2022 Honda Passport

Pros: Comfortable ride; good off-road ability for a crossover; smooth V6

Cons: Transmission often reluctant to downshift; touchscreen controls can be finicky; dropped Sport trim means significantly higher price of entry

CG Says: The 2022 Honda Passport gets a restyled exterior and a rearranged lineup. The EX-L is the new base model and the Sport and Touring trims have been dropped. The new TrailSport trim level has a unique grille, wheels, tires, bumpers and slightly widened track emphasizing an off-road look. The Passport is a two-row, 5-passenger SUV that slots between the compact CR-V and the three-row midsize Pilot in Honda’s model lineup. The Passport is built on the Pilot platform and has the same 111-inch wheelbase, but it’s six inches shorter overall and the Pilot’s third-row seat is deleted. Honda has also positioned the Passport as a more off-road-capable vehicle and given it a more rugged appearance than the family-oriented Pilot. A 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission is the sole powertrain. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available on all models, except the topline Elite where it is standard.

Standard on all trim levels is Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality, an 8-inch control screen and the Honda Sensing suite of safety features, which includes collision warning and mitigation, road-departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Passport inherits the Pilot’s strengths of excellent driving manners, good passenger room, and a smooth V6. In exchange for giving up the extra space and seating capacity of its larger Pilot sibling, the Passport gains a degree of off-road prowess and is a bit more maneuverable in tight quarters. If you’re in the market for a two-row SUV with a rugged-yet-refined attitude, the Passport is a must see.