The 2024 Honda Passport is the latest iteration of the midsize SUV that offers a balance of on-road comfort and off-road capability. The new model year brings some notable updates, such as a more rugged TrailSport trim, a more stylish Black Edition, and a more versatile interior. In this article, we will take a closer look at what’s new and improved on the 2024 Honda Passport and how it compares to its competitors in the segment.
TrailSport: The Most Off-Road Capable Passport Ever
One of the most exciting additions to the 2024 Honda Passport lineup is the TrailSport trim, which is designed for active buyers who thrive on adventure. The TrailSport is the most off-road capable Passport ever, with a number of enhancements that improve its performance and appearance on rough terrain.
The TrailSport features a new off-road tuned suspension, exclusive to this trim, that has revised spring rates, enhanced damper valve tuning, and optimized stabilizer bars for increased articulation and improved off-road ride quality. The TrailSport also comes with trail-ready all-terrain tires from General Grabber ATX, which provide better grip and durability on various surfaces. The tires are mounted on newly designed 18-inch wheels that have a wider track than the standard Passport wheels, increasing stability and handling.
The TrailSport also stands out from the rest of the Passport lineup with its rugged styling cues. The TrailSport has a unique grille treatment, black fender flares, orange tow hooks, skid plates, and TrailSport badges. The TrailSport also has LED headlights and fog lights with darkened bezels, black roof rails and crossbars, and a gloss black power tailgate spoiler.
The TrailSport is available in four exterior colors: Lunar Silver Metallic, Modern Steel Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, and Platinum White Pearl. The interior of the TrailSport is also distinctive, with black Sofino synthetic leather seats with orange contrast stitching and piping, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with orange stitching, and orange accents on the dashboard and door panels.
The TrailSport comes with all the features of the EX-L trim, which include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, leather upholstery, a power-operated tailgate, and a suite of driver assists such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. The TrailSport also adds wireless smartphone charging, a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and LED interior lighting.
The TrailSport has a starting price of $45,875, which is $900 more than the previous year’s EX-L trim with all-wheel drive.
Black Edition: The Most Stylish and Luxurious Passport Ever
Another new addition to the 2024 Honda Passport lineup is the Black Edition, which replaces the Elite trim as the top-of-the-line model. The Black Edition takes the Passport’s style to new heights with a more aggressive design, inside and out, and even more premium comfort features than the Elite trim.
The Black Edition lives up to its name with an all-black exterior that features black 20-inch wheels, black body trim, black door handles, black window moldings, black mirror caps, black exhaust finishers, and Black Edition badges. The Black Edition also has LED headlights and fog lights with darkened bezels, black roof rails and crossbars, and a gloss black power tailgate spoiler.
The Black Edition is available in three exterior colors: Crystal Black Pearl (exclusive to this trim), Platinum White Pearl (exclusive to this trim), and Lunar Silver Metallic. The interior of the Black Edition is also striking, with black perforated leather seats with red contrast stitching and piping, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with red stitching, red accents on the dashboard and door panels, and red ambient lighting.
The Black Edition comes with all the features of the Elite trim (which was discontinued for 2024), which include ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a wireless smartphone charger, a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers, LED interior lighting, a panoramic sunroof, a 10-speaker premium sound system, a hands-free power tailgate, and a blind spot information system with cross traffic monitor. The Black Edition also adds wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a head-up display, and a wireless phone charger for rear passengers.
The Black Edition has a starting price of $49,345, which is $1410 more than the previous year’s Elite trim.
Interior: More Comfortable and Versatile
All 2024 Honda Passports benefit from a wider center console providing more storage space and functionality. The center-console storage bin can now fit a full-size tablet or a large purse and has an improved sliding tray that can hold two large smartphones side by side. The center console also has a newly integrated armrest that is more comfortable and ergonomic.
The 2024 Honda Passport also offers a spacious and versatile cabin that can accommodate up to five passengers and their cargo. The Passport has 115.9 cubic feet of passenger volume and 41.2 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the second row, which can be expanded to 77.9 cubic feet by folding the 60/40 split rear seatbacks. The Passport also has a hidden compartment under the cargo floor that adds another 2.5 cubic feet of storage space and can be accessed by lifting the reversible carpeted panel.
The 2024 Honda Passport also offers a range of convenience and technology features that make the cabin more comfortable and enjoyable. Some of these features include tri-zone automatic climate control, a 10-way power driver’s seat, a 4-way power passenger seat, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a multi-angle rearview camera, and a remote engine starter.
Powertrain: Smooth and Powerful
The 2024 Honda Passport is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission that features paddle shifters and a push-button gear selector. The Passport also comes standard with an intelligent variable torque management (i-VTM4) all-wheel-drive system that can distribute torque between the front and rear axles and between the left and right rear wheels for optimal traction and handling.
The Passport’s powertrain provides smooth and responsive performance on various road conditions, as well as impressive towing capability. The Passport can tow up to 5,000 pounds when equipped with the available towing package, which includes a hitch, a wiring harness, a transmission cooler, and a trailer stability assist system.
The Passport’s powertrain also delivers respectable fuel economy ratings from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Passport has an EPA-estimated rating of 19 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway, and 21 mpg combined.
Safety: Advanced and Comprehensive
The 2024 Honda Passport comes standard with the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies that help prevent or mitigate collisions. The Honda Sensing suite includes:
- Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), which can apply brake pressure when it detects an imminent frontal collision
- Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM), which can provide steering and braking assistance when it detects that the vehicle is leaving the road
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which can maintain a set speed and follow distance from the vehicle ahead
- Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), which can provide steering assistance to keep the vehicle in its lane
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW), which can alert the driver of a potential frontal collision
- Lane Departure Warning (LDW), which can alert the driver of an unintentional lane departure
- Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR), which can display speed limit and other road sign information on the instrument cluster
In addition to the Honda Sensing suite, the 2024 Honda Passport also offers other safety features such as:
- Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with traction control, which can help stabilize the vehicle during cornering or in slippery conditions
- Anti-lock braking system (ABS) with brake assist and electronic brake distribution (EBD), which can help improve braking performance and efficiency
- Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) with tire fill assist, which can alert the driver of low tire pressure and indicate when the tire is inflated to the correct level
- Hill start assist, which can prevent the vehicle from rolling backward when starting on an incline
- Auto high-beam headlights, which can automatically switch between high and low beams depending on the surrounding traffic
- LED daytime running lights (DRL), which can enhance visibility and safety during daytime driving
The 2024 Honda Passport also provides comprehensive protection for its occupants with its advanced compatibility engineering (ACE) body structure, which can absorb and distribute crash energy more effectively. The Passport also has eight airbags, including dual-stage front airbags, front side airbags, side curtain airbags with rollover sensors, and driver’s knee airbags. The Passport also has three-point seat belts for all seating positions, front seat belt pre-tensioners and load limiters, lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH) system for child seats, child-proof rear door locks, and a rear seat reminder system.
