How the 2026 Honda Passport and Pilot Take Different Roads
Two Honda SUVs share a showroom, a V6, and a strong family resemblance, yet they ask you one quick question before you ever turn the key. Do you want room for the whole crew, or grip for the rough stuff? That single answer sorts most shoppers in about thirty seconds.
- Both SUVs run the same 285-horsepower 3.5L V6 with a 10-speed automatic, so straight-line muscle is basically a wash.
- The Passport seats five and makes all-wheel drive standard, while the Pilot seats up to eight and starts with front-wheel drive.
- Pricing opens at $42,395 for the Pilot and $44,950 for the Passport, with both climbing into the mid-$50,000 range up top.
One Engine, Two Personalities
Pop the hood on either SUV, and you’ll find the same heart. Both use a 3.5-liter V6 making 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, bolted to a quiet-shifting 10-speed automatic. Towing maxes out at 5,000 pounds on both when properly equipped. The real difference comes down to how that power reaches the road. Every Passport ships with the second-generation i-VTM4 all-wheel-drive system standard. The Pilot is available in front-wheel drive on its Sport and EX-L trims, with AWD available for $2,100 and standard on the rest of the lineup.
Five Seats or Eight
Here’s the biggest fork in the road. The Passport is a two-row, five-seat SUV built around hauling gear, not a third row of passengers. You get 44.0 cubic feet behind the second row and 83.8 with those seats folded flat. The Pilot adds a full third row, seating up to eight (or seven if you pick the TrailSport with its captain’s chairs). Cargo runs 18.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 48.5 behind the second, and up to 113.7 with everything down. If your weekends involve kids, carpools, and grandparents, the Pilot’s extra row earns its keep fast.
Why the Passport Feels Like the Trail Truck
Honda built the Passport to wander off the pavement. It rides on 8.3 inches of ground clearance with short bumper overhangs and a 23-degree approach angle. Step up to a TrailSport trim, and you get steel skid plates, 275/60R18 General Grabber all-terrain tires, bright orange recovery points, and seven drive modes, including Trail and Sand. The top TrailSport Elite throws in the TrailWatch multi-angle camera so you can pick a line over rocks without guessing. Anyone weighing the 2026 Honda Passport vs. Pilot for muddy two-track and gravel forest roads will feel the difference the first time the trail gets ugly.
The Pilot Plays the Family Card
The Pilot answers a different need. Its three rows, stowable second-row center seat, and clever in-trunk storage make daily family life simpler. Front-wheel-drive versions earn an EPA estimate of up to 22 mpg combined, a touch thriftier than the AWD-only Passport’s 21 mpg combined. The Pilot also offers more trims, from the value-minded Sport to Touring, Elite, and the blacked-out Black Edition. There’s even a Pilot TrailSport for buyers who want a third row and a taste of off-road hardware in one package.
Picking a Trim Without Overpaying
On the Passport side, the RTL covers the basics with standard AWD, heated seats, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen. The TrailSport trims are the ones to grab if dirt is part of your routine. For the Pilot, a Sport or EX-L gives families plenty of room and tech for the money, the TrailSport handles light trails, and Touring or Elite brings the leather, Bose audio, and head-up display for road-trip comfort.
2026 Honda Passport vs. Pilot Trim Comparison
| Feature | 2026 Honda Passport | 2026 Honda Pilot |
|---|---|---|
| Body style | Two-row midsize SUV | Three-row midsize SUV |
| Seating | 5 | 7 (TrailSport) or 8 |
| Standard drivetrain | AWD on every trim | FWD standard, AWD available or standard by trim |
| Engine | 3.5L V6 | 3.5L V6 |
| Horsepower / Torque | 285 hp / 262 lb-ft | 285 hp / 262 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | 10-speed automatic |
| Max towing | 5,000 lb | 5,000 lb (AWD) / 3,500 lb (FWD) |
| Ground clearance | 8.3 in | 7.3 in (8.3 in TrailSport) |
| Cargo behind rear seats | 44.0 cu ft (behind 2nd row) | 18.6 cu ft (behind 3rd row) |
| Max cargo | 83.8 cu ft | up to 113.7 cu ft |
| EPA combined | 21 mpg (20 TrailSport) | up to 22 mpg (FWD) |
| Trim lineup | RTL, TrailSport, TrailSport Elite (plus Towing and Blackout variants) | Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, Touring Blackout, Elite, Black Edition |
| Starting MSRP | $44,950 | $42,395 |
2026 Honda Passport Trims
| Trim | Drivetrain | Seats | What You Add | EPA Combined | Starting MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTL | AWD | 5 | 12.3-inch touchscreen, heated front seats, tri-zone climate, power tailgate | 21 mpg | $44,950 |
| RTL Towing | AWD | 5 | RTL gear plus a factory-integrated Class III trailer hitch | 21 mpg | $45,650 |
| RTL Blackout | AWD | 5 | Gloss black wheels, black badges, and black lug nuts | 21 mpg | $46,150 |
| TrailSport | AWD | 5 | Steel skid plates, all-terrain tires, recovery points, panoramic moonroof | 20 mpg | $48,650 |
| TrailSport Blackout | AWD | 5 | TrailSport hardware paired with blackout exterior styling | 20 mpg | $49,850 |
| TrailSport Elite | AWD | 5 | Bose audio, TrailWatch cameras, ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel | 20 mpg | $52,650 |
| TrailSport Elite Blackout | AWD | 5 | Top Passport with every Elite feature plus blackout styling | 20 mpg | $53,850 |
2026 Honda Pilot Trims
| Trim | Drivetrain | Seats | What You Add | EPA Combined | Starting MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | FWD (AWD +$2,100) | 8 | Cloth seats, 12.3-inch touchscreen, tri-zone climate, roof rails, power tailgate | 22 mpg (FWD) | $42,395 |
| EX-L | FWD (AWD +$2,100) | 8 | Leather-trimmed seats, wireless charger, driver memory, rear sunshades | 22 mpg (FWD) | $44,695 |
| TrailSport | AWD | 7 | Skid plates, all-terrain tires, full-size spare, captain’s chairs, TrailWatch | 20 mpg | $50,595 |
| Touring | AWD | 8 | Bose audio, panoramic moonroof, hands-free power tailgate, surround-view camera | 21 mpg | $51,295 |
| Touring Blackout | AWD | 8 | Touring gear plus 20-inch black wheels and black badging | 21 mpg | $52,495 |
| Elite | AWD | 8 | Head-up display, ventilated front seats, heated 2nd row, rain-sensing wipers | 21 mpg | $53,695 |
| Black Edition | AWD | 8 | Range-topping luxury with black exterior trim and black leather interior | 21 mpg | $55,195 |
Starting prices exclude destination charges, so check with us for current numbers on the trim you want.
Matching the Right Honda to Your Driveway
The math here is pretty clean. Go with the Passport if your days lean toward gear, dogs, bikes, and trailheads, and you’d rather have grip and clearance than a third row. The Pilot makes more sense if you need seats for everyone and a big cargo hold for the school-run-meets-road-trip life. Both come with Honda Sensing safety tech, the same strong V6, and a 5,000-pound tow rating, so your choice really comes down to the life you’re packing. Better yet, drive both back-to-back and let the seats and steering wheel make the call.
See Both SUVs Side by Side at Gates Honda
Reading specs only gets you so far, which is why we’d love to put you behind the wheel of both at Gates Honda in Richmond. Our team can walk you through, in person, how the Passport’s standard all-wheel drive and trail hardware compare to the Pilot’s roomy third row, so you can feel the difference instead of guessing. Slide into each one, fold the seats, load up your usual gear, and take a test drive on roads you actually use. Our Honda-certified team is happy to answer trim questions, line up financing, and help you match the right SUV to your weekends. Stop by our showroom or schedule a test drive online whenever you’re ready.
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