2022 Honda Passport vs. Pilot: Which Should You Buy?
Until a few years ago, if you fancied a Honda SUV bigger than a CR-V, you bought a Honda Pilot. However, for the 2019 model year, Honda revived the Passport name in the shape of the 2019 Honda Passport and inadvertently created something of an in-house rival for the Pilot. If you go by price alone, you can get a 2022 Honda Passport or a 2022 Honda Pilot for almost identical money. Let’s do a 2022 Honda Pass vs. Pilot comparison to see which one you should buy if you face this dilemma.
The 2022 Honda Pilot is a bigger SUV than the 2022 Honda Passport, but if a third-row seat isn’t a deal-breaker for you, the Passport is a more stylish, modern, and desirable option with better standard features at the entry-level than an entry-level Pilot for almost the same price.
2022 Honda Pilot Vs. 2022 Honda Passport prices
If you are happy with an entry-level model, there’s only a couple of hundred dollars difference when comparing Honda Pilot vs. Passport. That’s a little surprising as the 2022 Honda Pilot is a three-row full-size SUV, whereas the 2022 Honda Passport is a midsize crossover SUV that doesn’t offer a third-row.
The starting MSRP for the midsize 2022 Pilot is $37,580, which is for a front-wheel-drive Sport version of the full-size Honda crossover SUV. Perhaps surprisingly, the 2022 Passport is more expensive at the entry-level than the more extensive Pilot, with a starting MSRP of $37,870.
However, you can pay as much as $51,370 for a range-topping 2022 Honda Pilot Black Edition AWD, while a top-of-the-range 2022 Honda Passport Elite AWD will set you back a more modest $45,430.
Honda Passport vs. Pilot Engines and Performance
If you were wondering why the Passport and Pilot have comparable prices despite one being larger than the other, this is where things start to become a little clearer. Both Honda SUVs use the same standard engine, you see, which is a 3.5-liter V-6 that develops 262 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque.
In both cases, the power goes to the front or all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission, which it has to be said is a long way from being the best of its kind.
And if you assume the two-row Passport will be quicker than the three-row Pilot, you will be disappointed. The smaller Passport is actually heavier than the three-row Pilot in their entry-level forms. While the entry-level Passport EX-L FWD weighs 4,057 pounds, the Pilot Sport 2WD weighs in at just 4,030 pounds.
Forget about the Pilot being able to tow more than the Passport because both models are rated to tow a maximum of 3,500 pounds in front-drive form and 5,000 pounds with AWD.
Exterior styling
How a vehicle looks to you is purely subjective, but I’d like to think that I’m on reasonably safe ground by suggesting that the 2022 Honda Passport looks modern, fresh, and contemporary. Meanwhile, the 2022 Honda Pilot looks clean, conservative, and more than a little dated. It won’t stand out in a crowd the way the Passport will, but maybe that’s not what you want anyway?
It’s always hard for a three-row SUV to look as sporty and sleek as a rival designed to accommodate just five people, but Kia has managed it with the 2022 Sedona, and that’s a minivan, for heaven’s sake!
Interiors
Honda Passport vs. Pilot overall size
You probably expect some considerable variations to appear here when we start taking a closer look at the dimensions of the two vehicles. After all, the Pilot is full-size, and the Passport is midsize, so the Pilot will be the more substantial vehicle by every measure, right? Not exactly.
Instead of writing lengthy paragraphs about the various dimensions, here’s a table that explains the tale of the tape better.
| Dimensions | 2022 Honda Passport | 2022 Honda Pilot |
| Length | 189.1 in | 196.5 in |
| Wheelbase | 111 in | 111 in |
| Width (w/o mirrors) | 78.6 in | 78.6 in |
| Height | 71.6 in | 70.6 in |
| Passenger volume | 114.9 cu.-ft. | 152.9 cu.-ft. |
| Front legroom | 40.9 in | 40.9 in |
| Second Legroom | 39.6 in | 38.4 in |
| Front headroom | 39.5 in | 40.1 in |
| Second headroom | 40 in | 40.2 in |
| Seating capacity | 5 | 8 |
The only area where the Pilot is significantly more extensive than the Passport is the capacity for passengers and/or cargo, courtesy of the extra length to allow for that third-row seat.
Passport vs. Pilot fuel economy
If fuel economy ratings matter to you most, you’re not going to find it a significant factor in deciding whether to buy a 2022 Honda Pilot or a 2022 Honda Passport. How good or how bad the fuel economy ratings are will depend on which trim level you choose and whether you stick with front-drive or go for the extra capability of an AWD model.
Once again, here’s a convenient table showing the various fuel economy ratings to compare the two Honda SUVs accurately.
| City (mpg) | Highway (mpg) | Combined (mpg) | |
| 2022 Honda Passport FWD | 20 | 25 | 22 |
| 2022 Honda Passport AWD | 19 | 24 | 21 |
| 2022 Honda Pilot FWD | 20 | 27 | 23 |
| 2022 Honda Pilot AWD | 19 | 26 | 22 |
As you can see above, fuel economy ratings are not going to put one of these two significantly ahead of the other.
Pilot vs. Passport standard features
If they cost a similar amount of money and have the same engine, surely the Passport will come with a more generous list of standard features? You would expect to pay more for the extra size and seats in the Pilot, but as these two are priced almost the same at the entry-level, what standard features do you get?
| Features | 2022 Honda Passport EX-L AWD | 2022 Honda Pilot Sport AWD |
| Price | $39,970 | $39,580 |
| Trim levels | 3 | 7 |
| Intelligent Traction Management | Yes | Yes |
| AWD | Available | Available |
| LED headlights | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | 8.0-inch | 8.0-inch |
| Apple CarPlay | Yes | Yes |
| Android Auto | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless charger | Yes | No |
| 12-Volt power outlets | 2 | 2 |
| Leather seats | Yes | No |
| Heated seats | Front | Front |
| Honda Sensing | Yes | Yes |
| Power tailgate | Yes | No |
| LED foglights | No | Yes |
| Climate control | Tri-zone | Tri-zone |
| Leather steering wheel | Yes | No |
| Alloy wheels | 20-inch | 20-inch |
As you can see, there’s very little to choose between the base model of each vehicle. It would be a lot easier to decide between these two if one was more expensive than the other. However, if you want to know how much dealers in your area are asking right now for these or any new vehicles, click on the banner below for free, no-obligation quotes from real dealers in your area.
Which should you buy?
I like it when I can come to an easy and affirmative conclusion, and that’s what we have here. The only reason to overlook the 2022 Honda Passport in favor of the 2022 Honda Pilot is if you absolutely must have those three extra seats in the back. The one thing I must say about the Pilot is that seats in the back are more than usable for adults, which can’t be said for a lot of three-row crossovers.
However, if you can manage with five seats, the Passport is more attractive, contemporary, high-tech, and certainly more desirable than the aging Honda Pilot. If you don’t need that third row, forget about the Pilot and get the Passport instead.
