The 2027 Passport TrailSport's reworked suspension adds 1.38 inches of ground clearance. Photo: Honda.
The short version. The 2027 Honda Passport is on sale now. Only the TrailSport trims really change: a reworked suspension adds 1.38 inches of ground clearance (to 9.65 inches), and the TrailWatch camera system and a heated steering wheel become standard. The TrailSport costs $49,995 before destination, $1,345 more than in 2026. The 3.5-liter V6 carries over, and there is still no hybrid.
This page collects what Honda announced, what the first drives found and what car podcasts have said about the current Passport, and notes where they disagree. Last reviewed October 24, 2026. If you see an error, email us.
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What changed for 2027?
The Passport, a two-row, five-seat SUV, was redesigned for 2026, so 2027 is a targeted update aimed at the off-road TrailSport trims, which made up more than 80% of Passport sales as of mid-2026, per Motor1 and Autoblog.
More ground clearance. 9.65 inches, up from 8.27. Honda redesigned roughly 70% of the TrailSport's major suspension parts (28 parts in all, including springs, dampers, control arms, knuckles, the front subframe and front driveshafts) rather than fitting taller springs alone, per Car and Driver and Kelley Blue Book. Honda also says it retuned the steering for better feel, per We Talk Cars, and KBB notes revised high-strength steel skid plates.
A trail app. Honda's free Honda Trail Experience (HTX) app records trail runs and shows pitch, roll, elevation, throttle and brake data on the screen through CarPlay, and can overlay it on trail video, per Motor1.
Looks. Wider fender flares, a reshaped lower front bumper, two amber lights in the hood scoop and a new Smoke Blue Pearl paint. The Blackout package gets black skid garnishes, black badges and black 18-inch wheels, per Autoblog.
Unchanged. The 280-hp, 258 lb-ft 3.5-liter V6, 10-speed automatic, Honda's torque-vectoring all-wheel drive and the 31-inch General Grabber A/T tires, per Car and Driver and Motor1. Every Passport has a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a 10.2-inch digital gauge display, per Edmunds. The base RTL keeps the standard suspension.
How much does the 2027 Passport cost?
Trim | 2027 price (before destination) | Change from 2026 |
|---|---|---|
RTL | $45,195 | +$245 |
TrailSport | $49,995 | +$1,345 |
TrailSport Elite | $53,695 | +$1,045 |
Prices from Honda's release, Motor1 and Autoblog. With destination, the TrailSport is $51,590 and the RTL $46,790, which implies about $1,595 for destination. Including destination, the TrailSport's rise is $1,445 (from $50,145 for 2026, per Edmunds), because destination also went up $100; that is the "about $1,500" some reviews quote. The TrailSport Blackout rose $1,645. The Elite still costs about $3,700 more than the TrailSport, but now adds less over it, since TrailWatch and the heated wheel are standard on both.
Worth pricing in if you plan to go off-road: Honda's dealer-installed rock sliders ($865) and a full-size spare that stows upright in the cargo area ($725), per KBB. Edmunds called the sliders a must-have off-road; a Honda planner told its reviewer the sills would otherwise have dented badly enough to jam the doors. Car and Driver notes the sliders need Honda's optional $50 pantograph jack.
When is it on sale?
Now. Honda said 2027 Passports began reaching US dealers in late September 2026, per Edmunds and Motor1. It is built in Lincoln, Alabama, alongside its V6.
Is there a hybrid? What is the fuel economy?
No hybrid, for the Passport, Pilot or Ridgeline, per Edmunds. The lift costs a little efficiency on the highway. The 2027 TrailSport is rated 18 mpg city, 22 highway and 20 combined, per The Drive; the 2026 was 18/23/20, per Edmunds. Edmunds calls fuel economy "the biggest caveat" for anyone considering one.
How does it drive?
The launch drives, all on the same North Carolina off-road course, agree on the main point: the extra height shows up on the trail.
It still is not a rock crawler. There is no low range and no locking rear differential. Honda's answer is Trail mode and steady throttle, with the rear clutches moving torque to whichever wheel has grip. Motor1 lists "no rear locker" as a con; KBB says the trade is better handling and efficiency than a Wrangler or 4Runner.
On the road, reviewers disagree. Car and Driver found it "as composed as ever," with 0.80 g of grip like earlier TrailSports. KBB found more body lean and "more looseness" than the 2026. Edmunds noticed no difference in wind noise or highway stability.
Numbers. Car and Driver measured 0 to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds, the same as its long-term 2026, and 182 feet from 70 mph to a stop. Towing is 5,000 pounds.
What do car podcasts say about the Passport?
Car Curious, our sister car-podcast platform, tracks what podcast hosts say about each car. For the current Passport it has 149 passages across 44 shows: 19 shows recommended it and 3 held back, and in a few passages hosts steered listeners to another car. Many of these episodes predate the 2027 update, so they describe the 2026 model, which the 2027 matches apart from the TrailSport changes. The full breakdown, with every quote linked to the moment it was said, is on Car Curious.
What hosts like. Everyday usability came up on 15 shows, the interior on 10 and the drive on 9. Cargo space came up on 8: "if you need cargo space more than people space, if you don't need the third row, but you need the space of a three-row car, this is a terrific option," said The Driveway. The all-wheel drive also gets praise; on The Truck Show Podcast, a host describing one on bad roads said "I had to do dumb things if I was going to make it lose traction."
The value argument. Value for money is the most-discussed topic, on 24 shows, and most hosts who took a side defended it: 16 shows for, 5 against. For: "It feels like it's 90% of what you would get capability-wise of a [4Runner], but you would have better fuel economy" (The Truck Show Podcast). Against: "you can get an [Outback] fully loaded with more off road capability for under 50" (The Straight Shift with The Car Chick).
What the 2027 answers. Two shows knocked its ground clearance, though eight praised its off-road ability. "It has a relatively low ground clearance for a vehicle that's touted as off road," said The Straight Shift with The Car Chick, and Doug DeMuro's THIS CAR POD! noted Honda had been "marketing this as an off-roader for a while" before adding real capability. The 2027's extra 1.38 inches answers that complaint directly.
What it does not. Price and fuel economy. "It's just hard to know if a [Passport] is worth 50 grand brand new," said Bogetti Studios, and CarEdge Live flagged dealer markups on new ones. On fuel, The Straight Shift with The Car Chick said "it gets really crappy gas mileage." The 2027 costs more and is slightly less efficient, so neither knock improves.
How does it compare with its rivals?
On paper the 2027 TrailSport now clears every main rival except the top 4Runner trims:
Model | Ground clearance |
|---|---|
Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro / Trailhunter | 10.1 in |
2027 Honda Passport TrailSport | 9.65 in |
Subaru Outback Wilderness | 9.5 in |
Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road | 8.8 in |
Ford Bronco Sport Badlands (Sasquatch) | 8.8 in |
Figures from Edmunds and its 4Runner comparison. Edmunds' on-paper comparison with the 4Runner TRD Off-Road (it lists the 2026 Toyota at $52,285 and the 2026 Passport TrailSport at $50,145) gives the Passport better approach and departure angles (the Toyota edges it on breakover, 24 degrees to 23), about 6 inches more rear legroom, a bigger screen and a softer ride. The Toyota offers a hybrid, more cargo room in gas form and body-on-frame toughness.
What is next?
Acura has confirmed an "adventure-ready" crossover for early 2028, per Automotive News; the forecaster AutoForecast Solutions says it will share the Passport's platform and be about the same size. Honda will also start exporting the Alabama-built TrailSport Elite to Japan in early 2027, per We Talk Cars. And Car and Driver saw a prototype Passport on 32-inch tires at the launch. Honda is not offering that size, but the lift leaves room for it.
Prices, specifications and dates come from the outlets linked in each section. Podcast quotes describe how hosts received the car and are not a source for any figure on this page.