2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Goes on Sale Today With 4Runner in Its Sights

Honda's most off-road-capable SUV costs almost exactly as much as the Toyota 4Runner's TRD Off-Road trim. The post 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Goes on Sale Today With 4Runner in Its Sights appeared first on The Drive.

Feb 11, 2025 - 17:35
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2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Goes on Sale Today With 4Runner in Its Sights

Honda has been trickle-feeding us information about the 2026 Passport TrailSport for the past few months. We caught our first glimpse of the off-road-oriented SUV at the 2024 Rebelle Rally last October, we drove a pre-production prototype several weeks later, and we finally saw it without camouflage the following month. Honda has now given us the last few pieces of the TrailSport puzzle by releasing pricing and full specs.

The company claims the new TrailSport is the most off-road-capable SUV it has ever built, and the model certainly looks the part. It features a more rugged-looking exterior design than its predecessor thanks in part to styling cues such as orange-finished recovery hooks that poke out from a shorter front bumper, a vent integrated into the hood, a generous serving of black plastic cladding, and chunky roof rails. While this sounds like a winning scorecard in a game of “off-road trim bingo,” we’re told the TrailSport’s styling is more functional than it appears to be.

Blacking out the rear part of the roof lets owners prop up skis and fishing rods without leaving scratches, for example. Beefy 31-inch tires and a trim-specific suspension increase ground clearance, and the exhaust tip is tucked under the rear bumper to ensure it doesn’t lose an expensive fight with a rock on a trail. You’ll also spot steel skid plates if you take advantage of the extra ground clearance to slide under the TrailSport. They protect the oil pan, the transmission, and the fuel tank, and they won’t break even if the 4,700-pound Passport crashes against a rock.

Power for every 2026 Passport regardless of trim level comes from a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. The engine spins all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission (front-wheel drive isn’t available), and it gives the SUV a 5,000-pound towing capacity. It’s interesting to note that, for all the talk about off-road capability, the TrailSport isn’t available with a locking differential or two-speed transfer case. It’s not that kind of off-roader; don’t expect to keep up with a Jeep Wrangler on an off-highway trip across Utah in it.

The new Passport has a few electronic tricks up its sleeve, however. It receives the second generation of Honda’s i-VTM4 torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, which incorporates a rear drive unit that can handle 40% more torque. Up to 70% of the engine’s torque can be sent to the rear wheels, and 100% of that torque can be shifted to either the left or the right wheel to keep the Passport going when the going gets tough.

Pricing for the full 2026 Passport range, including a $1,450 destination charge, is as follows:

  • Passport RTL: $46,200
  • Passport RTL Towing: $46,900
  • Passport RTL Blackout: $47,400
  • Passport TrailSport: $49,900
  • Passport TrailSport Blackout: $51,100
  • Passport TrailSport Elite: $53,900
  • Passport TrailSport Elite Blackout: $55,100

The Towing Package includes a Class III hitch with a 7-pin connector and a pair of rear recovery points, while the Blackout Package adds black-finished 18-inch alloy wheels, black lug nuts, and black exterior emblems. The Elite trim lives up to its range-topping positioning with features such as a 360-degree camera called TrailWatch and 18-inch wheels finished in Berlina Black (NSX fans will immediately recognize this color).

2026 Honda Passport TrailSport

Honda really wants you to take the Passport TrailSport off-roading. The automaker offers a long list of accessories, including 18-inch wheels, rock sliders, and a full-size spare tire, plus overlanding-focused add-ons such as a cargo roof platform, MOLLE storage systems, and a fold-out picnic table.

Built in Alabama, the 2026 Honda Passport is on sale now. Would you choose it over a 4Runner? The base SR5 trim starts at $42,220 and the TRD Off-Road carries a base price of $50,640, so it’s right in Passport TrailSport territory. Let us know which side you’re on in the comments.

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The post 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Goes on Sale Today With 4Runner in Its Sights appeared first on The Drive.