By 
Like its predecessor, the 2020 Honda Passport will be actually the baby Pilot. Outside and inside, there are a lot of similarities. Besides the tail, there are slight differences in the Passport. Starting trim is blacked out and it wears 20-inch wheels. However, the Honda Pilot will offer the same features across its lineup. These two are very similar, that the company considered naming the Passport as Pilot. The biggest change we can find is a higher stance and off-road capabilities of a smaller SUV. It offers space for five passengers and the V6 engine as the standard drivetrain.
The 2020 Honda Passport will be unchanged compared to its previous edition. The nameplate is well-known to US buyers since the carmaker was already making it for ten years. Discontinued in 2002, Passport came back in 2019 as a totally different vehicle. The new SUV will come with nice equipment. Honda paid a lot of attention to safety. Also, there will be two additional trim levels. Some say the hybrid engine could join the lineup.
Engine Specifications
Under the bonnet of the 2020 Honda Passport lays a 3.5-liter V6 engine. The proven drivetrain is a source of energy for all flagship models, including Pilot SUV and its premium MDX sibling, as well as the Ridgeline truck. The engine is capable to produce 280 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Power goes through a CVT, while experts believe a ten-speed automatic gearbox could become available pretty soon. The transmission sends power to front wheels and AWD is optional. The towing capacity of the new Passport is respectable 5,000 pounds with all-wheel drive. The front-wheel driven SUV drops the rating to 3,500 lbs.
Hybrid
The major change for the upcoming model could be the hybrid drivetrain. Well, this is not impossible, especially having in mind that Honda is already delivering such a system for a similar vehicle. No, it is not the Pilot. The three-row model is also getting the hybrid version very soon. Even the PHEV is possible. Acura MDX is a mid-size premium SUV with a 3.0-liter V6 engine mated to an electric motor. This combination boosts the output to 320 hp and the fuel economy for the luxury vehicle is 27 mpg combined. Passport is going to be slightly lighter, so the same drivetrain is going to be more efficient. On the other hand, the SUV could wait for the plug-in hybrid drivetrain for the Pilot and borrow the system.
2020 Honda Passport vs Pilot
If you are having troubles to recognize these two vehicles, don’t worry. Differences are not too big and we will try to help you choose a suitable model. First of all, the 2020 Honda Passport is a smaller SUV. It also offers five passenger’s seats, while the Pilot is a three-row eight-seater model. Well, occupants in the first two rows have a similar leg- and headroom.
Outside, the Passport sits at 8.1 inches from the ground, 0.8 inches more than Honda Pilot. Of course, this is reflected in better off-road capabilities. The suspension is tuned to offer better handling. Approach and departure angle are increased as well. Like Pilot, the smaller sibling offers four drive modes. As a bigger model, Pilot comes with 5 cubic feet of cargo space more than Passport behind the second row.
Read more about Honda Pilot and its hybrid engine
2020 Honda Pilot Hybrid Release date and Price
Features
Some parts of the 2020 Honda Passport of the are making it attractive to buyers. First of all, that is a floating roof. It is a baby Pilot and sits on 20-inch wheels. Black accents and parts are offering more aggressive appearance. The rest of the vehicle, especially interior, is very familiar thanks to the Pilot. Still, there are two additional packages to tune your ride. The Adventure suite is adding fender flares, trailing hitch, and running boards. With Urban Package buyers are getting unique rims, special cargo storage items, roof rails, and underbody spoilers on both ends.
Where 2020 Honda Passport Fits in the Lineup?
Honda’s lineup is now nearly complete. The company is yet to launch the full-size model. We still can’t hear anything about this. The Pilot is the largest vehicle at the moment. The 2020 Honda Passport is positioned between this and CR-V compact crossover. It is a mid-size three-row SUV. The smallest model is HR-V. The Passport will be 190 inches long, with the 111-inch wheelbase.
Release Date and Price
The 2020 Honda Passport is more expensive than the Pilot. Sounds unbelievable, but the company didn’t spare the features and materials. Although smaller, it comes with more options on the base trim level. Its price starts at $33,000. Fully loaded, the SUV reaches $45,000. The new edition is coming next year since the current model is still fresh. The Passport came back last year as the model for 2019 season. Now, we are waiting for the first update, and that could be the hybrid engine. Exterior and interior will be unchanged.
Comments