Is The Honda Passport Body-On-Frame?SlashGearMark CowleySun, September 13, 2026 at 4:45 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleHondaWhen Honda revealed the 2026 model year Passport, it didn't have any major surprises in store. Honda knew what buyers wanted and gave them exactly that: refreshed styling, new tech, and a roomier interior, but it kept almost everything else the same. Although the 2026 Passport has a bit more power than previous models, it still has the same 3.5-liter V6 found in older models. Similarly, Honda still builds the SUV in Alabama, and the Passport still sits below the Pilot in the automaker's lineup.Another thing that hasn't changed is its underlying construction. Like the outgoing iteration, the 2026 Passport is a unibody vehicle, and not a body-on-frame SUV. Honda says it's built that way to offer a better ride and handling, as well as to keep its weight down. In turn, that weight reduction improves its efficiency, according to the company. That said, even the most frugal version of the Passport only offers an EPA-estimated 21 mpg combined, so it's still thirstier than the average new car.The Passport wasn't always a unibody SUV. The first Honda to bear the name was introduced in 1994 and wasn't really a Honda at all, but a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo. It featured traditional body-on-frame construction and would remain that way through 2002, after which Honda discontinued the model.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead more: 5 Drawbacks Of Hybrid Cars You Should Consider Before Buying OneHonda brought back the Passport name in 2019Chris Davies/SlashGearAfter around a decade and a half away from its U.S. lineup, Honda reintroduced the Passport for the 2019 model year. In 2003, Honda discontinued the Passport to make way for the Pilot, but after the 2019 relaunch, both models would share floor space at dealerships. The relaunched Passport was a slightly smaller two-row SUV, while the Pilot featured three rows. Both were related underneath and shared similar styling when the Passport first launched.Later facelifts revised the Passport's appearance to differentiate it from the Pilot, although most of the oily bits remained unchanged. After putting the 2024 Passport through its paces, we found plenty to like, including the standard all-wheel drive and smooth ride. The infotainment tech was easy to use, although it wasn't as feature-rich as some rivals, and the lack of standard wireless Apple CarPlay seemed like an odd omission. The latest Passport addresses some of those issues, but it doesn't fix the SUV's mediocre fuel economy. A hybrid option is also still conspicuously missing, even though rivals like the Toyota 4Runner are now available in both hybrid and gas form.Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on SlashGear.
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