Pilot and Passport: These two Hondas have similar names, are close in size, and overlap in price. Buyers shopping mid-size SUVs might wonder: What’s the difference?
The key difference is that the Pilot comes standard with a third-row seat, allowing it to accommodate seven or eight passengers, while the Passport is strictly a two-row offering with seating for five. But there are other differences as well. The Pilot was comprehensively redesigned for 2023, and there are no significant changes only one year later. The current-generation Passport debuted for 2019 and had a minor update in 2022. This year sees some tweaks to the TrailSport version and a new Black Edition as the top-spec model. We expect to see a redesigned Passport for 2025.
To help further draw the distinction between these two related models, we catalog their similarities and differences in terms of size, price, equipment, and more.
Passenger and Cargo Space
The Pilot is able to package a third row of seats because it is larger than the Passport. The three-row Honda rides on a 113.8-inch wheelbase versus a 110.9-inch stretch for the two-row Passport. And the Pilot is just over 10 inches longer from nose to tail. In width and height, however, the two SUVs are virtually the same.
The Pilot comes standard with a three-passenger second-row bench and a third-row seat that also (somewhat optimistically) includes seatbelts for three. In the Touring and the Elite, the center section of the second-row bench can be removed, reducing the head count to seven. The EX-L offers the option of second-row captain’s chairs, which again would make for a seven-passenger total capacity, while the TrailSport comes standard with the captain’s chair setup. The Passport comes only one way: with a second-row bench that seats three. Total head count is five, but the Passport’s rear seat is exceptionally roomy.
The two Honda SUVs are quite close in terms of cargo capacity, but when all seats are flattened, the Pilot has a bit more: 112–114 cubic feet to the Passport’s 101. With the rear seats up (but the Pilot’s third row folded) , both SUVs have about 50 cubic feet of luggage space.
Engines, Transmissions, and Towing
The Pilot and the Passport each have only one available engine, a 3.5-liter V-6. It’s not the same V-6, however. The Pilot gets a newer version, with dual overhead cams, a change from the previous single-overhead-cam design that the Passport still sports. The net effect isn’t dramatic, however. The Pilot’s newer engine makes 285 horsepower to the Passport’s 280, and torque output is identical for both at 262 pound-feet.
Honda pairs the Pilot V-6 with a 10-speed automatic, while the Passport gets a nine-speed unit. All-wheel drive is standard on the Passport, but the Pilot’s lower trim levels (LX, Sport, EX-L, and Touring) can be had with either front- or all-wheel-drive. The latter is standard only on the TrailSport and the Elite.
The front-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive division makes a difference in towing capacity. The front-drive Pilots can tow a maximum of 3,500 pounds, while the all-wheel-drive version is good for 5,000 pounds. With all-wheel drive standard, all Passports are rated to tow 5,000 pounds.
Performance and Fuel Economy
Despite the Pilot’s marginally better horsepower, the smaller and lighter Passport is the quicker of the two. In our testing, the Passport TrailSport reached 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, a full second ahead of the Pilot TrailSport. Because both models use a naturally aspirated V-6 engine with a torque peak that arrives fairly high in the rev range, you may need to dig deeper than in some turbocharged rivals to get the acceleration you’re looking for. But accelerator response is nicely linear, and the transmissions shift smoothly.
Fuel economy between these two Hondas is just about a wash. All Passports are EPA rated at 19/24 mpg city/highway. The all-wheel-drive Pilot carries 19/25 mpg estimates, except for the TrailSport, which is 18/23 mpg. The front-wheel-drive Pilot does a little better at 19/27 mpg.
Off-Road Capabilities
In both models, the TrailSport is the variant with an additional measure of off-pavement ability relative to its siblings. For the Passport, the TrailSport trim nets you retuned dampers and springs, all-terrain tires, and 8.1 inches of ground clearance. For the Pilot, the TrailSport includes a softer front anti-roll bar, all-terrain tires, a front tow hook, a front skid plate, a torque-vectoring rear differential, and 8.3 inches of ground clearance.
Pricing and Trim Levels
Which SUV is more expensive? That depends. The Pilot has a lower starting price, but if you compare similar trim levels, the picture changes. The Pilot is offered in six trim levels, spanning a range of $38,485 for the LX to $53,875 for the Elite. The Passport comes in just three forms: EX-L, TrailSport, and Black Edition, with prices starting at $43,295 and topping out at $49,365. The Passport skips the two lower trim levels (LX and Sport) that are available on the Pilot; comparing the Passport EX-L and its standard all-wheel drive to the Pilot EX-L (with the optional AWD), the larger Pilot can rise to nearly $3000 more than the smaller Passport. Looking at TrailSport to TrailSport, the gap grows even more: The Pilot is over $4K more expensive at $50,195 to the Passport’s $45,895.
Joe Lorio has been obsessed with cars since his Matchbox days, and he got his first subscription to Car and Driver at age 11. Joe started his career at Automobile Magazine under David E. Davis Jr., and his work has also appeared on websites including Amazon Autos, Autoblog, AutoTrader, Hagerty, Hemmings, KBB, and TrueCar.
