Photo: Honda
Shorter but more off-road capable than the Pilot, the all-new Passport joins the Honda lineup with a 3.5-liter V6 that develops 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Production started at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, and the first examples of the breed will arrive at dealers in the first half of 2019.
Presented at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Passport slots between the CR-V and Pilot, featuring seating for five people and i-VTM4 all-wheel drive with torque vectoring. This option boosts the towing capacity to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms), making the brother of the Pilot an interesting choice for lifestyle-oriented customers.
Even though it’s smaller than the Pilot, the newcomer has a cargo volume of 41.2 cubic feet (1,167 liters) with the rear seats in their regular position. Fold them down, and you’re looking at 77.9 cubic feet (2,206 liters). Needless to say, that’s more than enough for a shopping spree at IKEA.
“We celebrate the dedication of our Honda team in Alabama in delivering this new, adventure-ready sport utility vehicle to our customers," declared Mike Oatridge, vice-president of the Alabama plant. HMA is employing more than 4,500 associates, and since it went operational in November 2001, more than 4.7 million vehicles and engines were produced by Honda’s Alabama facility.
The Passport comes standard with 20-inch alloy wheels and Honda Sensing, regardless of trim level. Sport is the name of the entry-level grade, followed by the EX-L, Touring, and Elite. Only the range-topping trim level comes standard with all-wheel drive.
A nine-speed automatic transmission is paired to the V6 engine, and in combination with i-VTM4, up to 70 percent of the torque can be sent to the rear axle. 100 percent of that torque can be channeled to either wheel, giving the Passport excellent handling in the rain, snow, and sand.
From a technological standpoint, the Passport Sport comes with 5.0-inch infotainment and six speakers (215 watts) for the audio system. Higher trim levels use the 8.0-inch Display Audio system, which integrates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Even though it’s smaller than the Pilot, the newcomer has a cargo volume of 41.2 cubic feet (1,167 liters) with the rear seats in their regular position. Fold them down, and you’re looking at 77.9 cubic feet (2,206 liters). Needless to say, that’s more than enough for a shopping spree at IKEA.
“We celebrate the dedication of our Honda team in Alabama in delivering this new, adventure-ready sport utility vehicle to our customers," declared Mike Oatridge, vice-president of the Alabama plant. HMA is employing more than 4,500 associates, and since it went operational in November 2001, more than 4.7 million vehicles and engines were produced by Honda’s Alabama facility.
The Passport comes standard with 20-inch alloy wheels and Honda Sensing, regardless of trim level. Sport is the name of the entry-level grade, followed by the EX-L, Touring, and Elite. Only the range-topping trim level comes standard with all-wheel drive.
A nine-speed automatic transmission is paired to the V6 engine, and in combination with i-VTM4, up to 70 percent of the torque can be sent to the rear axle. 100 percent of that torque can be channeled to either wheel, giving the Passport excellent handling in the rain, snow, and sand.
From a technological standpoint, the Passport Sport comes with 5.0-inch infotainment and six speakers (215 watts) for the audio system. Higher trim levels use the 8.0-inch Display Audio system, which integrates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
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