The Honda Passport TrailSport Isn’t Truly Rugged, But It’s Good

Not quite the off-road champ it wants to be, this Honda still works.

As if the midsized affordable SUV marketplace isn’t packed enough, Honda thought it would offer another one. With its three-row Pilot selling reasonably well, some drivers didn’t need the extra seats from a good platform. Enter the Honda Passport, which is a slightly smaller version of the midsized SUV that ditches the third row for more storage space. Featuring a near-identical cabin and powertrain to the Pilot, the Honda Passport saves a couple bucks, holds more stuff, and goes on family adventures with a hint of style.

To please the driver that wants a bit more rugged appearance, Honda has introduced the Passport TrailSport trim level that slots into the middle of the Passport offerings, and eliminated the most basic Sport trim level. Looking a bit beefier than the more conventional family hauler spotted at the school pickup line or at soccer practice, does this go anywhere look work for the Honda Passport TrailSport? I gave it a whirl to find out.

The Helpful Specs

Honda stuffs its 3.5-liter V6 under the hood of all Passport models, with 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque on-tap. A 9-speed automatic is the only transmission choice, and two-wheel-drive is the standard driveline on the base model Passport, but this middle trim TrailSport package and the top Elite trim level come standard with Honda’s torque vectoring all-wheel-drive system. Honda’s Intelligent Traction Management system also includes several drive modes for various terrains.

To make the Passport TrailSport look the part of a tougher family SUV, Honda gave it several distinguishing styling touches inside and out. The exterior gets a unique grille treatment, and more aggressive front and rear bumpers are paired with silver-painted skid garnish details. The grille and tailgate get bright orange TrailSport badges. TrailSport-specific machined-finished 18-inch wheels with pewter gray details are shod with beefier 245/60R18 Firestone all-terrain tires to add to the slightly meaner look, compared to other Passport trims which get 20-inch wheels with lower profile tires.

Cabin treatments in the TrailSport include orange stitching on the seats, door panels, and steering wheel, with the front seat headrests receiving embroidered TrailSport logos. The TrailSport trim gets standard all-season rubber floor mats which also get that unique orange logo. The gauge pod in the TrailSport has the updated gray lighting and white needles as the rest of the Passport lineup, but features a black chrome gauge surround that’s only installed in the TrailSport. When cruising around at night, the cabin is lit with TrailSport-exclusive amber ambient lighting.

Pricing for the standard two-wheel-drive Honda Passport begins at $37,870, which increases by $2,100 to add all-wheel-drive. The top Elite trim comes packed with features at $45,430. The middle trim TrailSport has a starting MSRP of $42,470, and with a $395 premium added for Platinum White Pearl paint and a $1,225 destination charge, this Passport TrailSport tester hit a total price of $44,090.

The Competent Family Carrier

It comes as no surprise that the Passport TrailSport is a good midsized SUV, given Honda’s track record for reliability and functionality. The powertrain is proven, albeit a little on the older side, and is potent enough to get this family hauler moving effectively. Not needing to impress with the stat sheet, the Passport’s V6 is smooth and strong where it needs to be, and the 9-speed automatic shifts smoothly to keep it composed in the city. EPA fuel economy estimates are 19 / 24 / 21 (city / highway / combined), paired with a 19.5-gallon tank, allowing longer treks with fewer stops to fill up with regular unleaded.

Ride quality is composed, with a good bit of body roll when you try to carry some speed into a corner, but the Passport’s chassis stays where it needs to. Bigger sidewalls around 18-inch wheels on the TrailSport trim make for greater compliance, making street bumps disappear while minimizing chassis disruption though a suspension that’s still better on pavement than gravel. I also appreciate how light and direct steering inputs are in the Passport TrailSport.

The Passport’s interior is no-fuss quality that’s expected from Honda, with an intuitive cockpit that features a tidy layout. If you’ve been inside a Honda Pilot or Ridgeline lately, you’ll recognize the components and design throughout the Passport. Space inside the Passport is massive, with loads of room to stretch out whether you’re in the front or back seats. Lateral support from the Passport’s seats could be slightly better, but the comfort level is great. Because the Passport has a shorter overall length than the Pilot and ditches the third row seats, cargo volume is downright massive, offering 50 cubic feet of space behind the second row seat and boasting a whopping 100 cubic feet with the second row folded flat. In the cargo area, the Passport also has a concealed storage compartment for stashing away reasonably-sized items.

Carrying the same infotainment software installed in other Honda models, the Passport TrailSport has an 8-inch touchscreen with plenty of customization options and a cool way to enable shortcut buttons on the screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on-board too, although without wireless connectivity options, and there’s a wireless charging pad ahead of the shifter. The standard 215-Watt audio system features 7 speakers and a subwoofer, which isn’t bad, but if you care about premium audio, you’ll want to upgrade to the Passport’s Elite trim level to upgrade to 540 Watts ands 10 speakers.

Appearing More Rugged, But Reasonably Capable

A quick glance at a TrailSport will quickly reveal that it’s the cooler looking Honda Passport. Not just a dressed up version of an already good family hauler, the Trailsport’s front and rear track widths are increased 10 mm to increase stability and provide a wider stance. For those who need to pull their boat, off-road toys, or camper, 2WD Passports can tow up to 3,500 pounds, and AWD models up the towing capacity to 5,000 pounds with Honda’s towing package installed.

Ground clearance is 7.5 inches for a two-wheel-drive Passport, and the all-wheel-drive upgrade increases the figure to 8.1. Approach angle is 21.1°, and the departure angle is 24.3°, which isn’t too hardcore, but isn’t too pedestrian either. Honda equips the Passport with snow, sand, and mud off-road drive modes, which are quickly engaged with a button next to the gear selector. The modes do a good job of dialing in the right amount of grip needed to cope with the trails, but you’re not going into any ridiculous rock crawling events in the Passport TrailSport.

In a muddy and slightly rocky patch at a nearby park, I was more than happy with what the Passport TrailSport offered, knowing it’s not intended to tackle extreme conditions like a Ford Bronco or Land Rover Defender. For the adventurous family that wants to escape the city for a nice state park that has reasonably muddy or mildly rocky trails, this SUV will get you there and back in peace.

The Good Bits

I’ve always felt that the Honda Pilot looked too bloated for a family SUV, and the Passport is a refreshingly smaller package. The proportions are better balanced with this model, and the TrailSport’s bigger sidewall tires complete the look nicely. If someone really needs the third row of seats, the Pilot will be a nice addition to the family’s driveway. The updated fascia, chunkier rear bumper, and bigger exhaust tips are cool too.

Rather than padding the bottom line, Honda includes its Honda Sensing suite of safety features as standard equipment, offering adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, road departure mitigation, forward collision warning, and emergency braking without charging thousands more. Honda also has some proprietary software in its lane keeping system that seems to eliminate the annoying ping pong sensation other systems do between the lane lines.

Intuitive functionality inside the Honda Passport TrailSport is fantastic. Switchgear doesn’t have to be wildly stylish or made with space age materials to work, and Honda did a good job with switches and buttons that are well-placed. The gear selection buttons will take a quick adjustment, but I like how they save space in the center of the cockpit. USB ports and power outlets are simply placed in the Passport’s cabin, giving the kids plenty of options to charge their devices during a road trip. Space is effectively used in the Passport’s interior, with loads of flexible spots to store items of all shapes and sizes.

Less Than Great Things

Understanding that Honda offers a practical SUV for families, and not a real deal tough off-roader, there are stylish details that could have been more functional. In the TrailSport trim, Honda gave this Passport some rugged looking treatments, but metal skid plates and tougher fender trim would have done it some favors. Same goes for the thicker sidewall tires that could be a hint wider to really complete the off-road look. Thankfully Honda indicated that it will offer meatier tires and an off-road tuned suspension in the next couple model years.

While I praised Honda for giving the Passport’s interior plenty of thoughtful design elements, the instrument cluster leaves a bit to be desired. There’s a lot of wasted real estate, and the center screen should be able to provide more usable data on the fly while also offering a higher resolution display. Storing your gear in the back of the Honda Passport TrailSport is easy, thanks to a square-shaped tailgate and storage area, but the power tailgate only gets a hands-free feature on the top Elite trim level. Those who want a more rugged go-anywhere model want easier ways to put their mountain bike in the back after ripping up the trails.

This Practical SUV Gets It Done

Honda did a good job giving the Passport TrailSport more rugged touches within the exterior and the cabin, making it cooler than the typical family SUV. As someone who likes to conquer off-road trails on a somewhat regular basis, I wish Honda would have thrown somewhat tougher kit at its exterior to make it better at taking a beating. For most families, this won’t be an issue.

Deep down, Honda knows its buyers, their demands, and how to move a reliable product. The Passport TrailSport delivers the features and looks that Honda’s core buyers want, and makes its drivers slightly cooler than the usual parent at soccer practice. It’ll also go just enough places off-road during family trips to make the trip memorable. For those reasons, I think Honda did a good job with the Passport TrailSport.

The 2022 Honda Civic Si Keeps It Real

The updated bargain sport sedan still hits its marks.

Since the 1980s, Honda has cranked out the ideal fun car for those with more modest budgets, in the form of the Civic Si. When it first arrived, the Civic Si was a compact hatchback with a slight bump in performance over its normal offerings, focused on the driver who wanted a little more enjoyment from their weekday commute and weekend drives. Having previously owned three earlier generations of the Civic Si personally, I was easily the target demographic that loved what Honda produced in the segment.

When I tested the 2020 variant of the Si just over a year ago, I thought it was the best way to spend $26,000 on a new car. It may have had some edgy styling cues that would please the youths more than the responsible adult, but Honda sold tons of them. Now in its eleventh generation, the Honda Civic has moved upmarket inside and out. With fresh exterior lines that resemble those of the Civic’s Accord big brother, the 2022 model tidies up its appearance with a more mature look, but underneath it still possesses the goodies the fun driver wants. To see if the new Civic Si was still holding up its reputation, I gave it a fun test around the streets of Austin, Texas.

The Key Specs

For 2022, Honda built an all-new Civic, and when I drove the top-end Touring trim last fall, I thought it was a great new edition of the best-selling compact sedan. Carrying over the majority of the powertrain from the 2020 Si, this new one has a retuned version of the 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that 200 horsepower at 6,000 RPM. In revising the Si’s engine mapping, the 2022 model’s torque curve is wider, with its peak 192 lb-ft of torque available 300 RPM sooner, and staying steady from 1,800 – 5,000 RPM. Unlike its early versions, the 2022 Honda Civic Si is not the high-revving VTEC screamer of those B-Series years, now having a redline of just 6,500 RPM.

A 6-speed manual is the only transmission in the 2022 Civic Si, hooked up to a lightweight single-mass flywheel and helical limited-slip differential to drive the front wheels. In spite of having a more flexible power band, the 2022 Si accelerates from a standstill slightly slower than the car it replaces. Now hitting 0-60 MPH in 7.1 seconds, and tripping the lights at the end of a 1/4-mile run in 15.3 seconds, the 2022 Si isn’t going to leap off the page, but Honda isn’t focused on winning drag races with this new Civic.

Competing with the VW Jetta, Subaru WRX, and Hyundai Elantra N, this new Si has some strong rivals in the bargain fun sedan segment. As one would expect from an all-new model that takes on a bunch of upgrades, the 2022 Honda Civic Si price is up around $2,000 versus the 2020 model. Thankfully Honda makes pricing simple, with one factory option being stickier summer tires over the standard all-season performance rubber. The 2022 Si’s base price is $27,300, and the HPT (high performance tire) option adds just $200. This tester added Blazing Orange Pearl paint, for another $395, to hit a total MSRP of $28,910 after destination.

A Daily Driving Sleeper

Act surprised, a Honda Civic Si is great to drive as a city car. The turbocharged engine is punchy enough to make your errand runs run, without exhibiting the erratic energy of a heavily caffeinated terrier. Jumping onto a freeway is definitely enjoyable, with enough power to effortlessly scoot past slower moving traffic. Opt for a shade a paint more subtle than this orange example, and you’ll easily sneak up on fellow motorists who underestimate the fun this Si packs.

Because its powerplant doesn’t have to rev to the stratosphere to make its power, as opposed to earlier Si models, the 2022 Honda Civic Si offers good flexibility across its rev range without the need to downshift if you’re under 4,000 RPMs. Keep the Si in the normal drive mode, and the throttle response is composed and light, making it easier to achieve the EPA fuel economy estimates of 27/37/31 (city/highway/combined) MPGs. I was a bit more playful during my week-long test in the Civic Si, and only averaged 27 MPGs.

Though its suspension includes plenty of upgrades to improve its performance on more fun stretches of pavement, Honda didn’t make the Civic Si too firm when completing more typical errand runs and commutes to the office. Gone are the adaptive dampers I appreciated in the last generation Si, and I suspect this was to reduce costs. I was shocked Honda included them in a car that was under $30,000, and hoped they’d stick around in this all-new Si, as they worked nicely to calm bumpy city streets while offering more confidence when playing behind the wheel of the Si. With a hint of electric assist, the Civic Si has light yet precise steering feel, and the leather-wrapped wheel fits neatly into my hands.

The 2022 Honda Civic Si receives the same cabin upgrades as the standard models, getting hardware that a new Accord driver would recognize. The new infotainment touchscreen measures 9 inches across, and the updated instrument cluster features a new 7-inch LCD setup with customizable gauges. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard equipment pumping through a new 12-speaker Bose audio system, which Honda claims is the best system ever featured in a Civic Si. Sticking with USB-A ports, Honda provides a pair of them just ahead of the shifter, where there’s a good cubby to toss your phone, keys, and any other small items.

Practicality is still at the high Honda standard, with plenty of storage space (and big bottle holders) in the doors, center armrest, and in the trunk. Properly functional cupholders are placed between the seats, with good depth to keep a massive fountain drink cup stable. Legroom and headroom are great for back seat passengers, thanks to Honda adding 1.4 inches to the Civic Si’s wheelbase, now a class-leading 107.7 inches. There isn’t much in the way of lateral support for the back seat, so don’t get too wild when running to lunch with a couple coworkers in the Si.

Those who care about safety will be happy to know that Honda still makes its Honda Sensing® suite of driver-assistive and safety technology standard, and added traffic sign recognition and a driver attention monitor to the 2022 Si. A couple under-appreciated features are Honda’s adaptive cruise control that smoothly maintains speed without that rubber band sensation, and the lane keeping assistance system that continually centers the Civic without that ping pong effect between the stripes.

Keeping Up A Sporty Reputation

Days of the wrapping up the tach to get any fun out of a VTEC engine are gone, and the 2022 Honda Civic Si allows the driver to enjoy some punch at nearly any RPM. Sure, this 1.5-liter engine loses some revs, but Honda figured out that the enthusiast will appreciate some available torque that doesn’t resemble the low-end output of a weed eater. Honda also says it revised the engine’s power to not taper off as the tachometer needle surges past its peak output, while also sharpening throttle response. The result is a good little motor that still likes to rev, but provides some good pull when you want it to take off at lower RPMs.

Like most sporty cars, Honda gives the 2022 Civic Si a drive mode selection for normal, sport, and individual modes, although the individual one doesn’t have many variables to toy with. Thankfully there is good separation between the sport and normal modes, giving this updated Si noticeably different moods. It won’t blow the doors off many cars at a red light, but that doesn’t matter to me. The power band in the Si is smooth, and the engine is a joy to set free. Tight gear ratios provide a little extra punch without falling out of the boost too easily, and the exchange of each through the new shifter is nothing short of exceptional.

When I drove the Civic Type-R Limited Edition last summer, I thought it had the best shifting this side of a Porsche 911 GT3, and the Civic Si exhibits very similar directness and a positive click, with 10% shorter throws than the 2020 Si. The leather-wrapped aluminum knob is not only cool looking, but fits my hand perfectly. Clutch engagement is simple and clearly established, and I praise Honda for sticking to its roots by only offering a stick in the Civic Si. The 2022 Si now has rev-match control to keep the RPMs in the sweet spot, while make you look cooler when downshifting with a friend in the passenger seat. Speaking of seats, the front buckets in the Civic Si keep you planted when flogging this quicker Civic.

The new Si’s suspension sports stiffer springs (8% stiffer in front and 54% stiffer in the rear), firmer dampers, and its anti-roll bars are thicker (27 mm hollow front and 18 mm solid rear) than a standard Civic, translating to fantastic sensations on twisty roads. Borrowing the front and rear compliance bushings, upper arms and lower B-arms from the Civic Type-R, the Si is ridiculously composed in the bends. I just wish Honda didn’t get rid of the fantastic two-mode adaptive dampers the last generation benefitted from. Steering feel is improved using a 60-percent stiffer torsion bar connecting the steering shaft to the steering rack pinion gear. Thanks to an extra half inch of rear track and a 1.4-inch longer wheelbase than the 2020 model, the 2022 Civic Si allows the driver to toss it around with greater agility. Lateral grip is surprisingly high in the 2022 Si, shrugging off the understeer you’d expect from a front-wheel-drive compact car. Attribute much of that stability to the limited-slip diff, and Honda’s tinkering with the steering system that greatly improves feedback in the bends.

I appreciate Honda offering sportier tires as a factory option on the Civic Si, but I’m not a big fan of the Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber that’s wrapped around the cool black 10-spoke wheels. While they’re more than confident in the corners, with a square 235/40R18 setup, the noise level is a bit high. I love the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S over damn near any tire, but understand that every OEM isn’t going to equip them. Maybe Bridgestone’s 5001 would be a good alternative, like I’ve tested on a few affordable fun cars. An upgrade over previous generations of the Si, this 2022 model gets bigger brakes than the standard Civic models, now with 12.3-inch front rotors (up 1.2 inches), and 11.1-inch rear rotors (0.9 inch larger). If your weekend plans include track or autocross duty, you’ll want to upgrade the pads and fluid, as a longer stint of tossing the Si got the brakes to exhibit a bit of fade.

Rather than being a bit over-the-top like its Type-R sibling, the Civic Si receives more subtle styling. Honda wants people to recognize the Si as a fun variant, and I appreciate that its packaging is more tame. Simple badges adorn the decklid and front grille, and a reasonable black rear lip spoiler is fixed to the trunk. Even the exhaust pipes are more civil on the 2022 Civic Si, using a small tip on each side of the rear bumper, a departure from the big central trapezoidal outlet that was fitted to the 2020 model. The note resonating from the exhaust isn’t exactly gnarly, but at least the turbocharged Si isn’t totally muted in an era of OEMs being concerned about melting glaciers.

Some Pros And Cons

Revising the Civic Si’s looks was a smart move by Honda. The 2022 Si can attract slightly more mature buyers who still want a fun yet practically priced car. Gone are the aggressive and downright pointless exterior angles, replaced by smoothly flowing contours from nose to tail. The Civic Si’s cockpit is neatly upgraded too, getting a smaller version of the good steering wheel from the Accord, which utilizes physical switches and buttons for the audio and cruise control system. Deviated red stitching completes a sporty effect too. Honda is now offering a cabin that’s as nice as the one in the VW Jetta, and is definitely better sorted than its Subaru and Hyundai rivals.

The Si’s front seats are woven with sporty red cloth centers, get black Alcantara outer sections, and are pulled together with red stitching. Not as flashy as the seats in the Civic Type-R, the 2022 Si’s are slightly calmer. This theme carries over to the door cards, competing a tastefully fun interior. My one gripe with them is that Honda got rid of the heated function to the front seats, which was a standard feature in the previous generation Si.

In its effort to move upmarket, the Civic gets a few treatments from its Accord big brother, including a similar instrument cluster. I’m not in love with this gauge pod, as it’s a bit too spartan. The last Si had a more prominent speed display in the center, and the overall look of the cluster was more sporty. Now it’s kind of plain. With a huge amount of cargo space in the trunk, the Civic Si can haul a ton of your stuff, with added capacity when folding the rear seats 50/50. I just wish there was a bit more versatility and compartments in there, to better stash smaller items away.

A honeycomb design element is featured in the quick Civic’s front grille, and there’s a hint of that look used in the cabin’s vents. While they’re cool at first glance, what’s lacking in the Civic Si is dual-zone climate control, which was standard in the last generation, and is only available in more nicely-appointed Civic trim levels. As someone with a frequent passenger who’s often colder than me, that’s a big feature to delete, Honda. At least the control knobs for the climate control system have a nicely textured finish and a positive detent.

Still The Affordable Fun Car You Want

Honda has continually upgraded the Civic Si with each new generation, but it maintains its identity. It’s a blast to drive, offering enough power for a car of its size, boasting plenty of grip in the corners, and has one of the best manual shifting experiences available. At the same time, the Civic Si is still the practical sedan you expect from Honda.

I can’t help but offer a tiny gripe that Honda has taken away a few creature comforts while bumping up the price a couple grand. In the past generations, the Civic Si was a steal in its class, offering a load of standard equipment and performance for less cash than its competitors. While sneaking in at just under $30,000, which is on-par with its rivals, Honda still delivers a great value play with the Civic Si, and it’s definitely the fun compact sedan I’d opt for.