toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick Co-Written with Mike Schlee (Passport sections) The lines are blurring between SUVs and crossovers. Traditionally, an SUV needed to have a truck-based, body-on-frame design, like the Toyota 4Runner. Crossovers used car-based, unibody construction. Some vehicles already muddied the waters-looking at you, unibody Jeep Grand Cherokee-and the general population's adoption of "SUV" as a catch-all doesn't make it any easier. But the accepted wisdom is that body-on-frame is more capable off-road, and unibody is better-mannered on the tarmac. That's why we've got the (body-on-frame) Toyota 4Runner and (unibody) Honda Passport here in their most rugged forms. Can modern engineering close the gap, ensuring both of these vehicles can get closer to each other's strengths? Mike Schlee and I spent a week with them to figure it out. Toyota 4Runner vs Honda Passport Comparison Quick Take Just how close can a unibody crossover get to providing the tough-guy, body-on-frame experience? The Passport TrailSport feels suitably rugged, and while it can't match the much pricier 4Runner TRD Pro's off-road prowess, it's better everywhere else. What's New for 2026: toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick Toyota 4Runner: The sixth-generation 4Runner (finally) debuted last year, so there's very little that's different for 2026. There are nine trims in America (seven in Canada), with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four cylinder with or without a hybrid assist available. toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick Honda Passport: The Honda Passport enters its fourth generation for the 2026 model year, assuming one includes the rebadge Isuzu models from the 1990s. The new Passport has a more rugged appearance, and improved off-road capability. The goal of the new Passport, as we've mentioned, is to go after established mid-size off-road orientated SUVs like the Toyota 4Runner. The engine in the Passport remains a 3.5-liter V6, but it has been overhauled and is attached to a new transmission. Although the TrailSport trim is not new, there are now four versions available (though two just swap out standard badging and wheels for blacked-out items), including the TrailSport Elite we have in for testing. Exterior Style: toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick 4Runner: After a few generations growing further apart from the Tacoma with which it shares a platform, the 4Runner is back to being, essentially, an SUV-ified truck. And it looks great-better than the Tacoma in fact, thanks to a cleaner front-end design. The swollen arches give it that classic Coke bottle shape, and a low roof makes the 4Runner look ready for action. I like the nods to the past too, like the wrap-over rear windows and the power-operated liftgate glass. The TRD Pro ratchets up the aggression with larger, gloss black arches, a suspension lift, and some seriously cool alloy wheels. While the Honda arrived on season-appropriate winter rubber, the Toyota is still rocking all-terrains and looks all the better for it. Curiously, you won't actually find "4Runner" anywhere on the exterior, as the liftgate stamping is now TRD Pro. toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick Passport: For the new generation, the Pilot has ditched the curvier, shortened Honda Pilot look. The new front fascia is more purposeful, with a pseudo air intake at the front of the hood. As is the fashion these days, the SUV has a much blockier, square body, with a raked c-pillar that gives the rear window some definite first-generation Passport vibes. The wheels on the Elite trim are two-toned, with a bit of a bead locking look to them. Up front the lower portion of the bumper is painted to resemble a skid-plate and there are a pair of built-in recovery hooks. Out back, the painted skid plate bumper theme is continued and, in case anyone was unsure what this new SUV is, there are giant letters stamped into the liftgate that read PASSPORT. Powertrain and Fuel Economy: toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick 4Runner: Like we said, the 4Runner lineup is now exclusively comprised of turbocharged four-cylinders. The last one we had in used the default setup, but the TRD Pro comes only with the hybrid setup. That gives the 4Runner a major advantage over the Passport, not just with horsepower (326) but heaps more torque with a combined 465 pound-feet. The 4Runner has a part-time selectable 4WD system, with an eight-speed automatic transmission handling shifting duties. The Toyota is noticeably peppier than the Honda at any road or engine speed. Don't think it's some sort of modern smooth operator, however: the 4Runner manages to capture that raspy, strained gurgle of an old motor. It sounds like a truck, even if it's more muscular than any 4Runner before it. The transmission is a great match, finding the right gear for the task at hand. Yes, the electrification makes this the more fuel-efficient option, but not by as much as you might think. It's much better around the city at 23 mpg (10.4 L/100 km) according to official figures, but only slightly better than the Passport on the highway (24 mpg / 9.6 L/100 km). toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick Passport: The Passport remains one of the few vehicles in this class to be powered by a naturally aspirated V6 engine. No turbochargers, electric assists, or trick combustion techniques. Just a 3.5-liter six-cylinder running as smooth as Honda's V6 engines always have. For the new Passport, the engine has been slightly tweaked and will appear in the refreshed Pilot as well. It makes an extra 5 hp, for a total of 285 hp. Torque remains the same at 262-pound feet. Along with a few extra ponies, the Passport has an extra gear now, for a total of ten. Call us spoiled, but in this day and age of instant, gratuitous torque via electric motors and turbos, naturally aspirated units like in the Passport feel a bit tepid at initial rollout. Once underway, the engine dolls out plenty of smooth power, especially in the higher rpm range. It's not as swift as the 4Runner, but it sounds better and feels more refined. The downside of not having a hybrid set-up like the Toyota is worse fuel economy. Officially, the Passport TrailSport is rated at 18 mpg (12.6 L/100 km) city and 23 mpg (9.9 L/100 km) highway. Handling and Drivability: toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick 4Runner: The Passport's winter tires scuppered our off-road test before it happened, so we settled for some very poorly surfaced dirt roads, with plenty of ruts and ridges to throw these vehicles off their intended paths. The road up highlights the better manners of this new generation of 4Runner, but I'd be lying if I told you it's as well-rounded as the unibody Honda. The steering is slow and light, with a noticeable deadzone around the center that makes the Toyota seem vague on the road. No doubt the thick sidewalls of the A/T tires don't help on that front. Once on the dirt, however, the 4Runner comes into its own. Equipped with Fox QS3 shocks with remote reservoirs, the TRD Pro does that sports car thing of shrinking around the driver, and breathes with the uneven surface of the road the harder it's pushed. It is easily the more fun and capable of these two here in the mud-as it should be, given the price delta. Should drivers find themselves in challenging situations, the 4Runner offers more options, including its two-range transfer case, rear axle locker, and front stabilizer bar disconnect. toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick 2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC: All The Details Passport: Stemming from a unibody design, the Passport holds a big advantage in driveability. The road manners, refinement, handling, and ease-of-use exceeds the 4Runner, by quite a margin in some cases. But the TrailSport is intended to be an off-road focused SUV, something unibody vehicles like the Passport traditionally struggle to keep up with a truck-based chassis like the 4Runner. The Honda comes with MacPherson Struts for the front suspension and a multi-link set-up in the rear. It has underbody skid plate protection, an off-road tuned suspension, and Honda's agility handling assist. Surprisingly, the Pilot offers 8.3-inches (210 mm) of ground clearance, which is more than the 4Runner, even in TRD Pro guise. Normally the TrailSport would be equipped with chunky 275/60R18 all-terrain tires, which are arguably the cornerstone of the SUV's off-road ability. Unfortunately, with it being winter, our tested had traded these tires in for a set of dedicated winter rubber. So, no real off-roading could be conducted. The broken dirt roads we did travel showed the Passport to be more stable and in control on greasy surfaces, while exhibiting a lot more suspension chop over washboard sections. Ride Quality and Comfort: toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick 4Runner: No contest here: as improved as the 4Runner is, it's still not close to the Passport's on-road comfort. The SUV's ride is busy and noisy, though that fancy-pants suspension does do an excellent job dealing with potholes. The front seats are supportive, if not as outright comfortable as the thrones in the Honda. Getting in and out is awkward too, as the hip point is a bit of a climb. Second row space is noticeably tighter, with a lower roof and less legroom. By dint of being the hybrid there is no third row in the 4Runner, but that's okay, because it's a miserable experience in the non-hybrids. Storage space is also smaller in the 4Runner, with a higher load lip to clear as well. toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick Passport: Being more car based than truck based, the Passport easily holds an advantage here over the 4Runner, even in TrailSport form. The front seats are also comfortable and despite that higher ground clearance, ingress and egress seems easier in the Honda as well. Rear seat room and cargo capacity also favor the Passport, as more usable space is available thanks to the lack of hybrid gear needing to find a home back there. Interior Style and Quality: toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick 4Runner: The 4Runner has a deliberately chunky, truck-like cabin: if you know the Tacoma, you know the 4Runner. Material quality isn't as nice as the Passport's but that's not really a TRD Pro's raison d'être, is it? It feels appropriately rugged, and there are storage cubbies peppered throughout the cabin, many with plastic mesh that encourages folks to hang their own accessories. The contrast stitching is a nice touch as is the camo-style seat texture, but the big TOYOTA stamped into the dashboard is a step too far. Strangely, the 4Runner has a nicer cabin than the more expensive Land Cruiser. Bonus points to the Toyota for a big, chunky, classic shifter. Toyota's multi-function rotary dial for drive modes and the transfer case is an incredibly clever way to pack multiple functions into a small area, too. toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick Passport: Neither of these vehicles are going to turn the SUV world upside down in terms of interior design. Function over form is the real name of the game and the Passport succeeds in that area. There are hard buttons for the climate control and basic vehicle drive functions. The contrasting stitched seating looks nice as both the center console and dashboard are restrained, if not a bit boring. The only negative with the design is the protruding infotainment screen that prominently juts up out of the dash. Combined with a lack of physical controls as well as unimpressive software and user experience, it highlights potentially the biggest weakness of the new Passport. Tech and Safety: toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick 4Runner: The TRD Pro shares top-trim status with the Trailhunter, so it comes with darned near everything available on a Tacoma. Heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel (around the full rim!) are all useful features. The removable JBL speaker in the dashboard is a fun and handy setup for camping, too. Staying on the tech front, the 14.0-inch touchscreen in the 4Runner is larger than that in the Honda, with a simpler menu design and snappier responses. It's the better system of these two. The 4Runner has a helpful from camera for off-roading, but it isn't as simple to activate as the Honda's ingenious stalk-mounted button-and the camera deactivates once past crawling speed. Its off-road assists generally work smoother than those in the Passport-we'll chalk that up to hybrid help. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard on all 4Runners, grouping assists like automated emergency braking, full-range adaptive cruise control, and rear cross-traffic alert under one umbrella. It all works as expected, though like in other modern ‘Yotas, the Proactive Drive Assist can be too invasive in daily driving. Turn it off. toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick Passport: Being the Elite (Touring) trim of the TrailSport, our tester comes loaded with a lot of technology. There's tri-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, power front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, 10.2-inch digital driver information center, and that 12.3-inch infotainment screen. On the safety front, there's features like collision mitigation braking system with advanced pedestrian detection, road departure mitigation system, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, traffic jam assist, blind spot information system with lane change assist, driver attention monitor, and more. There are also some off-road specific systems included like hill descent control, front camera washer, rear camera washer, rollover mitigation, and Trailwatch. Value Dollars and Sense: toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick 4Runner: This is where the Toyota gets battered. Our tester is a 2025 model, which would list for $68,350 including destination in the USA. The ‘26 is functionally identical but sees increases in its MSRP and destination charges, now totalling $69,395. Want something broadly similar to an entry-level PassPort TrailSport? The TRD Off-Road starts from $51,485, with a few grand more for the iForce Max hybrid. In Canada, this model is a cool twenty grand above the Passport at $82,432 as-tested. Yikes. toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick Passport: The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport is available in four trims in both the United States and Canada. Although the naming conventions may differ, the hierarchy is basically the same. In the United States, the TrailSport starts at a price of $49,945 (all prices included destination charges). As tested, our TrailSport Elite clocked in at $54,400. In Canada, the Passport TrailSport begins at a price of $58,990. As tested, our TrailSport Touring came in at $62,540. Final Thoughts: Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro vs Honda Passport TrailSport Comparison toyota 4runner trd pro vs honda passport trailsport comparison, Image Kyle Patrick Image: Kyle Patrick Does the Passport TrailSport offer most of the rough-and-tumble experience of the 4Runner with better on-road manners? It certainly does here, since we couldn't truly push these two SUVs off-road, and that massive price gap is hard to ignore. Move down to a more wallet-friendly model, however, and the 4Runner likely still has the edge when the trail gets gnarly-but everywhere else, the Passport TrailSport is the vehicle we'd both rather spend time in. 2026 Audi Q3: All the Details