Honda’s 2019 Passport crossover is scheduled to go on sale early next year. Until then, potential buyers can admire it in person by visiting the LA Auto Show, open November 30th until December 9th.
According to Honda, the Passport can provide a unique blend of “on-road driving refinement and off-road adventure capability.” It’s also been described as larger and more rugged than the CR-V, yet smaller and sportier than the Pilot.
Speaking of rugged looks, the Passport comes with black plastic body cladding, generous ground clearance, LED lighting units, a dual exhaust system and standard 20-inch alloy wheels. For the LA Auto Show, Honda went with sort of a dark themed spec, boasting a dark grey exterior, black wheels, black mirror covers, black accessories and tinted windows.
Plenty of decent onboard tech
The cabin of the Passport resembles that of the larger Pilot, while available features include an 8-inch infotainment display (on EX-L specs and higher), tri-zone automatic climate control, heated leather seats, a moonroof, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, power front seats, and a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines.
Opt for either a Touring or Elite variant and you gain ambient interior lighting, a ten-speaker audio system, heated rear seats, gloss black interior trim and 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot.
The Passport, which shares most of its underpinnings with the Pilot and Ridgeline, is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine, producing 280 HP (283 PS) and 262 lb-ft (354 Nm) of torque, channeled through a nine-speed automatic and an optional torque vectoring all-wheel drive system.