Searching for a 2025 Honda Passport redesign? Here is the honest answer: there isn’t one. The 2025 Passport is a carryover — the final year of the third generation, with a 280-hp V6, standard all-wheel drive, and three trims from $43,850. The redesign everyone is asking about is the all-new 2026 Passport, which reached dealers in February 2025. This guide covers both, so you can decide which one to buy.
Engine specs: 2025 vs 2026
| Model year | Engine | Output | Transmission | Towing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (3rd gen) | 3.5-liter V6 | 280 hp / 262 lb-ft | 9-speed automatic | 5,000 lbs |
| 2026 (redesign) | 3.5-liter V6 | 285 hp / 262 lb-ft | 10-speed automatic | 5,000 lbs |
Both years use Honda’s naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 with all-wheel drive standard, so the mechanical story is evolution, not revolution: the 2026 adds 5 horsepower, swaps the 9-speed for a smoother 10-speed automatic, and upgrades to the second-generation i-VTM4 torque-vectoring AWD system. Towing holds at 5,000 pounds either way — enough for a pair of jet skis or a small camper.
2025 trims and pricing
The 2025 lineup is three trims: EX-L ($43,850), TrailSport ($46,450), and Black Edition ($49,920). All of them get leather, heated front seats, and the full Honda Sensing suite. The TrailSport adds an off-road-tuned suspension and all-terrain tires; the Black Edition stacks on ventilated seats, a premium audio system, and blacked-out styling. With the new generation already in showrooms, dealers have real incentive to move these — which is exactly why the 2025 is worth a look.
The 2026 redesign
The fourth-generation Passport is a much more serious machine: boxier and more rugged, with steel skid plates, orange recovery points, and genuinely capable all-terrain rubber on the TrailSport, which Honda now treats as the heart of the lineup. Pricing starts at $46,200 for the RTL, $49,900 for the TrailSport, and $55,100 for the TrailSport Elite — roughly a $2,400–$5,200 step up over the equivalent 2025 trims.
Which one makes sense
If you want the Passport as a comfortable family hauler, buy a discounted 2025 EX-L and pocket the difference — the powertrain is nearly identical. If the off-road hardware is the point, the 2026 TrailSport is the first Passport that truly backs up the look. Shoppers drawn to that adventure theme with more budget should read our 2025 Lexus GX 550 guide — its Overtrail trim plays the same game at a higher level — while the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek delivers the trail-lite formula for half the money.
Specifications and pricing per Honda newsroom, Edmunds, and Kelley Blue Book model data, September 2026. Photos: HJUdall / Wikimedia Commons, CC0; MercurySable99 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
