The New Passport Could Be Too Rugged For Honda Shoppers
American Honda has an uphill battle to sell its newest SUV called Passport. It’s designed to compete with the Subaru Forester Sport and Toyota RAV4 Adventure models that are more rugged than the average small SUV. Honda launched the Passport last year but they can’t seem to get the Passport moving off showroom floors.
Honda is also competing against Jeep with its trail-rated Cherokee SUV which has been built for decades. Honda customers are a different breed and they aren’t the type to take their vehicles off-pavement like Jeep and Subaru customers.
2019 Honda Passport
Typical Honda owners are more conservative and are looking for the brand’s reputation for reliability and they want a vehicle with low maintenance costs. Quality of workmanship not only ranks high with its customers, but it’s the number one reason they chose a Honda vehicle. According to a study by J.D. Power, Honda owners also pick the brand’s models for its safety features and scores.
The Honda Passport offers all those things and more. The new SUV offers an inch greater ground clearance, but with identical room inside as its larger stablemate Pilot. The more rugged mid-size SUV also comes with Honda’s torque-vectoring AWD sending power to the wheel that needs the traction. Passport gets Snow, Mud, and Sand Modes for slippery surfaces.
Honda Passport capability
Who should look at the new Passport?
If you live in a cold climate and you live where conditions get extra snowy and icy, or live where you need extra traction like the mountains in the Northeast, Rocky Mountains or West Coast mountains, you will be able to use the off-road features.
Adventure seekers going off-road will want to check out the new Passport too. If you pull small utility trailer, camper, or boat, Passport offers 3,500 lbs of towing capacity on 2wd models and 5,000 lbs on all-wheel-drive models. If you are shopping for a more rugged SUV you will want the AWD trim.
Shoppers looking for the best value can get deals on new Passport models now through October 31 that involves up to $1,250 in dealer incentives on 2019 Honda Passport Sport trims and $750 toward EX-L, Touring, and Elite models. Check out deals in your area here.
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Photo credit: Honda USA
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