but betters Passport's ground clearance by 0.5-inches.

Exterior Features:

• Auto-leveling front headlights
• LED fog lights
• LED taillights
• Memory-linked side mirrors with reverse gear tilt-down
• LED headlights with auto-on/off (Low beam)
• LED headlights with auto-on/off (High and low beam)
• One-touch power moonroof with tilt feature
• Auto-dimming power-folding side mirrors
• Power tailgate
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers

The 2020 Honda Passport has scored very well in the crash-test rating of both the agencies and all that is credited to the fact that most of the advanced safety features are standard right from the base trim. That being said, NHTSA gave the 2020 Passport a perfect score of five out of five stars while the IIHS gave it the highest rating of 'Good' in five out of six parameters.

While in the passenger-side small overlap test the 2020 Passport got the second-best rating of 'Acceptable' from IIHS.

Safety Features:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System
• Forward Collision Warning
• Lane Departure Warning and Mitigation
• Hill Start Assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Auto high beam
• Available Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Available Blind-Spot Monitor
• Available Front and Rear Parking Sensors

2020 Honda Pilot vs 2020 Acura RDX

The Acura RDX is powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four which produces 272 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. It comes with a 6-speed automatic transmission and the front-wheel-drive is standard. It is the best car from Acura after the NSX which comes with a sleek design and high-end cabin.

In terms of overall performance, the Acura takes the cake but Honda has an edge in terms of reliability and quality. The rear seating arrangement of Acura is also cramped when compared to the Passport. Thus between the two, we suggest picking the Passport over the pricier RDX.

2020 Honda Pilot vs 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is another feature-rich five-seater SUV going head-on against the Passport. The Santa Fe comes with two engine options but both are inline-4 while the Passport gets a single V6 engine that is ambidextrous and provides sufficient punch and pulling power. 

In terms of reliability and overall customer satisfaction, it's Santa Fe that ranks higher than the Passport which puts it at an advantage here. Also, the gas mileage of Santa Fe owing to the smaller engine is better than the Passport. That said, the final thing that seals the deal in favor of Santa Fe is its comparatively lower starting price compared to the Passport.

The Honda Passport is a gateway to camping adventures, towing trailers, and cruising over rugged terrain. It is a perfect combination of off-road tech and a comfortable interior you can buy without breaking the bank. The 2020 Passport has a spacious cabin and a generous cargo space making it a very practical SUV for a small family. Although within a few years the five-row midsize SUV has grown highly competitive with much cheaper options from the rival brands which are better equipped and offer almost similar proposition as the Passport. Thus going ahead,  the road won't be easy unless Honda decides to bring some serious changes to the Passport.