The 2026 Honda Passport has just been teased for the second time, exposing far more of the updated mid-size SUV. From these new images (and included video), we can tell that the next-generation Passport will be radically different from the outgoing one, which was essentially a shrunken Pilot without a third row. Like the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Passport will take on a boxier appearance that should match its rugged image with an available Trailsport trim.
“From the red rocks of Moab to the sandy dunes of western Michigan to the muddy trails of Appalachia, Honda engineers are putting the next-generation Honda Passport TrailSport through the very highest level of testing validation on challenging trails all over America,” the company said in a press release.
Honda’s Most Rugged Vehicle
Honda has never been known for building extremely capable off-road SUVs, especially since the brand hasn’t sold a body-on-frame vehicle since the original Passport ended production in 2002, and that car was actually a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo. While this new Passport will almost certainly retain a unibody construction, Honda is touting it as “the most adventure-ready and capable Honda SUV ever.”
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A short video shows the 2026 Passport testing in an assortment of off-road conditions. The vehicle can be seen climbing over a rock, fording some water, tackling sand, and crawling down obstacles. It likely won’t give Jeep any reason to worry, but it should be among th more capable “soft-roaders” on the market. The new boxy styling looks a bit like a larger Ford Bronco Sport, which is not an insult. We look forward to seeing it without camouflage later this year.
Updated Powertrain
The press release and video confirm that the Passport will not go hybrid or turbocharged, instead opting to retain a dual overhead-cam 3.5-liter V6 that is “new and more powerful.” The current Passport uses a J35Y6 V6 producing 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. If the new one gets the same J35Y8 V6 found in the Pilot, it will deliver 285 hp and the same 262 lb-ft. We hope Honda decides to give the Passport a bit more oomph compared to its more family-friendly counterpart.
Power will go out through a 10-speed automatic transmission from the Pilot, replacing the outgoing Passport’s lackluster nine-speed. A torque vectoring i-VTM4 all-wheel drive system comes standard on all trims. The 2026 Passport and Passport Trailsport will be revealed in the fall and arrive at dealerships in early 2025.
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