The Honda Passport has always been a capable enough SUV, but “capable enough” is not what TrailSport buyers are paying for. For 2027, Honda addressed that gap directly: the Passport TrailSport gets a comprehensively redesigned suspension adding 1.38 inches of ground clearance, bringing the total to 9.65 inches. That is not a spring-swap. Nearly 70 percent of the major suspension components were redesigned, including springs, dampers, control arms, stabilizer bars, knuckles, front driveshafts, and the front subframe. By Honda’s count, 28 suspension and related chassis parts are new or substantially revised for 2027.
The approach and departure angles each improve by 2 degrees over the 2026 model, reaching 25 degrees front and rear. Breakover angle gains 3 degrees, hitting 23 degrees. Honda’s engineers say they also recalibrated steering feel and response during the process, so the taller truck retains the on-road composure that has made the Passport a genuine daily-driver rather than a weekend-only proposition.
The Passport TrailSport’s sales trajectory made this investment predictable. The fourth-generation Passport posted 55,231 sales in 2025, up nearly 70 percent year-over-year, with TrailSport trims accounting for over 80 percent of model sales as of June 2026. Honda is clearly not going to leave that momentum unattended.
Suspension Engineering
Honda positioned the redesigned suspension against some pointed competition. The 2027 TrailSport’s 9.65 inches of ground clearance exceeds what the Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road, Subaru Outback Wilderness, and Ford Bronco Sport Badlands Sasquatch offer. Those are credible targets, and the claim is specific enough to hold up to scrutiny.
What separates this from a ride-height kit is the geometry work. A simple spring lift introduces compromises in steering feel, driveshaft angles, and handling balance. Honda reengineered the geometry to accommodate the increased ride height without those tradeoffs, and added increased suspension articulation for improved off-road travel. The result, on paper, should be a TrailSport that is more capable on trail without being worse on highway. Whether the geometry work actually delivers that balance is what a first off-road drive will reveal.
Features and Styling
The TrailWatch camera system moves from TrailSport Elite-exclusive to standard across all TrailSport trims for 2027. The system offers four views: front, rear, side, and 360-degree, along with tire placement graphics that help drivers navigate obstacles outside their natural line of sight. On tight trails with blind crests and deep ruts, those overlays are useful in a practical way, not just a marketing one. A heated steering wheel also joins the standard equipment list on all TrailSport trims, where it was previously Elite-only.
Styling changes match the suspension’s more aggressive intent. Honda’s Los Angeles design studio added more pronounced fender flares front and rear, resculpted the lower front fascia, and fitted a pair of amber LED lights in the hood scoop to complement Passport’s existing amber daytime running lights. The Blackout Package, available on all TrailSport trims, now extends to the front and rear fascias with new black finishes, pairing with the existing black 18-inch alloy wheels and black Honda badges for a more uniform blacked-out look.
Smoke Blue Pearl replaces Obsidian Blue Pearl in the color lineup. The shade debuted on the 2026 Honda Pilot and arrives on the TrailSport lineup for 2027.
HTX App and Manufacturing
Honda launched the Honda Trail Experience app this summer, available free on the Apple App Store and compatible with the 2026 and 2027 Passport TrailSport, Pilot TrailSport, and CR-V TrailSport. Developed with input from more than 1,500 Passport TrailSport owners, the app displays real-time data including elevation, pitch, roll, brake pressure, throttle position, speed, engine temperature, outside temperature, tire angle, and GPS coordinates. It also records video via the iPhone camera with data overlays, making it straightforward to export trail footage with map and performance data synced to the clip.
Every 2027 Passport TrailSport is built at Honda’s Alabama Auto Plant in Lincoln. The same facility produces the 3.5-liter V6 engine that powers the Passport, along with the Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Pilot. Honda notes that more than 10.5 million light trucks have been produced at U.S. plants since 2001, with over 6.5 million of those coming from Alabama. Honda also plans to export the Passport TrailSport Elite to Japan early next year.
The 2027 Passport TrailSport begins arriving at dealerships this month. Pricing has not been disclosed beyond what Honda has established for the current lineup, which runs from $44,950 for the base RTL to $53,850 for the TrailSport Elite Blackout.
Honda built TrailSport into the Passport’s identity by giving buyers something the old Pilot-derived model never had: a credible off-road story. The 2027 update tightens that story considerably.
2027 Honda Passport TrailSport Photo Gallery
Source: Honda. Images courtesy of Honda.
