2019 HONDA PASSPORT QUICK TAKES
2019 HONDA PASSPORT QUICK TAKES | TESTDRIVENOW OVERVIEW
The all-new 2019 Honda Passport is designed for adventure-seekers who want the superior off-road capability of Honda’s available i-VTM4™ torque-vectoring all-wheel drive, the power and towing capability of its 3.5-liter i-VTEC® V6, and the more personal and rugged character of a five-passenger SUV. Within the Honda SUV lineup, in size and price, it slots between the refined and compact-size CR-V and the larger, three-row family-focused Pilot.
The 2019 Passport is based on Honda’s reinforced unibody midsize light-truck platform, featuring a fully-boxed floor structure, the latest generation of Honda’s proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure along with a sophisticated fully independent suspension offering exceptional on- and off-road driving performance.
Passport’s rugged yet modern exterior styling comprises standard 20-inch wheels, aggressive black grille, and increased ride height with more athletic proportion and stance compared to the three-row Pilot.
Inside, Passport offers best-in-class passenger space and total interior volume and features a large “basement” cargo area ideal for storing dirty gear or keeping valuables out of sight.
Powering the new Passport is a 3.5-liter SOHC direct-injected V6 engine with i-VTEC® valvetrain connected exclusively to a second-generation 9-speed automatic transmission. Opt for all-wheel drive and Passport gains Honda’s torque-vectoring Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4™) all-wheel drive system with Intelligent Traction Management – with Snow, Mud and Sand modes — allowing the driver to optimize Passport’s tractive and dynamic performance based on terrain and weather conditions. With 280 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque, Passport offers top-class standard horsepower, brisk acceleration and up-to 5,000-pound towing capacity.
With Passport, drivers also benefit from the latest technology, including standard Honda Sensing® suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies. Additionally, all Passports come with a Multi-Angle Rearview Camera system, while EX-L, Touring and Elite models come with Honda’s blind spot information system. Additional premium technologies available on Passport include in-vehicle Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ integration, an 8-inch Display Audio system, wireless phone charging and more.
The 2019 Honda Passport is offered in four trims: well-appointed Sport, upgraded EX-L, high-tech Touring, and the fully equipped Elite.
Sport models come standard with 20-inch alloy wheels with 245/50R20 tires, Honda Sensing®, a 9-speed automatic transmission with auto stop-start, LED low-beam headlights, fog lights, taillights and DRLs, Push-button Start and Smart Entry, two USB ports, and three-zone automatic climate control.
Passport EX-L trims feature leather on the seats and steering wheel, a one-touch tilt/slide moonroof, remote-operated power liftgate, blind spot information system, and an 8-inch Display Audio system with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ integration.
Passport EX-L also features rear window sunshades,
an 8-way power driver’s seat with adjustable lumbar support, heated outside mirrors, HomeLink®, and two additional USB charging points.
Passport Touring trims up the ante with inline low-and high-beam LED headlights, wider 265/45R20 tires,
a foot-activated hands-free access power liftgate, LED ambient lighting, parking sensors, and embedded navigation. Touring trims also feature a premium audio system upgraded to 10 speakers (up from 7), while also gaining a handy AC power inverter (115v-150W).
Additionally, Touring trims are distinguished by power-folding outside mirror turn signal indicators,
acoustic glass on the front and rear doors,
and unique 20-inch alloy wheels.
The top-of-the-line Passport Elite trim comes standard with i-VTM4™ torque-vectoring all-wheel drive that’s optional on Sport, EX-L and Touring trims. In addition, Elite adds ventilated front seats, auto-dimming side mirrors, a heated steering wheel, rain sensing wipers, and a wireless phone charger. Passport Elite also features gloss black exterior trim and a gloss-black liftgate spoiler.
Exterior Design
The most rugged of Honda’s light trucks yet, Passport’s expressive design leaves no doubt to its adventure-seeking mission.
The black grille, bumper and black wheels (Sport & Elite grades) convey off-road prowess, while LED headlight accents and chrome exhaust finishers hint at Passport’s around-town sophistication. Trim-exclusive 20-inch wheel designs are available across the lineup, while Touring and Elite trims offer a wider stance by way of beefier 265/45R20 tires as standard equipment.
Beyond just good looks, Passport’s design offers superior functionality as well. In addition to more aggressive approach and departure angles, Passport features an increased ride height of approximately one inch compared to Pilot. The wider track provides better handling around town and the wider wheels provide increased grip. The wide hatch opens to reveal exceptional cargo space behind the rear seats.
Passport shares much of its body and chassis engineering with the Pilot and Ridgeline, including the latest generation of Honda’s proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. In addition to the raised ride height over Pilot, Passport is six inches shorter overall, while sharing the same 111.0 in wheelbase.
Combined with the increased ride height, this results in an off-road ready approach angle of 21.4 degrees, and a departure angle of 27.6 degrees on AWD models.
Interior Design and Packaging
Passport’s modern and sophisticated interior design offers ample space for five people and provides class-leading passenger volume. Packed with modern amenities like available Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ integration and a digital gauge cluster, Passport also features a cargo area generously sized for weekend camping trips, or excursions to the home improvement store.
From Sport to Elite trims, Passport features high-quality interior appointments –attractive and durable fabric on Sport or perforated leather on EX-L, Touring and Elite trims, and on all trims a blackout headliner and generous use of soft-touch surfaces on the dash and doors.
The instrument panel features a 7-inch TFT screen with a customizable interface that allows drivers to view different vehicle or audio/connectivity functions.
Placed in the center of the dash on EX-L trims and above is an easy-to-reach, high-resolution 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen.
Passport’s interior also offers class-leading space, both passenger space and total interior volume. Behind the rear seats is a fully carpeted cargo area including the wheel wells and side walls. The spacious cargo area offers 41.2 cu.-ft. of flexible cargo space, not including the additional 2.5 cu.-ft. of hidden storage under the floor. Press a button in the cargo area and the rear seatbacks fold flat for a total of up to 77.9 cu.-ft. of space, more than enough to accommodate a bicycle or a week’s worth of camping gear. Passport’s underfloor storage is near the rear bumper and easily accessed by lifting the rearmost section of the floor. And, unlike many competitor vehicles that make you choose between underfloor storage or a spare tire, Passport’s smart packaging incorporates both.
There’s also plenty of space for small stuff. Passport offers generous storage space for front seat occupants, headlined by a large center console bin between the front seats with a rolling cover that also serves as a tray when closed.
Additional storage is found in the doors and ahead of the push-button gear selector, with Elite trims featuring a wireless charging pad that’s both Qi and PMA compatible.
Technology
Passport Sport models come standard with a 5-inch display monitor linked to a 152-watt, 7-speaker audio system with a subwoofer. Passport EX-L, Touring and Elite trims come with an 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen audio system. The Display Audio system uses gestures common to smartphones and tablets, such as swipe, tap and pinch, to control the vehicle’s audio system, display settings and other advanced features. Intuitive and easy to use, with a simplified menu structure, it also offers customizable shortcuts for commonly used features and customizable app locations. Additionally, the Display Audio system comes with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ integration.
Passport’s instrument cluster uses a 7-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) screen with a wide range of information content. Not only does it display typical vehicle functions such as vehicle speed and RPM, the full-color digital meter includes a Multi-Information Display (MID) with customizable features, such as audio information, a detailed trip computer, phone information, and turn-by-turn route guidance on Passport models equipped with navigation. Drivers navigate the TFT using Passport’s intuitive steering wheel controls.
Passport also offers an embedded Telematics Control Unit (TCU) in Touring and Elite trims that delivers an AT&T 4G LTE connection inside the vehicle. The system includes a free trial for 90-day/3GB (whichever comes first) and supports up to seven devices.
The next-generation HondaLink® system available on Passport seamlessly integrates with the car. HondaLink® provides access to a world of cloud-based information, connecting customers to online content, and the HondaLink® phone app offers convenient access for many services including location searches, local weather, messaging, Maintenance Minder™ alerts, service scheduling by phone, and access to the vehicle Owners Guide.
Powertrain
Every Honda Passport is powered by a 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine, connected to a newly refined 9-speed automatic transmission (9AT). Among the highest standard horsepower in its class, Passport offers brisk acceleration and up to 5,000 pounds of towing capacity with the available towing package and all-wheel drive.
The 9-speed transmission benefits from a number of refinements from its initial introduction, including second-gear starts under moderate loads, smoother shifts, upgraded hardware, and quicker response times.
Passport’s Idle Stop system is also fully integrated with the new second-gear launch mode. The revised Idle Stop system also boasts quicker restarts when accelerating immediately after engine stop, making it less noticeable in heavy traffic and similar driving situations. The air conditioning has been reconfigured as well to reduce engine restarts. Additionally, when in Idle Stop, the engine remains off after shifting to Park for a more natural driving experience.
Passports with all-wheel drive benefit from Honda’s exclusive i-VTM4™ torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system. By actively proportioning torque to the wheel that can best use it, i-VTM4™ expands Passport’s off-road ability well beyond its crossover-based competition. In addition, the four-mode Intelligent Traction Management works in conjunction with i-VTM4™ on all-wheel drive models, allowing drivers to customize the system for different terrains, including sand, snow, mud, and paved roads.
Passport is also well equipped for towing. Able to tow up to 5,000 pounds with the optional towing package and all-wheel drive, Passport is ideal for hauling camping trailers, boats, or “toy” trailers, even over rugged terrain. The standard Multi-Angle Rearview Camera makes connecting to a trailer easier than ever with its “overhead” view giving a bird’s eye view of hitch and trailer.
Safety and Driver Assistance Technology
Standard on all 2019 Passports is the Honda Sensing® suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies.
Honda Sensing® includes Forward Collison Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™), Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance System, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control.
All models also come with a Multi-Angle Rearview Camera, while Passport EX-L trims and higher come with blind spot information (BSI). Every Passport trim also includes automatic high beams.
Passport was designed to provide a high level of active and passive safety protection and targets a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as well as a TOP SAFETY PICK rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Accessories
Passport offers a wide variety of accessories designed to help owners tailor their experience to their personal needs.
Available through Honda dealerships are a variety of utility accessories to make it easier to enjoy the great outdoors, such as roof boxes of various sizes, a roof basket, and roof-mounted bike racks. Inside, Passport buyers can weatherproof their cargo area with hard plastic covers for the floor, sides, and seatbacks. The underfloor storage can be divided with separate, removable bins. For those seeking a more sophisticated, urban look, a variety of cosmetic exterior items are available, such as a colored graphics package, undercarriage welcome lights, and color matched front and rear underbody spoilers. Best of all, many of these features are bundled together in two distinct accessory packs: Urban Package and Adventure Package.
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