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I really thought Honda was finally done with that POS transmission. I'm very very surprised that they brought it into the passport too. Now it's going to be there for at least 3-4 more years. Sigh....just when I thought they finally had their shit together.
I do wonder though, is this better than a CVT? And I mean at least they offered a V6 as standard equipment. I was fully expecting a 2.4l and cvt combo honestly. The MDX with this powertrain does 0-60 in 6.3s, this one should be below 6 seconds, so at least it's peppy.
my 15 CRV with CVT > 18 Oddy with 9ZF, as far as Transmission goes...... i didnt know anything can be worse than CVT until Honda introduced 9ZF.
Logically that does not make sense at all, considering 9AT is from ZF, who also makes 8ZF that is considered one of the best, if not the best AT on the market. AND we have honda.... with their AT history.
Peppy does not at all make up for the shit quality shifts, constant hunting, inability to make a decision, always in the wrong gear, no desire to downshift, etc. Hard pass on this one, it really surprised me that they put this transmission in there when they have the 10spd from the Odyssey sitting on the shelf. The MDX is out as well. The Pilot comes with the 6spd on the lower trims but then you miss out on the LED headlights which I really want so...guess we're going for a Subaru Ascent lol.
It's not the same. The Accord version is newer/better and has a volume knob. Honda left out the volume knob in all models until everyone got pissed about it and are slowly bringing it back lol.
Agreed on the MIB2 in the VW, it rocks and is super fast. Even better than the UConnect in my Jeep.
Yeah no I fully understand where you're coming from and I too absolutely would not ever touch anything with the ZF9. It's physically inherently designed to be laggy, no amount of tuning will EVER fix that. I am kinda annoyed that they didn't just put in the RDX powertrain. I mean it has SH-AWD like the RDX and about the same size. Enough with that ZF9 garbage ffs. But I wonder if this has something to do with tow capacity. I don't know if the 10AT is suitable for towing.
Originally Posted by oonowindoo
my 15 CRV with CVT > 18 Oddy with 9ZF, as far as Transmission goes...... i didnt know anything can be worse than CVT until Honda introduced 9ZF.
Yeah I think so too. Shoulda just used the 10AT.
Originally Posted by civicdrivr
is it just the 9AT that's a problem, or is the 10AT similar?
Yes. The 9AT is not a Honda transmission and the issue is the physical design permits a shit ton of problems. The 10AT is nothing like it. But as pointed out, the irony is Honda sucks at transmissions historically and here they seem like the better option.
I think the Passport is based on the same platform as the Pilot, Ridgeline, and MDX. The MDX, Pilot, and Passport all share the same 111" wheelbase. And to make design easy and the cost low, they simply just keep using the same J35 and 9AT combo that are already in the Pilot. It's sort of like the relationship between an Audi A4 and Audi A5.
The RDX is on a totally different platform that is unique to Acura only and not shared with anything else. I think people looking for a RDX would most likely not crossshop the Passport, despite being similar in size and both being a two-row SUV/CUV.
In Red Dead Redemption 2, the third in Rockstar Games’ epic gunslinger video game series, gang leader Dutch van der Linde reminds our protagonist that his band of misfits “feed them who need feedin’, save them who need savin’ and kill them who need killin’.” Honda’s new Passport crossover, also the third in the series, similarly gives buyers whatever they need most, and nothing more.
You want to go off-road? Honda’s i-VTM all-wheel-drive setup systematically puts power to whatever tires needs powerin’. On road? Its 280-hp V6 and standard 20-inch wheels provide speed and handlin'. And if you need cargo space, the Passport has you covered there too. It beats all in its class, except the Toyota 4Runner, in space for stuff. Hopefully the new Passport, on sale in February, won’t meet an ending like poor Arthur Morgan and the rest of the van der Linde crew.
The last Honda Passport went out in 2002, not with a bang, but with a whimper. It suffered from severe rust corrosion on the rear suspension lower links, and almost 150,000 were recalled. It was a decent-looking SUV that shared a platform, and pretty much everything else, with the Isuzu Rodeo SUV. In that respect, the last one did sort of go out like Morgan. Sorry, no spoilers!
The new Passport shares its front two-thirds with the three-row Honda Pilot, along with its platform and wheelbase. It’s 6 inches shorter front to back, 1 inch taller and about 1 inch higher off the ground. It’s by far the most aggressive-looking crossover from Honda, with a dark grille matching dark wheels. With a roof basket or kayak on top, it looks positively mountain-ready. It wouldn’t have taken the van der Lindes 10 hours of real time (!) to get down from the Rockies if they had a Passport instead of hungry horses. How much do a couple of wagons and supplies weigh anyway? Probably less than 5,000 pounds, which is what the Passport can tow.Honda’s proven 3.5-liter V6 makes 262 lb-ft of torque along with those 280 ponies. Output is transferred to a new-ish nine-speed transmission, through the all-wheel-drive system and to the wheels. The Passport is FWD-based but can send up to 70 percent of the power to the rear. And all of that can be sent to either side depending on the situation.
Drive modes (normal, snow, mud and sand) alter the throttle sensitivity, shift map, rear bias, torque vectoring and stability control, though I never figured out how to turn the traction control completely off. There was a “get unstuck” mode, but that’s it. But don’t expect that to happen too much; the Passport has an approach angle of 21.4 degrees, departure angle of 27.7 degrees and a breakover angle of 17.3 degrees. That will get you up and over anything short of a basketball-size boulder. Ride height is 7.2 inches for two-wheel-drive models, 8.1 for AWD vehicles.
The Honda Sensing suite of safety features is now standard across the trims. It includes emergency braking, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and traffic sign recognition. And sure enough, with ACC on I could let go of the wheel for a few seconds and watch it turn with the road before it instructs me to take control.
The Sport trim starts at about $32K, top Elite models around $44K. All-wheel drive is standard on the Elite and $1,900 extra on the lower trims. A draft horse, by the way, comes standard with all-leg drive.
Execution
The dark grille and wheels (on Sport and Elite trims -- I drove the Elite) help the Passport stand out from the more family-oriented Pilot. You probably wouldn’t notice the 6-inch size difference unless you put them next to each other either. There are a couple wheel designs, all 20 inches, though Touring and Elite wheels are a tad (245 to 265) wider. The trim structure should be familiar to Honda fans: Sport, EX-L, Touring and Elite. EX-L and above get a power liftgate.
The Passport comes in eight colors, the most important of which is black forest pearl, which looks like a sweet dark green. Black copper pearl -- think of a penny, but better -- would be my next choice.
Inside, again it looks very Honda-like and very Pilot-like. That means a black perforated leather wheel, perforated leather seats, black rubbery plastic on the dash and black plastic plastic on the doors and pillars. There’s also a gray option, but the headliner remains black. EX-Ls and above get a power moonroof.
The seats are comfortable, if a little firm, and rear seat space is great with plenty of kneeroom. There are also a bunch of cubbies in the doors and center console to store stuff out of sight. The cargo area too, features underfloor space for extra-special items.
On the tech side, you get an 8-inch central display screen pinned between the central heat vents, and upgraded models get a 7-inch digital screen where the gauge cluster would normally be. That one is customizable to show audio stuff, miles, drive modes and AWD power dispersal. I don’t like the push button shifter system Honda uses, but that’s your only option.
On the super smooth but chilly Colorado and Utah roads we drove, the Passport proved quiet and soft. When the roads did get rough Honda’s four corner independent suspension made no squeaks or rattles, even when we found the suspension bump stops on a particularly rough off-road spot. Far better than wooden wagon wheels, or horses.
Like the van der Lindes, the Passport offers only what a driver needs and nothing more. That means no skid plates, no center differential and no hill descent control. That last one is a “maybe” on the need list, but Honda’s i-VTM all-wheel drive system had zero trouble with the medium-technical trails that we took through the former Wild West around Arches National Park. I did see steer and deer, but unfortunately no bears.
Over the faster washboard stuff the light off-roader jiggled, but never complained. Besides the suspension, we did bottom out a few times, hitting some anonymous metal part underneath, but nothing was ever damaged, and my driving partner and I trundled on. The suspension feels stiffer than expected for this size crossover, stiffer than the Pilot for sure, but it never beat me up, except on some of the trails.
The 2019 Honda Passport gets 21 mpg combined.
On trail or off, Honda’s V6 and second-generation nine-speed automatic handled everything with aplomb. The best thing I can say about an automatic transmission is that it isn’t annoying, and that’s what I’ll say here. It didn’t hang up or feel like too many speeds. Besides the terrain modes mentioned above, you can swap drive for sport mode and hang on to gears a little longer. The brake pedal has surprisingly good feel and is easy to modulate. The throttle, like on all Hondas, is a little too easy.
The steering is light also, but that’s fine for this application. Honda says the Passport's ratio is also quicker than the Pilot, but that's hard to discern. On high-speed, snow-melted, red muddy trails, it sloshes around, sometimes feeling a little out of control, though I never put a wheel off a trail. Sight lines are generally good, but there’s no front camera, necessitating a few leans out of the window. The Takeaway
I’ve never been in the high desert in winter. It’s different -- quieter this time of year. I sometimes try to judge the distance to the next mountain range, thinking about what it must have been like to traverse this land before motorized vehicles. It’s a miracle we made it to the Rockies, let alone the West Coast.
But really, that’s exactly what this Passport is for: mostly on-road, long-distance travel. However, if the mood strikes you, pack up a sleep roll, some canned beans and your six-shooter, head out west, or down south, or anywhere with some trails and terrain, and get lost. You might not find new land to settle, but like Morgan, John Marston, Dutch and the rest, you’ll definitely come back with a story to tell.
Restyled and adventure-ready, the 2022 Honda Passport begins arriving at US dealerships with a rugged new exterior design that better reflects its true off-road capabilities and more standard features than ever before. Inspired by the spirit of exploration, the first-ever Honda Passport TrailSport takes Passport's new rugged styling even further.
Reflecting customer demand, the Passport EX-L is now the new entry point for Honda's largest 5-passenger SUV. Packed with standard equipment, such as leather seating, one-touch power moonroof and 20-inch alloy wheels, the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for Passport EX-L with two-wheel drive is $37,870 (not including destination and optional paint charges). The new Honda Passport TrailSport features standard torque-vectoring i-VTM4® all-wheel drive, rugged-design tires, unique styling touches, navigation system, roof rails and more, with an MSRP of $42,470.
"Honda has offered weekend adventurers durable and capable SUVs for more than two decades and our newest Passport takes this to a new level," said Michael Kistemaker, assistant vice president of Honda National Sales at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The new Passport and Passport TrailSport don't just look rugged, they're ready, willing and able to get dirty tackling trails."
Bolder Design Reflects Rugged Capabilities
All-new from the A-pillars forward, Passport's bold design includes a sculpted hood with a pronounced power bulge, squared-off nose and upright grille, and revised front fenders. Around back, a redesigned, more aggressive rear bumper features cutouts for larger twin exhaust outlets, plus a tow hitch cover and skid garnish design that matches the more rugged front-end styling. Passport's tough new look better reflects the rugged capabilities of its strong unibody construction, independent front and rear suspension, standard 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine, 9-speed automatic transmission, and available class-leading i-VTM4® torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system.
The exceptional off-road traction management of Honda's i-VTM4® system expands Passport's off-road ability well beyond its crossover-based competition. In addition, Passport's four-mode Intelligent Traction Management allows drivers to customize the i-VTM4® system for different terrains, including sand, snow, mud, and paved roads. With 8.1-inches of ground clearance (with AWD), Passport can navigate tough trails and its 5,000-pound towing capacity (with AWD, with additional equipment) allows it to pull a large camper trailer or off-road toys.
Honda Passport's strong unibody construction and independent front and rear suspension deliver class-leading on-road ride comfort and dynamics. Sharp, precise steering gives Passport a sporty driving character in any situation.
In addition to the features mentioned above, Passport EX-L comes equipped with a power tailgate with remote, blind spot information (BSI), and front and rear parking sensors. Inside, for a sportier, off-road character, Passport EX-L grades now feature high-contrast stitching on standard perforated leather seats, and all trims have new gray instrument cluster illumination and white gauge needles.
The 2022 Passport's expanded list of standard features also includes power adjustable heated front seats, an 8-inch Display Audio system with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ integration, wireless smartphone charging, and remote engine start.
Topping the lineup, the well-equipped Honda Passport Elite features standard i-VTM4® all-wheel drive, unique 20-inch alloy wheels, a hands-free access power tailgate, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, and a heated steering wheel.
The Honda Sensing® suite of safety and driver assistive technologies is standard on every Passport. On Passport, Honda Sensing® includes Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). New for all 2022 Passport grades is a rear seat reminder and rear seatbelt reminder as standard equipment.
Passport Trailsport
Honda Passport TrailSport features standard i-VTM4® all-wheel drive, and a 10mm increase in track width to improve stance and stability. Mounted on machined 18-inch wheels, the unique design of its 245/60R18 tires includes sidewall tread for a more rugged look. TrailSport is further distinguished by its unique grille treatment, and more aggressive front and rear bumpers that include skid plate designs prominently painted silver.
Even the design of the new TrailSport logo, inspired by nature's beauty and the spirit of exploration, expresses the exhilaration of outdoor adventure. Orange TrailSport badges grace its grille and tailgate, while the Passport and AWD badges are painted gloss black instead of the chrome used on the rest of the lineup.
In the cabin, TrailSport stands out with orange contrast stitching on the steering wheel, door panels and seats, amber interior lighting, and the TrailSport logo embroidered on the front seat head restraints and molded into the rubber floor mats. TrailSport also features power folding mirrors for narrow trails, and heated windshield wiper parking area to keep them from getting stuck in frigid conditions.
The Passport is not a bad looking vehicle, but I think I have seen maybe 6-7 on the road since Honda reintroduced it as a 2019 model. I'm sure the pandemic impact on all models is impacting the Passport, but I just don't see 'em. We actually parked next to one last week and was surprised how much bigger and taller it was than my wife's 2G RDX.
I see one every day but only because my neighbors have one...
The RDX is the only vehicle on the planet better than a Tesla so keep that in mind.
So you have seen 1, but get to see it over and over again.
I'm guessing it belongs to an employee of Sam's where we shop, but get to see one a couple of times a month.
Originally Posted by civicdrivr
I see a ton of them around me. More than Pilots to be honest.
We've been seeing a lot more Tellurides though.
We are both in VA, but you must be closer to DC or at least far enough away for the difference. I'm outside Charlottesville. In terms of the Tellurides, yup seeing them and Palisades too. On the flip side, I think there are about 5 Pilots in my neighborhood alone.
We are both in VA, but you must be closer to DC or at least far enough away for the difference. I'm outside Charlottesville. In terms of the Tellurides, yup seeing them and Palisades too. On the flip side, I think there are about 5 Pilots in my neighborhood alone.
I'm actually not that far from you - Richmond area.
Admittedly though, the Pilot is such a boring vehicle that I probably do cross paths with them much more frequently, I just never notice
I'm actually not that far from you - Richmond area.
Admittedly though, the Pilot is such a boring vehicle that I probably do cross paths with them much more frequently, I just never notice
Nice - so probably about 80-90 miles away as we are West of Charlottesville.
Not a lot of difference between the two and that may be a contributing factor.
Originally Posted by oonowindoo
Pilot is a lifted minivan... Drove one and it drove more like a Minivan than a minivan..
If anything i think our company's Oddy probably handles better.
Not too surprising as I believe the Odyssey/Ridgeline/Passport/Pilot are all on the same frame with same engine and tranny. Not 100% positive.
Not too surprising as I believe the Odyssey/Ridgeline/Passport/Pilot are all on the same frame with same engine and tranny. Not 100% positive.
FWIW while they share ALOT of components (suspension especially), the Odyssey, Ridgeline, and Pilot are not on the same frame. So despite the obvious upper thin skin body being different, the floorpans, firewalls, A/B/C/D pillar structural elements are all different so all generations. The Pilot and Ridgeline look similar but there are still significant differences in their unibody box sections. Likewise the Ody's box sections are ~1/2 the height of those (ground clearance), and has the spare tire in the middle of the floorpan and not driveshaft tunnel. Likewise the wheelbase are different on the Ody and Pilot and Ridgeline. Although there's alot of differences, they are part of Honda/Acura's large truck modular truck platform which use the same flexible assembly line(s) in Alabama. Like alot of car/truck platforms out there, using a flexible modular approach saves alot of money with common assembly lines even if the chassis are not identical but sorta similar.
The Passport is very similar to the Pilot chassis, I'm guessing the vast amount of the whole design from the 2nd row of seats forward are virtually identical.
There's alot of sharing in the drivetrain but still some major differences, the Pilot/Ridgeline/Passport/Odyssey. The Ody is only FWD and uses the Honda 10AT while the Pilot/Ridgeline/Passport are 4WD and for some reason still use the ZF 9AT. Supposedly the Ridgeline gets strengthened transmission. The engines are virtually identical.
FWIW while they share ALOT of components (suspension especially), the Odyssey, Ridgeline, and Pilot are not on the same frame. So despite the obvious upper thin skin body being different, the floorpans, firewalls, A/B/C/D pillar structural elements are all different so all generations. The Pilot and Ridgeline look similar but there are still significant differences in their unibody box sections. Likewise the Ody's box sections are ~1/2 the height of those (ground clearance), and has the spare tire in the middle of the floorpan and not driveshaft tunnel. Likewise the wheelbase are different on the Ody and Pilot and Ridgeline. Although there's alot of differences, they are part of Honda/Acura's large truck modular truck platform which use the same flexible assembly line(s) in Alabama. Like alot of car/truck platforms out there, using a flexible modular approach saves alot of money with common assembly lines even if the chassis are not identical but sorta similar.
The Passport is very similar to the Pilot chassis, I'm guessing the vast amount of the whole design from the 2nd row of seats forward are virtually identical.
There's alot of sharing in the drivetrain but still some major differences, the Pilot/Ridgeline/Passport/Odyssey. The Ody is only FWD and uses the Honda 10AT while the Pilot/Ridgeline/Passport are 4WD and for some reason still use the ZF 9AT. Supposedly the Ridgeline gets strengthened transmission. The engines are virtually identical.
Unless that was recently changed, Oddy had ZF9 unless you get the top trim. At least that is how it was for our 2019 Oddy. That ZF9 was a POS.
Edit: went to Honda's website, it seems they did finally get rid of the ZF9.
Last edited by oonowindoo; 01-25-2022 at 03:57 PM.
Honda has updated the Passport lineup for the 2023 model year, and while they haven’t bumped the prices over its predecessor, it has become more expensive. 8 photos
How so? By dropping the front-wheel drive version of the EX-L. As a result, the EX-L all-wheel drive has now become the most affordable variant of the SUV, with an MSRP of $41,100, excluding the $1,295 destination charge.
This information was discovered by CarsDirect, quoting an order data guide, and it checks out upon visiting the company’s official U.S. website, which reveals three trim levels for the 2023 model year. The EX-L is followed by the TrailSport, and the range is topped by the Elite, priced from $43,600, and $46,560 respectively, before destination.
Choosing the entry-level 2023 Passport will get you the 280-hp 3.5-liter V6, with all-wheel drive, 20-inch wheels, power tailgate, LED headlights, dual exhaust tips, and a generous range of safety gizmos, ranging from the adaptive cruise control to lane keeping assist, and collision mitigation braking. Heated front seats with electric adjustment, power moonroof, tri-zone climate control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and others are included.
Packing the same engine, and riding on 18-inch wheels, the Passport TrailSport adds LED fog lamps, orange stitching on the leather-wrapped steering wheel, wireless charging pad, smartphone integration, Bluetooth audio, and sat-nav, among others. The top-of-the-line Elite has 20-inch alloys, ventilated front seats, improved audio, smart entry, and Wi-Fi hotspot.
The Passport slots between the CR-V and Pilot in Honda’s U.S. high-riding family, and it is actually a bit more expensive than the latter, which can be had from $38,080. However, the quoted outlet states that when the Pilot will be refreshed for the 2023 model year, it will become more expensive than the Passport. Dropping the front-wheel drive option from one of its vehicles isn’t new, as Honda has done it in the past, including on the Ridgeline pickup two years ago.
11-29-2018, 11:47 AM
is it just the 9AT that's a problem, or is the 10AT similar?
8 photos
8 photos
