Car Buyer Labs

Car Buying Advice, Tips, and Reviews

A white 2023 Honda Passport Elite is shown towing an ATV on a trail.

The 2023 Honda Passport: A Pragmatic SUV

The 2023 Honda Passport is one of Honda’s best SUVs. As a midsize model, the Passport is easy to handle without compromising interior passenger or cargo space. If you are trying to find a great SUV that combines the best features of a truck and a sedan, this may be the one for you. It has spacious seating for five passengers and a significant amount of cargo space, even when the rear seats are occupied. Families love the versatility of the Passport, especially when you consider the different trims available. When you understand what this SUV has to offer and the reasonable price Honda is asking, you’ll definitely be intrigued, to say the least.

Of course, one of the main reasons that buyers choose Honda is the brand’s legendary reliability. Honda has one of the best reputations for reliability and low maintenance costs. The 2023 Honda Passport has definitely continued this tradition. Everyone wants their dollars to be well spent, and the Passport gives you value in both function and comfort. With cutting-edge technology and the time-tested success of the Honda brand, you can be sure that this SUV will last for many years.

A Practical SUV for Everyone

SUVs have been shown to be very versatile vehicles, providing a good balance between a truck and a sedan. SUVs bring interior comfort in a way that trucks do not, including a more roomy cabin with plenty of covered cargo space. The Honda Passport is one such SUV. The interior is spacious, with five sizable seats and 50.5 cu.ft. of storage in the trunk. This makes it a great SUV for the family. Getting the kids in the car and packing up camping or sports gear into the cargo area quickly is easy when the SUV is well-designed, which the Passport is.

The Passport also provides a remarkable amount of value for your dollar since it has Honda reliability and an affordable starting MSRP of $41,100. While that is far from cheap, the long-term value of a good SUV like the Passport is well worth the initial investment. Honda owners know they get their money’s worth out of their Hondas. When you are searching for an SUV that you know will be great value, packed with great features, and offering plenty of options, the Honda Passport may just be for you.

A black 2023 Honda Passport Trailsport is shown from the front at an angle while loaded with bikes.

2023 Passport Trim Options

Three trims are available for the 2023 Honda Passport: the EX-L, TrailSport, and Elite. While that may not seem like many, each trim offers its own unique take on this midsize SUV. Together, these options allow for a decent amount of customization to your specific needs. Each buyer requires something a little different from every other buyer, and the Passport gives you the necessary options to make sure that your SUV will fit you like a glove.

Although the EX-L is usually one of the top trims for a Honda model, it is the base trim for the Passport. It comes with a standard 280 hp V6 engine capable of producing 262 lb-ft of torque, which is more than enough for most SUV buyers. Inside the cabin, you will find leather upholstery with power front seats and driver memory. Honda also provides tons of advanced safety features on even the base trim, including many of the collision avoidance and driver assistance technologies everyone has been talking about lately.

The TrailSport takes the already impressive Passport and gives it several upgrades that help it to perform better in off-road driving. Leather seats with orange stitching and the TrailSport logo decorate the interior. Rugged all-season tires have been added to make driving in more types of conditions and terrains a more straightforward proposition. The ride will be more comfortable with added convenience features like power-folding side mirrors and walk-away auto lock. Tying down your kayak, canoe, tent, or rooftop carrier is also easy with the integrated roof rails. Finally, built-in navigation helps you keep your sense of direction when your cell signal dies while you’re out exploring the wilderness.

The Elite trim gives you a premium sound system, luxury climate control features, and perforated heated and ventilated front seats. The rear seats are also heated, making sure that all the occupants are happy and well cared for. Luxury and performance are perfectly combined in this trim, making it a popular choice for drivers who are hunting for a vehicle that feels high-end and practical at the same time while being a reasonable price. Whatever your preference for features, the 2023 Passport likely has some great options for you.

Honda is Reliability at Its Best

When considering the best vehicle for you and your family, reliability is going to be very high on the list of factors. While every car needs some degree of regular maintenance, no one likes a vehicle that needs frequent trips to the mechanic for repairs. Thankfully, it is a well-known fact that Honda cars are designed and manufactured to last for many years with proper care. Many Honda owners keep their cars well past 100,000 miles; some even get two or three hundred thousand miles out of their Hondas. While getting to such a high mileage count will definitely require some repairs, both small and large, Hondas have a way of keeping those to a minimum.

Honda has three main areas that make its vehicles a very practical long-term investment. First, they are significantly cheaper than the average car to maintain year to year. Second, they require fewer trips to the mechanic. Third, they have fewer severe repairs required than the average car. The 2023 Passport continues Honda’s legacy of reliability due to its carefully designed mechanical and comfort features. This SUV is both highly functional and fun to drive. The TrailSport trim especially has a rugged reliability that will allow Passport owners to traverse many different terrains with little difficulty. Overall, it is no surprise that so many Honda owners love the reliability of their vehicles.

A silver 2023 Honda Passport Trailsport is shown from the rear at an angle.

Is the Passport the Right SUV for You?

A midsize SUV is one of the best choices on the market today for many buyers due to the variety of applications that such a vehicle is well suited to. Towing small trailers or campers can be achieved with a midsize SUV like the Passport, which has a max tow rating of 5,000 lbs. Transporting your family or friends is also a simple process with five seats and a comfortable interior. Midsize SUVs are a dependable and practical choice for a wide variety of drivers, making the Passport a great place to start the search for a new vehicle.

While the Passport is a great SUV, it may not be the right choice for some drivers. If you are planning on doing lots of towing, a bigger SUV or a truck may be a better option. If your family is larger than five people, you will want an SUV with more seats, such as the three-row Honda Pilot. However, if you like the balance of size and functionality that the Passport has––as many people do––it will almost certainly be a great choice for you. The only question left is, what’s your favorite color?