The Bottom Line: What is a Passport? A Passport is a midsize 2 row crossover SUV built and sold by the Honda Motor Company. Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
While Honda is a world leader in producing motorcycles, the bulk of the company’s annual revenue comes from selling cars and trucks, which the company began manufacturing in 1963. Among its lightweight, fuel efficient, passenger cars are the extremely popular Honda Civic and Honda Accord models.
The Honda Passport is a spacious midsize SUV that can comfortably seat five people, and is very enjoyable to drive. It also has high ground clearance and optional AWD all wheel drive. New for 2022, the redesigned front end of the Passport features a more rugged looking hood and fenders, as well as a reshaped front bumper and restyled grille.
This week Honda sent me a 2022 Passport AWD TrailSport SUV with a base window sticker price of $42,470 to test drive and review. The options on the test SUV are: the sonic paint for $395. The MSRP manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including the $1,225 destination charge, is: $44,090.
After adding in the state and local sales tax, plus the DMV and dealer fees, the total purchase price came to: $49,601. This is a great looking and driving crossover SUV that costs just under the magical number of spending no more than $50,000 on a new vehicle.
At $49,600 and change, you have some money to fill up the gas tank, a few extra times.
The 2022 Honda Passport features three different trim level options: EX-L, TrailSport and Elite. All 3 trims are built with a 3.5L liter V6 engine producing 280 HP horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. This powerful engine is paired with a 9 speed automatic transmission for optimal delivery.
Power is then routed to an AWD all wheel drive system with paddle shifters, into an intelligent traction management system, with hill start control. This driveline maintains 100% of traction in all driving conditions, and does it automatically, on all road surfaces by itself, with no input from the driver.
The new Honda Passport has been redesigned for 2022 with larger alloy wheels giving the Passport a striking new look from the ground up. With standard LED daytime running lights, LED low beam headlights, LED fog lights and LED brake lights, the Passport offers excellent visibility all around, in day or night.
The TrailSport Edition includes gray alloy wheels, a gray grill and bumper, TrailSport logos on the front seat headrests, and on the all season floor mats, orange interior lighting, TrailSport exterior badges on the front grill and rear deck lid, and black nameplate emblems. This gives it just enough bling to make this special TrailSport edition stand out from the crowd of the other midsize crossover SUVs out there.
The 2022 Passports model year updates are new rugged styling that now matches Passport’s true off-road capabilities. The new Passport TrailSport edition amps up emotion and adventure, further advancing the new rugged design direction. As Passport is the new halo vehicle for Honda light trucks, the TrailSport edition further highlights the off-road capability, versatility and durability that is engineered into all Honda trucks.
With a generous amount of cargo space and passenger accommodations, the Honda Passport is supremely practical. Those who need more than 2 rows of seats might want to step up to the 3 row Honda Pilot, the Passport’s first cousin, but otherwise the Passport is pleasantly capable in many ways.
Honda has announced the start of mass production of the new Honda Passport and Passport TrailSport at its auto plant in Lincoln, Alabama. The refreshed 2022 Honda Passport is arriving at dealerships right now, with a rugged new exterior design that reflects on its on-road, and-off road capabilities.
In 2020, more than 67% of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were made in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts, and Honda’s cumulative auto production in America now exceeds over 28 million vehicles.
So, when you’re ready to buy a new midsize 2 row SUV, the Honda Passport should be on your ride and drive list, as it’s one of the nicest mid size SUVs for sale today. Call, click or visit your local Honda dealer for a test drive, and a Bottom Line price review, on the 2022 TrailSport. And remember that the base price for a new Passport starts at only $38,870. Honda – The Power of Dreams.
A word to the wise is sufficient: Be Smart, Stay Safe, and Just Breathe. Remember, “You Are What You Drive ©” And maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should “Drive one, Buy one, Today ©”.
This Bottom Line new vehicle review is a Nut & Bolt and Dollars & Sense © editorialprovided by Tony Leopardo. “Tony the Car Guy” is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net and visit AutoWire.Net at www.autowire.net
