Honda has leaned into hybrid powertrains hard with the CR-V and the Accord. For Honda’s larger crossovers? Not so much. Honda revamped the three-row Pilot last year, but left it with a carry-over naturally aspirated V6. The two-row Passport, on the back nine of its model run, packs that engine, too. Both deliver less than 20 mpg in city driving.
That’s not to say Honda isn’t finding other ways to keep things fresh. For 2024, the Passport receives a new top-level trim — the Black Edition. Honda loaned me one to drive around Michigan for a week to test it out.
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The 2024 Honda Passport: What We Think
The Passport isn’t the freshest midsize SUV, ut it has a lot going for it. Driving dynamics (for the segment) are enjoyable, with a perky V6 and Honda’s trademark nimble handling. The two-row Passport provides all the cargo space, instead of aiming for “versatility” by offering an effectively non-functional third row.
But I’m not sure it quite skirts the fine line between old school and dated. Honda tried to inject some coolness to the Passport with the trendy Black Edition. The end result is pricey, though — and I’m not sure it captures the practical Passport vibe, embodied by its capacious cargo bay and roomy cabin for five instead of attempting to wedge a compact third row in the back.
The Honda Passport is quite pleasant to drive
If you’re an old-school (or at least back-to-2010-school) person who distrusts four-cylinder engines and turbocharging, Honda has you covered with the Passport. It packs a meaty, naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6. The 280 horsepower feels ample in everyday driving, and it’s delivered smoothly through a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Passport does not perform Accord-like miracles on the driving dynamics front, but Honda tuned it to feel light on its feet.
Fuel economy is the trade-off. The Passport earns just 19 mpg in city driving and 24 mpg on the highway. It’s not horrific, but it is truck-like. After all, we live in a world where a six-cylinder Mazda CX-90 averages 25 mpg combined.
The Passport is also very practical
Most midsize crossovers now offer third-row flexibility. The Passport gives you two rows and a ginormous trunk. Its 41.7 cubic feet behind the second row is about as much behind the second row as you’ll find in any vehicle. My weekly Trader Joe’s haul for a family of four only took up about half of the trunk space. The Passport also offers a solid (for a crossover) 5,000 pounds of towing.
How We Tested
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But this Honda’s interior feels a little bit dated
2019 is not that long ago in calendar terms, but much has happened since then in Honda world. (Also, well, in the real world.)
The Passport missed the line of revamped interiors that began with the current-gen Civic. It still packs an (audible gasp) 8.0-inch touchscreen that looks like it was superimposed on a dash not quite designed for it. I appreciated having physical climate controls, but the overall aesthetic felt a generation behind both modern Hondas and the revamped competition.
And I’m not sure I would shell out for the Black Edition
The new Black Edition is the top-level trim, and it’s basically what the name suggests: a trendy styling package. You get black-painted alloy wheels and blacked-out detailing on the grille and elsewhere. It also has contrast stitching and some trim-unique features like ventilated seats.
Unfortunately, the prominent BLACK EDITION badging negates much of the coolness. Plus, it’s about $3,500 more than the TrailSport or $6,000 more than the EX-L. I get trying to make the Passport feel cooler, but having the cool package feels too on the nose. Besides, the aforementioned TrailSport package actually is cool.
