2022 Honda Passport TrailSport: Another step over land

As part of a midcycle update, the Passport — a nameplate revived for the 2019 model year and essentially a two-row version of the larger three-row Pilot — adopts new styling for 2022.

Honda also is reaching out to more off-road enthusiasts with a new Passport variant for 2022.

The Passport TrailSport trim — slotted between the EX-L and Elite versions — comes standard with Honda's torque-vectoring Intelligent Variable Torque Management all-wheel-drive system, a unique grille treatment and more aggressive front and rear bumpers.

Inside, the TrailSport package adds orange stitching on the steering wheel, door panels and seats.

Reviewers are mixed on the TrailSport package, with Consumer Reports calling it "somewhat off-road oriented."

As it expands the TrailSport trim to other models, Honda says it may offer improved off-roading capabilities over existing models.

Pricing for the Passport TrailSport starts at $43,695 with shipping.

We've rounded up some early reviews.

""onda's all-wheel-drive system can send 70% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels, and then 100% of the power side to side to whichever wheel has the most grip. This isn't a substitute for a locking differential, of course, but for places people are actually going to take a Passport, it fulfills its duties. When I last wrote about our long-term Honda Passport, it handily conquered 25 miles of washboard roads near Moab, Utah.

"However, a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system is only great when matched with appropriate tires, and this is where the Passport TrailSport suffers. Sure, the TrailSport gets 18-inch wheels but the 245/60 Firestone Destination tires are merely all-season rubber with a little extra tread on the sidewall. More than once during my test in the desert I saw the car in front of me spin a rear wheel because the tire couldn't get traction in the sand. Drive with a bit of speed — especially over rocky terrain — and these tires likely won't last long. If you're planning on taking your Passport out to the lake house or on an extended off-road trip, I'd recommend swapping the stock tires out for a set of actual off-road shoes like BFGoodrich KO2s or Falken Wildpeaks."

— Emme Hall, Roadshow by CNET

""he Honda rides well — likely a touch better than versions shod with 20-inch wheels — dispatching with expansion joints, potholes, and speed bumps quickly, without transmitting much of the impacts to the cabin. Body roll and brake dive are well controlled, too, though steering feel is fairly numb and uninspiring.

"Despite the lack of an aggressive off-road tire tread, tire and wind noise in the Passport is high for the class. Compared to Honda's latest cars like the Civic, the Passport's cabin is boring, too. The older infotainment system is laggy and fussy to use while driving, and the black-on-black cabin (with a splash of orange stitching on the seats) looks and feels unimpressive for the class, especially considering its $43,695 starting price. Those hopping out of a 4Runner will likely be pleasantly surprised, but those used to far more modern Grand Cherokees or Outbacks won't be."

— Christian Seabaugh, Motor Trend

"" ride-along in a stripped-down 2022 Honda Passport TrailSport that had most of its interior ripped out in favor of a roll cage was eye-opening, in that it proved that the car really is capable of performance, if it needs it. A separate drive on a sandy trail in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park showed off the various drive modes, which was a display of how much four-wheel drive has evolved to all-wheel drive, and how much traction control has evolved, too. If you are an enthusiast and some kind of rear-wheel drive, manual transmission freak, well, this car is not for you.

"The 2022 Honda Passport TrailSport also has things that rear-wheel drive, manual transmission freaks don't care about, but the rest of us do, like driving assistance features that we've come to expect from most new cars. I'm speaking of things like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking. In stop-and-go traffic, the car can more or less drive itself, provided you put your hands on the wheel every so often.

"The 2022 Honda Passport TrailSport does not have a full-size spare tire, which is a hint at what this car really is, which is Honda seeing a marketing opportunity in the American market for off-road things and going for it. Honda says that a full-size spare might come in future versions, but I got stuck on that detail, because, if you've ever been off-roading, you know that tire punctures are a big concern."

— Erik Shilling, Jalopnik

""pposite to how the Passport's spacious interior feels more expansive than its dimensions suggest, this mid-size crossover seemingly shrinks in size on the road with a sense of well-oiled responsiveness. Along with a chassis setup that nicely balances ride comfort and cornering forces, much of its wieldiness stems from the flexibility of its variable all-wheel-drive system and torque-vectoring rear axle, both of which are standard on all but the starter EX-L model, which is front wheel drive. Depending on conditions, the system can funnel up to 70 percent of the engine's torque to the rear end and route up to 100 percent of that grunt to either rear wheel. We'll have to wait for a test vehicle to see how the TrailSport's tires impact the Passport's modest grip and braking measurements, but cranking the steering wheel off center still brings a welcome buildup in effort and some feel. Among workaday SUVs, the ease with which this Honda rotates around mountain switchbacks can even approach entertaining."

— Mike Sutton, Car and Driver