Next-Gen Passport to Be Honda’s Most Capable SUV Ever
The Honda Passport is currently being outsold 2-to-1 by the larger, three-row Pilot despite the two SUVs sharing the same platform and engine. For 2024, the company hoped to make it more attractive with improved off-road performance, updated styling and a more versatile interior, but Canadian sales through the first half of the year are only up 4 percent.
Does the Passport have a future? Well, yes. A second generation is in the works and expected to debut early next year as a 2026 model. Not only that, but the redesigned Passport Trailsport is already hailed by Honda as its most adventurous and most capable SUV ever.
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Whatever that means is not clear. Are we going to talk about the same type of off-roader as the Ford Bronco or Toyota 4Runner? That would be a pleasant surprise. In the meantime, the automaker is promising “a truly rugged design, authentic off-road capability, next-level versatility and innovative features.”
A pair of images were released as a teaser. The one above hints at a radically transformed design, with bold “PASSPORT” lettering front and centre in a dual-section, geometrically styled grille. The new amber-coloured daytime running lights will be exclusive to the TrailSport model. Excited yet?
Is the Element Coming Back?
Speaking of Honda, Car and Driver recently unearthed a patent filing in the U.S. that brings back memories of the quirky Element crossover. Remember that one? Despite being discontinued after the 2011 model year, we bet you do.
The patent application was filed in 2022 but published only in late June of this year. It shows an Element-like SUV with roof and rear hatch extensions expanding the available enclosed space—perfect for camping and overlanding. Similar to the late Element, the vehicle has rear-hinged half-doors allowing access to the second row.
Of course, a patent filing doesn’t mean a production model is a sure thing. Would Honda executives really consider bringing back the Element in a lineup that now includes the HR-V and the aforementioned Passport? We highly doubt it. Sure enough, though, adventure is on their mind.