Debuting in 2018, the third-generation Honda Passport slots in-between the CR-V and the Pilot within Honda’s lineup of sport utility vehicles. Though Honda has just about completed an overhaul of their entire lineup, the 2023 Honda Passport Touring largely clings to the previous generation’s design and materials for one more kick at the can.
The Passport is a big boxy looking thing with rugged good looks. It received a facelift last year with a squarer front end and a black honeycomb grille. Prominent dual exhaust tips are clearly visible in the rear bumper and are a stand out feature of the design. Our Touring trim comes with 20-inch alloys and is finished with a Platinum White Pearl paint job.
First impressions of the interior are that this is indeed a big ol’ Honda. As a slightly below average size human for North American standards I found the ergonomics of the Passport a bit daunting for someone of my stature. The eight-inch infotainment display is angled sharply up as if it was meant for someone taller, and I was unable to remain fully seated to reach the touchscreen controls. As I settled in, the ideal seating position was very bus like with legs bent 90 degrees.
As large as the Passport is, if you need to seat more than five with a third-row you’ll need to step up to a Pilot as the Passport is only available in a two-row configuration despite sharing the same wheelbase with the Pilot. This does make for a spacious interior, with a massive center cubby and up to 2.852 liters of cargo room available behind the front row. A 60/40 split second row is heated with 1,430 liters of cargo space out back.
The Passport still sports the interior materials and switchgear from previous years and is due for an update. Our Touring model is equipped with a black leather interior with heated and ventilated front seats and heated rears. Both front seats have adjustable armrests which add to the mini-van like feeling of the interior space. Honda has decided on using a plethora of dust and fingerprint catching piano black accents going as far as equipping piano black door handles and accompanying lock switch. We suggest keeping a microfiber towel handy. Luckily there is a power moonroof overhead to help brighten the monotone interior during daylight hours.
The Infotainment system runs Honda’s latest software but is let down somewhat by the old capacitive and fidgety shortcut buttons versus physical switches that we enjoy in other Honda models. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration is included but only through a wired connection. The 550-watt premium audio system with ten speakers including a subwoofer is surprisingly mighty, offering up intense bass. Staging and clarity are nothing to write home about but if you like it loud you will love this upgrade over the standard models 215-watt seven speaker system.
The Honda Passport retains the 3.5 Liter i-VTEC V6 from last years model making 280 horsepower and 262 ft-lb. of torque. It’s mated to a ZF nine-speed automatic transmission with i-VTM4 (intelligent variable torque management AWD) with settings for Normal, Sand, Snow and Mud. The powertrain is smooth and makes a good noise with the classic VTEC push in the higher rev range. We found it slow to shift between drive and reverse which makes parking and 3-point turns an exercise in patience. Controls are light and the suspension is nice and supple ensuring a comfortable ride. Overall, the Passport is solid and easy to drive despite is large footprint.
The Honda Passport is rated with a fuel economy of 12.5L/100km city, 9.8L/100km highway and 11.3Ll100km combined. We observed a better than expected 10.7L/100km in our time with it with a fairly even amount of city and highway driving. It runs just fine on regular octane fuel in it’s 73.8 liter tank making the Passport more economical to run than you might expect from a V6 powered mid-size SUV.
With a base price of $47,090, our Touring model rings in at $56,614.30 putting is squarely in the range of the new 2023 Honda Pilot EX-L. If you don’t think you’ll ever need third row seating or have an affinity for the tried and true previous generation of Honda, the 2023 Honda Passport Touring might be the right mid-size SUV for you. There isn’t anything wrong with it but at the same time it doesn’t offer anything that makes it really stand out over its competitors in the highly competitive mid-size SUV segment.
