Honda has a trim-level problem that most automakers would love to have.
When buyers are given a choice between a cheaper base model and a more expensive version with specialized equipment, the cheaper version usually has an obvious advantage: price.
The 2026 Honda Passport is doing something different.
About 80% of Passport buyers chose a TrailSport model in 2025, according to reporting based on Honda’s sales data. Honda sold a record 55,231 Passports in the U.S. in 2025, roughly 70% more than the 32,527 sold in 2024. Honda’s vice president of automobile sales, Lance Woelfer, reportedly said the TrailSport take rate was “a little bit higher than we anticipated.”
That is the interesting part.
It’s not simply that Honda sold more Passports.
It’s that buyers overwhelmingly gravitated toward the version that costs more and is specifically designed for off-road use.
So what exactly are they paying for?
And does the TrailSport actually justify the extra money?
First, One Important Correction About the 80% Number
Before getting into the Passport itself, there is a detail worth clearing up.
The widely reported 80% TrailSport figure refers to the share of Passport buyers choosing the TrailSport model in 2025.
It should not be presented as an official statement that exactly 80% of 2026 Passport buyers are currently choosing TrailSport.
That’s an important distinction because the 2026 Passport is the redesigned model, while the sales figure comes from the 2025 calendar-year results.
It also means we shouldn’t turn 55,231 annual sales into an exact monthly figure and then claim that more than 4,000 TrailSports are being sold every month.
The underlying story is already strong enough.
Four out of five buyers choosing the TrailSport is the number worth paying attention to.
What Makes the 2026 Passport TrailSport Different?
The Passport sits between Honda’s smaller CR-V and larger three-row Pilot in the company’s SUV lineup.
For 2026, Honda offers the Passport in several configurations, beginning with the RTL at $44,950 and moving through multiple TrailSport versions.
The standard TrailSport starts at $48,650.
That’s a $3,700 difference from the base RTL before taxes, fees and other costs.
Normally, that price gap would raise an obvious question:
What exactly am I getting for the extra money?
In this case, the answer isn’t just leather, bigger screens or nicer trim.
The TrailSport changes the hardware underneath the vehicle.
Honda’s official specifications list all-terrain tires, an off-road-tuned suspension, skid plates and high-visibility recovery hooks for the TrailSport.
That matters because the TrailSport isn’t simply a visual package pretending to be an off-road SUV.
There’s actual engineering behind the badge.
The TrailSport Is More Than Orange Badges and Black Plastic
This is probably the biggest reason the Passport’s sales mix is so interesting.
Automakers have spent years adding rugged-looking trims to mainstream SUVs.
Give a crossover darker wheels, black body cladding, some red or orange accents and an aggressive name, and suddenly it looks ready for an expedition.
But appearance and capability aren’t the same thing.
Honda has given the 2026 Passport TrailSport equipment that is relevant when the pavement ends.
The standard TrailSport includes:
- All-terrain tires
- Off-road-tuned suspension
- Skid plates
- High-visibility recovery hooks
- Trail-oriented drive modes
- Standard AWD
- 5,000-pound towing capacity
Honda also lists seven integrated drive modes, including Normal, Econ, Sport, Snow, Tow, Trail and Sand.
That’s a meaningful difference from simply adding an appearance package.
The TrailSport is still a family SUV first.
But Honda has clearly designed it to be more comfortable when the road becomes gravel, dirt, mud or sand.
And the Engine Doesn’t Change
One thing that makes the comparison easier is that Honda doesn’t force TrailSport buyers into a different engine.
Every 2026 Passport uses a 3.5-liter V6 producing 285 horsepower, paired with Honda’s i-VTM4 all-wheel-drive system.
That means you’re not paying the extra $3,700 because the TrailSport suddenly unlocks a much more powerful powertrain.
You’re paying for the hardware and equipment surrounding the powertrain.
That’s actually useful when comparing the trims.
The question becomes less:
“Does the TrailSport have a better engine?”
and more:
“Are its additional mechanical features worth the premium for the way I drive?”
The $3,700 Question
This is where the Passport TrailSport gets interesting.
The base RTL starts at $44,950.
The TrailSport starts at $48,650.
That’s enough money that I wouldn’t automatically recommend the more expensive model to every Passport buyer.
But the TrailSport isn’t simply a luxury upgrade.
Honda gives it all-terrain tires, off-road suspension tuning, skid plates and recovery hooks as standard equipment.
Those are the kinds of components that are difficult to replicate simply by selecting a nicer interior package.
If you regularly drive on rough roads, camp in places where pavement disappears, deal with snow or tow recreational equipment, the additional hardware has an obvious purpose.
If your Passport will spend virtually every mile on suburban streets and highways, the argument becomes weaker.
That’s the distinction buyers should make.
Why Are So Many Buyers Choosing It?
I think there are three reasons.
1. The Design Finally Matches the Passport’s Personality
The previous Passport was always a practical vehicle.
But the new generation looks much more deliberate about what it wants to be.
Honda has pushed the Passport toward the part of the market occupied by rugged two-row SUVs, rather than leaving it as simply a larger, sportier sibling to the CR-V.
The TrailSport takes that idea to its logical conclusion.
The design tells you the vehicle is intended to leave the pavement.
And this time, the mechanical equipment backs up the appearance.
That combination is powerful.
People don’t necessarily need an SUV that can tackle extreme trails.
They may simply want one that doesn’t look out of place when the road gets rough.
2. Buyers Like the Idea of Capability They May Not Use Every Weekend
This is probably the most important point.
Most TrailSport owners aren’t going to spend every Saturday crawling over rocks.
They don’t need to.
An off-road-oriented SUV can be attractive because of occasional capability.
Maybe you drive on a gravel road to a campsite twice a year.
Maybe you live somewhere with heavy snow.
Maybe you tow a small boat.
Maybe you have a cabin at the end of a poorly maintained road.
Or maybe you simply like knowing the vehicle has more capability than your daily commute requires.
That’s a different kind of value.
You’re not paying for something you’ll use constantly.
You’re paying for flexibility.
And the Passport TrailSport seems to be benefiting from exactly that appeal.
3. The TrailSport’s Upgrade Is Functional
This is where Honda made an especially smart decision.
The TrailSport isn’t asking buyers to pay thousands more just for a badge.
Honda’s official trim comparison shows that the TrailSport adds equipment that changes how the vehicle behaves away from normal roads, including its all-terrain tires, suspension tuning and underbody protection.
That makes the premium easier to understand.
The buyer can look underneath the vehicle and see where some of the money went.
For a customer who wants those capabilities, that is much easier to justify than paying extra for cosmetic changes.
The Part I Wouldn’t Overlook: The Base RTL Is Still Good
Here’s where I disagree with the idea that the TrailSport is automatically the “smart money” Passport.
The base RTL isn’t some stripped-down vehicle.
Honda lists the RTL with the same 285-horsepower V6 and i-VTM4 AWD system as the TrailSport. It also includes Google built-in and a power tailgate.
So the cheaper Passport isn’t fundamentally underpowered or lacking all-wheel drive.
The TrailSport’s advantage is specialized capability.
If you don’t need that capability, the $3,700 difference is harder to justify.
That’s an important point because an 80% take rate doesn’t mean the TrailSport is objectively the best trim for 80% of drivers.
It means buyers are strongly responding to what Honda put into it.
Those aren’t the same thing.
The TrailSport Also Makes More Sense Than the Elite for Some Buyers
Honda’s lineup gets more complicated once you move above the standard TrailSport.
The TrailSport Blackout starts at $49,850, while the TrailSport Elite starts at $52,650. The top TrailSport Elite Blackout reaches $53,850.
The Elite adds comfort and technology features such as heated and ventilated front seats, a Bose premium audio system, rear door sunshades and the second-generation TrailWatch system.
But there’s an important detail:
The more expensive TrailSport versions don’t turn the Passport into a fundamentally more capable off-road machine.
The core TrailSport already gives you the hardware that defines the trim.
So if your priority is capability rather than luxury, the $48,650 TrailSport makes a compelling argument.
If your priority is a premium daily-driving experience, the Elite may make more sense.
That’s a much better way to choose between them than simply assuming the most expensive version must be the best one.
What the 2026 Passport TrailSport Is Actually Good At
Think of the TrailSport as a middle ground.
It’s not a hardcore rock crawler.
It’s not trying to replace a dedicated off-road machine.
And it doesn’t need to.
Its sweet spot is the owner who spends most of the week on normal roads but occasionally wants to go somewhere that isn’t paved.
The Weekend Camper
You leave the highway, hit a rough forest road and start dealing with loose gravel, ruts and uneven surfaces.
This is where the TrailSport’s all-terrain tires, suspension tuning and underbody protection make sense.
You’re using the equipment you paid for.
The Daily Commuter
For the other 95% of the week, it’s still a Passport.
You’re driving to work, taking the kids to school, shopping and sitting in traffic.
This is important because Honda hasn’t turned the TrailSport into an uncomfortable specialist.
The basic formula remains a practical two-row SUV.
The Bad-Weather Driver
Snow is another situation where buyers may appreciate having a vehicle designed with more traction-oriented capability.
Honda includes Snow mode alongside Trail, Sand and other drive modes, while i-VTM4 AWD is standard across the lineup.
That doesn’t make the Passport invincible.
Tires still matter. Road conditions still matter. And no AWD system changes the laws of physics.
But it does give the TrailSport a broader operating envelope than a purely cosmetic off-road package.
What You Give Up
The TrailSport isn’t perfect.
First, there is no hybrid powertrain.
Honda’s Passport remains a V6-powered SUV, and buyers looking specifically for a hybrid midsize crossover will have to look elsewhere.
Second, the TrailSport costs more.
That sounds obvious, but it matters because the Passport already starts at $44,950.
Once you move into TrailSport territory, options and higher trims can push the price well beyond $50,000. Honda currently lists the TrailSport Elite Blackout at $53,850 before additional options, taxes and fees.
Third, the TrailSport is still a two-row SUV.
If you need three rows, this isn’t the Honda for you.
The Pilot exists for that job.
Which Passport Would I Buy?
If I were shopping specifically for the 2026 Passport, I’d start with the standard TrailSport.
Not because the 80% figure proves it’s the best.
It doesn’t.
I’d choose it because the standard TrailSport sits at an interesting point in the lineup.
At $48,650, you’re getting the actual off-road hardware without immediately jumping into the $52,650 TrailSport Elite.
The Elite makes more sense if you care strongly about luxury features.
But if your reason for buying a TrailSport is the TrailSport itself, the core model is the one I’d investigate first.
I’d also test-drive the RTL before buying.
That’s the part people may overlook because the TrailSport has the more interesting story.
The RTL is $3,700 cheaper and already has the same 285-hp V6 and AWD system.
If you don’t need all-terrain tires, skid plates or the off-road suspension setup, keeping that money in your pocket may be the smarter decision.
The Bigger Lesson for Honda
The 80% take rate tells Honda something important.
Buyers aren’t necessarily asking for an extreme off-road SUV.
They’re asking for the feeling of capability without giving up everyday usability.
That’s a much larger market.
The buyer who wants a hardcore off-roader has plenty of choices.
The buyer who wants something comfortable for Monday morning, capable enough for a weekend camping trip and rugged-looking enough to feel special is a much broader target.
The Passport TrailSport sits right in that gap.
And Honda appears to have found the sweet spot.
My Take
The most interesting thing about the Passport TrailSport isn’t that Honda made an off-road version.
Every automaker seems to be doing that now.
It’s that buyers are actually paying for it.
An 80% TrailSport take rate suggests the formula is resonating: buyers see enough value in the combination of styling, all-terrain equipment, suspension tuning, protection and everyday usability to choose it over the cheaper Passport configurations.
But I wouldn’t interpret the number as proof that everyone should buy a TrailSport.
The right question is much simpler:
Will you actually benefit from the equipment you’re paying for?
If you regularly travel beyond paved roads, tow, camp, deal with difficult weather or simply want the added flexibility, the TrailSport is easy to understand.
If your Passport will spend its entire life commuting between a driveway, school and the supermarket, the RTL deserves a serious look.
And that’s why the TrailSport’s success is so interesting.
Honda didn’t convince buyers that they needed a completely different kind of SUV.
It convinced them that a little more capability was worth paying for.
The Bottom Line
The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport isn’t successful because it has the biggest engine, the most luxurious interior or the most extreme off-road credentials.
It’s successful because it occupies a useful middle ground.
Honda sold a record 55,231 Passports in 2025, up about 70% from the previous year, and roughly 80% of buyers chose a TrailSport variant.
Meanwhile, Honda’s current 2026 pricing puts the standard TrailSport at $48,650, $3,700 above the $44,950 RTL.
For that premium, buyers get meaningful hardware rather than just cosmetic changes.
That’s probably the most important reason the TrailSport has become such a large part of the Passport story.
It’s not pretending to be an extreme off-roader.
It’s something more useful for most people:
a normal family SUV that gives you a legitimate excuse to leave the pavement.
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Independent technology writer focused on artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and digital innovation. Covers AI applications in sports, productivity, and online business.
