2026 Honda Passport Trim Levels Explained

What are the 2026 Honda Passport trim levels?
The 2026 Honda Passport lineup includes RTL, RTL Towing, RTL Blackout, TrailSport, TrailSport Blackout, TrailSport Elite, and TrailSport Elite Blackout.

Which Honda Passport trim is the base model?
The Passport RTL is the starting point in the 2026 lineup. It already includes standard AWD, a V6 engine, a well-equipped cabin, and the everyday comfort and utility many buyers want most.

What is the difference between Passport RTL and TrailSport?
The Passport RTL stays focused on everyday comfort, technology, cargo space, and all-around usability, while the TrailSport adds all-terrain tires, a more off-road-oriented setup, and a stronger connection to trail access and outdoor travel.

Is the Honda Passport TrailSport actually more off-road-ready?
Yes. TrailSport models add hardware and setup changes that make them better suited to rougher surfaces, dirt roads, trail access, and more varied conditions than the RTL-based trims.

What is the Passport RTL Towing trim?
The Passport RTL Towing is an RTL-based version that places more emphasis on towing as part of the package. It is a strong fit for buyers who want the RTL’s everyday balance with towing utility playing a more central role from the start.

What do the Blackout versions add?
Passport Blackout trims keep the same core function as their non-Blackout counterparts, but add a darker factory appearance theme. They are best understood as visual variations rather than different capability levels.

Which Passport trim is the most premium?
The Passport TrailSport Elite and TrailSport Elite Blackout sit at the top of the lineup. They combine the TrailSport’s broader outdoor capability with a more refined cabin and a fuller comfort feature set.

What is the 2026 Honda Passport mpg rating?
RTL-based Passport trims are rated at 19 city / 25 highway / 21 combined mpg*, while TrailSport-based trims are rated at 18 city / 23 highway / 20 combined mpg*.

Can every 2026 Honda Passport tow?
Yes. The 2026 Honda Passport lineup is rated to tow up to 5,000 lbs when properly equipped, though some buyers may still prefer the RTL Towing version if towing will be a regular part of ownership.

The 2026 Honda Passport RTL is the version of the Passport that will feel right to a large share of buyers from the start. It brings together the model’s core strengths — standard AWD, strong V6 power, useful cargo space, and a cabin that already feels well equipped — without leaning into a more specialized theme. For shoppers comparing Honda Passport trim levels, the RTL stands out because it already covers the features and capabilities many midsize SUV owners rely on most.

That completeness matters in the kind of daily driving many owners experience across East Bay commuter corridors, from weekday traffic to errands, family hauling, and longer freeway miles. The Passport’s size delivers real usefulness without becoming cumbersome, while features like heated front seats, Google Built-In, wireless smartphone connectivity, and Honda Sensing® support regular use in ways that become more noticeable over time. The value here is not one standout feature, but how cohesive the RTL feels in everyday ownership.

For many buyers, that sense of completeness is reason enough to stop here. The RTL is a strong fit for drivers who want a new Honda Passport with comfort, technology, towing usefulness, and a straightforward everyday role.

The 2026 Honda Passport RTL Towing takes the same balanced RTL foundation and places greater emphasis on towing as part of the configuration. It is a practical choice for buyers who already know their Passport will be asked to do more than handle commuting and daily family use. Rather than treating towing as an add-on, this version makes that capability part of the appeal from the beginning.

That approach fits drivers whose routines include small trailers, extra weekend gear, or trips that call for a little more built-in utility. Around the Bay Area, that might mean hauling equipment for a weekend away or choosing a midsize SUV that feels ready for broader use over time. The everyday comfort, space, and ease of use still carry over from the RTL. The difference is simply that towing plays a more consistent role in the ownership picture.

This version will make the most sense for buyers whose needs closely resemble the standard RTL, but with towing factoring more heavily into how they plan to use the vehicle.

The 2026 Honda Passport RTL Blackout gives the RTL a darker visual theme while keeping the same practical everyday formula underneath. It retains the same useful cargo space, standard AWD, and well-equipped cabin, but presents that package with a different factory look from the start. For buyers who already like what the RTL offers, that appearance change may be the only distinction they are looking for.

In real use, the RTL Blackout fits easily into the same driving patterns that make the Passport appealing in the first place. It handles commuting, errands, family use, and longer drives across the Bay Area with ease, while the black wheel treatment and darker exterior details give it a more distinctive presence. The point is not that it changes the Passport’s role, but that it reframes the familiar RTL package visually.

The RTL Blackout is best understood as a style-focused variation for buyers who want the standard RTL’s everyday strengths, paired with a darker factory appearance from day one.

The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport is where the Passport begins to lean more clearly into dirt roads, trail access, and broader outdoor use. It still carries the model’s everyday strengths — space, comfort, standard AWD, and V6 power — but adds hardware and setup changes that make it better suited to rougher surfaces and more varied conditions. That shift gives the TrailSport a clearer role in the lineup without separating it from normal daily ownership.

For Northern California buyers, that can mean having one SUV that handles weekday traffic and family routines, while also feeling more capable on weekends built around trailheads, camping gear, and less developed routes beyond pavement. That kind of use fits naturally into the local recreation landscape, where trail access, camp‑oriented travel, and less developed routes are part of regular weekend plans. All-terrain tires, an off-road-tuned suspension, the TrailWatch™ camera system, and added hitch and recovery hardware reinforce that flexibility.

This makes the TrailSport a strong fit for buyers who want the Passport as an everyday SUV, but prefer one that is better equipped for outdoor use and more varied driving environments over time.

The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Blackout takes the TrailSport’s rugged foundation and presents it with a darker factory appearance. The off-road-oriented hardware, standard AWD capability, and useful everyday layout all remain intact, while the visual tone shifts noticeably. For buyers drawn to the TrailSport’s broader flexibility and outdoor focus, this version delivers the same substance with a different look.

That formula makes sense in a region where weekend use can easily stretch beyond pavement. This part of the state offers a wide range of trail access and camp‑oriented travel, which helps explain why the TrailSport Blackout still fits naturally into the same outdoor plans as the standard TrailSport. The all-terrain tires, off-road-tuned suspension, and TrailWatch™ camera system continue to define its function. The Blackout treatment simply gives that TrailSport package a darker factory presentation.

The TrailSport Blackout will appeal most to buyers who want the TrailSport’s expanded capability and everyday usability, paired with a more blacked-out presentation from the start.

The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite brings the TrailSport’s rugged foundation together with a more refined cabin and a broader comfort feature set. It keeps the same trail-oriented hardware, including standard AWD and all-terrain tires, while adding upgrades that make the interior feel more polished over time. That balance gives the TrailSport Elite a distinct role for buyers who want capability and comfort to carry similar weight in the decision.

This combination works especially well for drivers who expect their Passport to cover a lot of ground. It still supports everyday use comfortably, but it also makes more sense for longer weekend drives that involve camping gear, trail access, uneven surfaces, or the broader outdoor travel patterns that define much of driving beyond city limits. That is part of what makes a trim like the TrailSport Elite feel logical in this market: the cabin is more finished, but the underlying TrailSport substance still matches the region’s recreation-friendly use cases.

The TrailSport Elite is a strong fit for buyers who want the TrailSport’s broader flexibility and outdoor usefulness, with a more refined day-to-day ownership experience built in from the start.

The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite Blackout builds on the fully equipped TrailSport Elite foundation, but presents it with a darker factory appearance. Its refined TrailSport cabin, standard AWD capability, all-terrain tire setup, and broader off-pavement readiness all remain in place, while the visual treatment shifts in a bolder direction. That makes it a natural fit for buyers who want the TrailSport Elite’s full feature set, paired with a darker look.

That mix works well for drivers who want one Passport that feels comfortable in everyday ownership, while also suiting mountain corridors that welcome weekend recreation, gear-heavy travel, and exploration beyond pavement. The premium cabin features stay central to the experience, now paired with a more blacked-out exterior presentation. The result is not a different role, but a different visual expression of the same well-rounded trim. That balance aligns well with the region’s mix of everyday driving and outdoor‑oriented travel beyond pavement.

The TrailSport Elite Blackout is best suited to buyers who want the TrailSport Elite’s broader flexibility, off-pavement usefulness, and fuller day-to-day comfort, with a darker factory appearance built into the decision from the start.