What platform does the Honda Passport use?
The Honda Passport uses the Honda Pilot’s platform, sharing the same chassis and core mechanicals.
In practice, that means the Passport is built on the Pilot’s unibody architecture, with the same 3.5-liter V6 engine, 9-speed automatic transmission, and available all-wheel drive. The two models share many components, but the Passport is positioned as a two-row, more rugged variant with its own styling and packaging considerations.
Platform DNA: The Pilot-based chassis
The Passport’s backbone is the Pilot's underpinnings, a unibody platform designed to balance ride comfort with capability in a mid-size SUV package. Honda uses this chassis across multiple family vehicles, ensuring similar dynamics and parts availability.
Shared engineering features
Key elements shared by the Passport and Pilot on this platform include:
- Shared unibody chassis architecture and suspension layout
- Common drivetrain: 3.5-liter V6 paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission
- Available all-wheel drive with similar control systems
- Comparable towing capacity (up to about 5,000 pounds, depending on trim)
- Similar interior packaging and overall dimensions for cargo and passenger space
These shared elements translate to similar ride quality and refinement across both models, while enabling Passport-specific design choices.
Passport vs Pilot: Distinctive traits within the same platform
Even though the Passport rides on the Pilot's platform, Honda differentiates the two with seating, styling, and packaging choices that suit different buyers.
- Passport prioritizes two-row seating, a more compact footprint, and a rugged aesthetic aimed at outdoor-oriented buyers
- Pilot emphasizes three rows of seating and greater interior versatility for larger families
- Passport offers trims and options that align with an outdoor-adventure vibe, including protective design cues and cargo-oriented features
In short, the Passport uses the Pilot platform but carves out its own niche with two rows and a more rugged presentation.
What this means for buyers
Understanding the platform helps explain why Passport shares much with Pilot in terms of performance and maintenance, while offering Passport-specific design and cargo capabilities.
Key takeaways for shoppers:
- Shared components reduce maintenance complexity and parts commonality with the Pilot
- Similar driving dynamics, steering feel, and highway manners
- Passport’s two-row layout provides ample cargo space behind the second row without a third row
- Availability of AWD and towing options aligns closely with Pilot offerings
These shared underpinnings translate into predictable reliability and maintenance while still giving Passport its own identity.
Summary
The Honda Passport is built on the Pilot’s platform, sharing its unibody chassis, drivetrain, and many mechanicals. Honda positions the Passport as a two-row, more rugged alternative within the same family, delivering familiar performance with a design tailored to outdoor-oriented buyers.
Who builds the Honda Passport?
The third-generation Passport was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 27, 2018. It is built at Honda's factory in Lincoln, Alabama, and available for the 2019 model year.
Is the Honda Pilot built on a truck frame?
Unlike the Passport, Crossroad and SLX which were truck-based body-on-frame designs, the Pilot shared a unibody construction layout akin to the smaller Civic-based CR-V.
What is the most common problem with the Honda Passport?
Common problems: Some of the most common problems with the 2023 Honda Passport include engine issues, forward collision avoidance malfunctions, electrical glitches, and brake system concerns.
Is the Honda Passport still made by Isuzu?
2019. After a long hiatus from being discontinued following the 2002 model year, the Honda Passport returns for 2019 as an entirely new vehicle. No longer a rebadged version of another company's SUV, this Passport is all-Honda and based on the popular Pilot, which is a larger, three-row model.
