Honda sells the Passport in four trims. More than 80 percent of buyers pick the TrailSport. So when Honda decided to upgrade the Passport for 2027 — two years into a generation that only launched in 2025 — the engineers went straight to the Honda Passport TrailSport off-road suspension and redesigned 70 percent of it.
New springs. New dampers. New stabilizer bars. New front subframe. New driveshafts. All to add 1.38 inches of ride height. Honda quantifies the lift to the hundredth decimal place because a lot went into those 1.38 inches — and the company wants buyers to know the difference between what it did and what your cousin Randy does with a stack of spacers on a Saturday afternoon.
9.7 Inches of Ground Clearance — Up From 8.3
The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport off-road had 8.3 inches of ground clearance. The 2027 model has 9.7. Approach angle gains two degrees. Departure angle gains two degrees. Breakover angle — how steep a crest the vehicle can clear without scraping its belly — gains three degrees.
Honda revised the front subframe geometry, driveshaft angles, spring rates, damper tuning, and stabilizer bars — all at the same time. That’s because lifting a unibody AWD crossover without touching those items creates problems any suspension tech can identify: driveshafts that bind at full compression, steering that wanders on the highway, tires that wear unevenly on one edge. The Honda Passport TrailSport off-road got every piece of that geometry addressed as part of the lift program. Reviewers will confirm whether the on-road manners survived when they get seat time.
Honda Called Out the 4Runner by Name
Honda’s press materials for the 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport off-road name the Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road directly. The Passport’s 9.7 inches of ground clearance beats the 4Runner’s published figure — Honda is correct on that number.
What Honda left out: the 4Runner has a solid rear axle. Its ground clearance measurement is taken at the differential housing — the lowest point on that solid axle — which sits lower than everything around it. On an actual rocky trail, a solid rear axle articulates in ways the Passport’s independent rear suspension cannot replicate. The 4Runner can walk over terrain that would beach the Passport regardless of what the ground clearance figures say. Honda wins the brochure comparison. Toyota wins the rock garden.
Honda’s ground clearance claims don’t stop at the 4Runner. The Honda Passport TrailSport off-road also beats the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands Sasquatch and the Subaru Outback Wilderness on that number — Honda put both in the press release. Both claims are accurate. Neither of those vehicles is a serious off-road machine — they’re refined crossovers built for buyers who want some trail ability without buying a body-on-frame truck. The Passport TrailSport is competing directly with both of them for exactly that buyer.
Amber LEDs in the Hood Scoop
The 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport off-road gets more prominent fender flares and twin amber LEDs in its hood scoop. Ram uses amber LEDs in the TRX hood scoop. Honda knows this. Honda included them anyway.
The TRX has a supercharged V8 making 702 horsepower and costs over $90,000. The Honda Passport TrailSport off-road has a 3.5-liter V6 making 285 horsepower. Amber LEDs in a hood scoop is the full extent of what these two vehicles share.
The fender flares accommodate the slightly taller stance without looking bolt-on. The overall effect pushes the exterior closer to the truck-influenced look that TrailSport buyers want — which is a significant part of why 80 percent of them pick this trim in the first place.
TrailWatch Cameras and Heated Steering Wheel on Every Trim
Honda moved two features from TrailSport Elite exclusive to standard on all 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport off-road trims. TrailWatch — Honda’s multi-camera system that shows the driver real-time views of terrain around the front corners and rear of the vehicle — is now included across the range. Heated steering wheel too.
TrailWatch earns its keep on trail. Cameras at the front corners let the driver place the wheels on a rocky line without getting out to check. On terrain where the margin between clearing an obstacle and beaching the vehicle is measured in inches, that visibility is worth real money in avoided damage. Honda making it standard rather than Elite-only improves the value case for the base TrailSport trim significantly.
Smoke Blue Pearl Is In. Obsidian Blue Pearl Is Out.
One color swap for 2027. Obsidian Blue Pearl leaves the Honda Passport TrailSport off-road palette. Smoke Blue Pearl takes its spot — a lighter, slightly more muted shade that fits the more rugged visual direction of the refreshed exterior.
Honda Redesigned 70 Percent of the Suspension on a Two-Year-Old Vehicle
The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport off-road made Car and Driver’s 10Best Trucks and SUVs list last year. This year Honda went back into the suspension of a vehicle that launched in 2025 and replaced 70 percent of its components. When 80 percent of your buyers choose one trim, you don’t wait for the next generation.
80 percent of Passport buyers pick the TrailSport. That number drives every product decision Honda makes on this vehicle. When one trim accounts for four out of five sales, you don’t coast on a good review and wait four years for the next generation. You go back into the suspension and make it better — which is exactly what Honda did for 2027.
What Changed for 2027 — Full List
| Specification | 2027 TrailSport | 2026 TrailSport |
|---|---|---|
| Ground clearance | 9.7 inches | 8.3 inches |
| Lift | +1.38 inches | — |
| Approach angle | +2 degrees | — |
| Departure angle | +2 degrees | — |
| Breakover angle | +3 degrees | — |
| Suspension redesign | ~70% new components | — |
| New parts | Springs, dampers, stabilizer bars, front subframe, driveshafts | — |
| TrailWatch cameras | Standard all trims | Elite only |
| Heated steering wheel | Standard all trims | Elite only |
| Hood scoop | Twin amber LEDs | None |
| Fender flares | More prominent | Standard |
| New color | Smoke Blue Pearl | — |
| Dropped color | — | Obsidian Blue Pearl |
FAQ
What changed on the 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport off-road?
Springs, dampers, stabilizer bars, front subframe, and driveshafts — about 70 percent of the suspension replaced. Ride height up 1.38 inches. Ground clearance from 8.3 to 9.7 inches. Two more degrees on approach. Two more on departure. Three more on breakover. TrailWatch cameras and heated steering wheel moved from Elite-only to standard on every Honda Passport TrailSport off-road trim. Twin amber LEDs in the hood scoop. More prominent fender flares. Smoke Blue Pearl replaces Obsidian Blue Pearl.
Does the 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport beat the Toyota 4Runner off-road?
On paper — 9.7 inches of ground clearance clears the 4Runner TRD Off-Road’s published number. On an actual trail with rocks and ruts, the 4Runner’s solid rear axle articulates in ways the Honda Passport TrailSport off-road independent rear suspension cannot. Honda wins the spec sheet. Toyota wins the hard stuff.
Why is Honda updating the Passport so soon after the 2025 redesign?
80 percent of Passport buyers pick the TrailSport. When one trim drives that kind of sales volume, waiting four years for a full model cycle refresh isn’t an option. The Honda Passport TrailSport off-road suspension upgrade happened two years into this generation because Honda couldn’t afford to let it sit still against the 4Runner, Bronco Sport, and Outback Wilderness.
Is the 2027 Passport lift a proper suspension redesign or just spacers?
Honda revised the front subframe geometry, driveshaft angles, spring rates, damper tuning, and stabilizer bars — all at once. Bolt spacers onto a crossover without touching any of that and the driveshafts bind, the steering wanders, and the tires wear unevenly. The Honda Passport TrailSport off-road got the full treatment.
What is the TrailWatch camera system?
Cameras at the front corners and rear of the Honda Passport TrailSport off-road show the driver exactly where the wheels are sitting relative to rocks, ruts, and drop-offs — live on the central display. No getting out to check the line. For 2027 it’s standard across all TrailSport trims. Previously it only came on the Elite.
When does the 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport go on sale?
Honda has not announced a specific on-sale date. The current generation Passport launched for 2025. The 2027
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