Honda shared a few details on the upcoming Passport Trailsport. Running on a new platform, the 4th gen. Passport gets a new powertrain among many changes.
This Summer, Honda revealed a brief release stating that a new-generation Passport will arrive early in 2025 for the 2026 model year. More specifically, engineers continue to develop the next Passport Trailsport.
Just a few days ago, Honda offered a few more nuggets about the next Passport. And, not surprisingly, it follows in the footsteps of the 2023 Honda Pilot. Also similar to the Pilot, Honda leads this conversation with the Trailsport trim.
Last week, Honda shared that a new dual-overhead cam, 3.5-liter V-6 will lie under the hood of the new Passport Trailsport and that a 10-speed automatic will bolt up to it. Just as it does in the latest Pilot. This replaces the aging, single-overhead cam 3.5-liter V-6 and nine-speed automatic doing duty in the current Passport.
In the Pilot, you get 285 horsepower at 6100 rpm and 262 lb.-ft of torque at 5000 rpm. Expect the same here. In the Pilot, it delivers 19 mpg in the city, 25 on the highway, 21 combined. Though, the Trailsport with all-terrain tires among other changes only manages 18/23/20 (city/hwy/cmb). Again, I expect similar in the Passport.
Honda’s motivation to change to the DOHC V-6 is the superior emissions it delivers. It’s just a fun perk that it runs more smoothly. The 10-speed automatic also massively improves powertrain feel. Quick, smooth shifts, and a nice wide ratio range allows for both snappy off-the-line starts and low revs while cruising the interstate.
The upcoming, 2026 Honda Passport Trailsport will come standard with i-VTM4 torque vectoring all-wheel-drive and, I bet, also include a suspension lift over other Passport trims, all-terrain tires, a different suspension tune, and a couple skid plates bolted up to protect sensitive areas.
Essentially, the Passport Trailsport will carry-on as a two-row Pilot. And, I presume, will continue to do so quite effectively. I look forward to learning more once Honda reveals the next Passport later this fall.
