Honda is reviving the Passport after a 17 year
absence and automaker has confirmed the model will carry a base price of US$ 31,990. While that’s US$ 540 more than the 2019 Pilot, the Passport eschews a
traditional base model and instead begins with a generously equipped Sport
variant. According to Honda officials, this was done because the company
believes buyers will be relatively affluent and don’t want a stripped down
crossover.
As a result, the Sport comes nicely equipped with
LED headlights, LED fog lights and LED brake lights. Buyers will also find rear
privacy glass, remote start and standard 20-inch wheels with a gloss black
finish.
The interior is well appointed as the Sport has a
tri-zone automatic climate control system, a five-inch infotainment system and
a seven-speaker audio system with a subwoofer. Other highlights include a
push-button ignition, a tilt / telescopic steering column, a multi-angle
rearview camera and 60/40 split rear seats which fold down at the press of a button.
Despite its entry-level status, the Sport comes
equipped with adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking and a road
departure mitigation system. Other features include a forward collision warning
system, a lane departure warning system and lane keeping assist.
The Passport EX-L starts at US$ 36,410 and Honda
expects around 50% of customers will opt for this model. Key exterior
highlights include an acoustic windshield, a power moonroof and heated side
mirrors with integrated LED turn signals. The EX-L also boasts a power liftgate
and 20-inch wheels with a pewter gray finish.
Moving in the cabin, drivers will be greeted by a
leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated leather front seats. Speaking of the
latter, the driver’s seat has 10-way power adjustment while the front passenger
seat only has four-way control.
Those aren’t the only interior highlights as the
EX-L has an auto-dimming rearview mirror, HomeLink and an 8-inch Display Audio
with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. Other features include
illuminated front vanity mirrors, a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines and
a blind spot information system with cross traffic alert.
The luxury oriented Passport Touring starts at US$ 39,280 and comes equipped with an assortment of additional features. These
include ambient interior lighting, illuminated front cup holders and heated
front / rear seats. Other niceties include GPS navigation, a 115 volt power
outlet and a 10-speaker premium audio system with a subwoofer.
The Touring also boasts an assortment of exterior
upgrades including roof rails, a hands-free power liftgate and acoustic glass
for the front and rear doors. Last but not least, there are power folding side
mirrors and front / rear parking sensors.
The Passport Elite sits at the
top of the range. Costing US$ 43,680, the crossover has a heated leather steering
wheel and perforated leather front seats with heating and ventilation. Other
upgrades include rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming side mirrors, LED map lights
and a conveniently located wireless smartphone charger.
Regardless of which trim level is selected, all 2019
Passports are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 280 hp and 354 Nm of torque. It is connected to a nine-speed
automatic transmission which can be paired with an optional all-wheel drive
system. The latter is a US$ 1,900 option on all models except the Passport Elite
which includes it as standard equipment.
The 2019 Honda Passport goes on sale today and the company says the crossover costs thousands of dollars less than
competitively equipped models such as the Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Edge and
Nissan Murano.