The Overland market is huge and growing at the moment. There doesn’t seem to be a consensus on a dollar figure, but it’s estimated that around 30-40 million people are into the trend worldwide. Kamil and I spent the weekend with some other journalist types at Overland East a few years ago, and it was a good time. Now, there is a big-time Overland of America event happening in Oklahoma in September. Honda has been hip to all this for some time, that last trip we did, they loaned us a few Honda Passports that got dirty on the trails before the Overland event. I’ve been driving the latest 2024 version of Honda’s Passport TrailSport, so let’s check out the all-terrain tire wearing shot at would-be Overlander customers.

2024 Honda Passport Overview

Those of you who know Honda trim levels from a historical perspective will note that the Passport leapfrogs—well, most of them. There is no LX and no EX; the Passport just jumps right into the EX-L (the “L” stands for “leather”). The starting trim is just under $42,000, while the TrailSport, like our tester, starts at $44,500. There is a new 2024 Black Edition that replaces last year’s Elite trim that’ll add on another $3,470.

Here’s what you get for your monies:

Exterior

• 18-Inch Alloy Wheels
• Power Tailgate
• Roof Rails
• LED Fog Lights
• LED Low-Beam Headlights
• Dual Exhaust Finishers

Interior

• Leather-Trimmed Seats w/Orange Stitching
• Heated Front Seats
• One-Touch Power Moonroof
• 7-Speaker, 215-Watt Audio System
• Power Front Seats w/Driver Memory Seat
• Tri-Zone Automatic Climate Control
• Cargo-Area Underfloor Storage
• One-Touch Fold-Down 60/40 Split Rear Seatback
• Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel w/Orange Stitching

Technology

• Apple CarPlay®* Compatibility
• Android Auto™* Compatibility
• Wireless Phone Charger*
• Smart Entry w/Walk Away Auto Lock®
• Bluetooth® Streaming Audio*
• Front, Center Console, and 2nd-Row USB Ports
• Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™*
• 8-Inch Display Audio Touch-Screen
• Push Button Start

Safety & Alerts

• Collision Mitigation Braking System
• Road Departure Mitigation System
• Blind Spot Information w/Cross Traffic Monitor
• Multi-Angle Rearview Camera
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane Keeping Assist System
• Parking Sensors

So, it’s pretty well-equipped and the only thing our tester had added was Sonic Gray Pearl paint for $455. All in you’re at just over $46,300 out the door. Not an inexpensive proposition, so let’s see how it did during the week of daily driver duties around D.C.

2024 Honda Passport Trailsport AWD Inside & Out

I like the size of the Passport, it’s a great “not too big, not too small” proposition. It rides on the Global Light Truck Platform 2 (GLTP2), which also forms the basis for the Pilot, Ridgeline, and Odyssey. It’s actually about the same width as a 2024 Pilot, but it’s 11 inches shorter. That makes it easier to park while still delivering almost as much rear legroom. It’s pretty decent-looking as well. The TrailSport trim has some chunky black trim, and I like the overall look. It reminds me a bit of the first and second generation Passport, albeit with a slightly sloping rear roofline which is in fashion at the moment.

The inside is pretty typical Honda, and that’s a good thing. The ergonomics are fantastic, as usual. There is nothing dramatic, it just works. I like the leather seats with orange stitching, and you get the TrailSport logo stitched into the headrest. My only criticism is that there are a lot of hard plastic buttons on the inside, which is not necessarily bad but could be better. 

As I mentioned before, the rear legroom is quite good, delivering 39.6 inches of space. The Pilot gives you another inch or so and obviously seats seven, while the Passport seats five. The cargo space in the Passport is spectacular, it’s an impressive 41.2 cubic feet. You only get 18.6 cubes in the Pilot, but obviously you can drop the rear seats to get more.

The 3.5L V6 engine is more than enough for daily driving duties. It has 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque and is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. It even sounds surprisingly beefy under hard acceleration. Speaking of acceleration, 60 mph comes in less than 7 seconds, depending on trim. I’ve seen some tests as low as 6.5 seconds, which is 1990s sport compact car levels of acceleration.

Summary

The 2024 Passport is the “just right” size in the Honda SUV lineup, it’s larger than the CR-V but smaller than the Pilot. For those families who don’t need three rows, it’s a fantastic choice. If you want to do a little off-roading or at least some tricky trail driving, the TrailSport is a sweet spot in the Passport lineup. I’ve been in and out of the Overlanding trend depending on what vehicle I’ve owned (I’m currently “out” since I got rid of my Wrangler and the Jaaaag and bought a Stelvio Quadrifoglio). I had a friend and colleague who rode his motorcycle from the east coast to Oregon 99% off-road and the trails he described would be a cinch for the Passport TrailSport. So, it’s a solid “recommend” on this one, I loved the size and capability and at a bit under $45K it’s priced well.