2022 Honda Passport Gets a New Face and the First TrailSport Badge

Whether or not families will actually leave the pavement in an SUV like the Honda Passport may not matter much — as long as it looks the part. The proof is in the growing list of SUVs (and even a minivan) that get rugged-styling makeovers with mild off-road capability. Examples include Subaru’s Wilderness Edition SUVs, the Ford Expedition Timberline and the Toyota Sienna Woodland, to name a few. The latest vehicle to join the club is the refreshed 2022 Honda Passport and its new TrailSport trim. The changes should further separate the Passport from the related Honda Pilot — a family hauler that fits in better on paved roads than off-road trails.

Related: Honda’s TrailSport Treatment Aims to Take Family SUVs Off-Road

Exterior Updates: More Ridgeline, Less Pilot

The 2022 Passport’s facelift consists of a new hood, squared-off front end, upright grille and new front fenders. Although the grille design is exclusive to the Passport, the front end of the SUV now more closely resembles the updated 2021 Honda Ridgeline pickup truck than the Honda Pilot. Not all the Passport’s updates are purely aesthetic, however. The broader side vents are intended to circulate air through the vehicle’s front bumper and front wheels, helping improve its aerodynamics.

The Passport also gets an updated rear bumper, larger twin exhaust outlets and restyled 20-inch alloy wheels (18s for the TrailSport). For a more aggressive exterior, Honda will offer a new Honda Performance Development Package for the first time on the Passport. It adds a unique grille treatment, fender flares, distinct wheels and graphics. The HPD Package is currently available on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline, where it adds $2,800 to the vehicle’s price.

What’s New Inside and Under the Hood?

The Passport is based on the Honda Pilot, but instead of the Pilot’s three-row seating configuration, the Passport has two rows for a maximum of five occupants. Interior changes for non-TrailSport models are minimal: The EX-L model gets new contrast stitching on its perforated leather seats, and all Passport trims feature new gauge lighting.

The powertrain also carries over. All trim levels employ a 280-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Passport has a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, which matches capacity for the Ridgeline.

Off-Road Chops

Styling cues aside, can the 2022 Passport actually go that far off the beaten path? Honda says the vehicle’s torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system with traction management allows the Passport to handle a variety of off-road terrain — like sand, snow, mud and paved roads — with available driver-selectable modes. The off-road modes are standard on TrailSport and Elite models, and available on the EX-L. Honda claims Passports equipped with AWD are able to tow trailers even on challenging off-road terrain.

The First Honda TrailSport

Honda’s new TrailSport will launch as an appearance package on the 2022 Passport, and the SUV will be the first in a series of vehicles to offer the adventure-themed badge. Unique elements include an exclusive grille design, more-aggressive bumpers and a faux skid plate painted silver instead of the dark plastic found on standard models. The grille and liftgate have orange TrailSport badging, while the rest of the SUV’s badges are painted gloss black in lieu of chrome. The TrailSport rides on unique 18-inch wheels with tires that have a more rugged appearance.

The orange exterior theme makes its way inside the Passport TrailSport, with contrast stitching throughout the interior and TrailSport logos embroidered on the front head restraints. TrailSport models also get unique amber ambient lighting.

Currently, the TrailSport goods are more about form than function, but Honda says that TrailSport moniker will eventually offer enhanced off-road capability, as well. Among the possible additions are more aggressive tires and an off-road-tuned suspension.

Honda will announce pricing for the 2022 Passport and its new TrailSport trim closer to the SUV’s on-sale date, which a spokesperson confirmed will be sometime this winter. The 2021 Honda Passport starts at $33,710 (all prices include the destination charge) for its base Sport trim level, and tops out at $45,100 for the Elite with AWD.

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• Research the Honda Passport

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