2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Long-Term Review: 10,000 Miles, Snowy Conditions, and a Visit to the Dealership

      Jerry Perez

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      Welcome to another chapter of my long-term test series on the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport. Today, I will provide an update on the Passport since my last review two and a half months ago, which also coincided with about 5,000 miles driven. With winter officially here in the Midwest, we've already experienced more snow this season than nearly all of last winter. It was also time for the Passport's initial trip to the dealership. While it wasn't anything major, I finally attached a trailer to the back for some light lifting during a recent move.

      If you'd like to catch up on previous segments before diving into this latest update, here are the links:

      Welcome Passport: Specs, Test Details, Ultimate Goal

      First Impressions

      Analysis: Features and Equipment

      5,000-Mile Review

      The Honda Passport Wave Is a Thing

      Let’s Chat: I Answer All of Your Questions

      Jerry Perez

      10K Club

      Wow, I’ve never driven a press car for 10,000 miles before. It feels a bit unusual, doesn’t it? Honda mentioned I had unlimited mileage, so I suppose it's fine. And what a journey it has been! From several road trips across the Midwest to moving my son to university, numerous grocery and school runs, and even a somewhat unexpected relocation, the Magical Pumpkin (as I often call it) has been by my side. We’ve encountered joyful moments, tough times, open highways, heavy traffic, dry spells, torrential downpours, and now, plenty of snow and ice.

      We've listened to happy tunes during joyful times and cheesy love songs during sad moments. As I mentioned in the first blog of this series, the purpose of keeping the Passport for eight months instead of switching it out is to assess how a vehicle integrates into an average American family. It serves as more than just an errand-runner or weekend explorer; it’s been the sole vehicle I’ve driven multiple times a day, every day, since July. We’ve formed a bond, but we’ve also had our disagreements over the past 10,000 miles.

      So far, I’m genuinely enjoying the Passport, and my family feels the same. It has become somewhat of a neighborhood favorite, as people now recognize it (not just as a press car that disappears after a week) and know it belongs to me. From neighbors and friends to people at my kids’ schools, they eagerly follow the SUV’s progress to see how it’s been performing.

      Up to this point, I haven't noticed any significant changes or takeaways since the 5,000-mile review. The car feels better than ever, but I can't determine if that's due to my increasing familiarity with it or if it has genuinely improved. It just feels properly broken-in, like when you finally wear in a pair of shoes and they feel just right. Much like a relationship that approaches the critical six-month mark, I haven't noticed any new "bad things" in the last two months (except for a few minor issues detailed below), so it's largely all good times.

      Jerry Perez

      Winter

      Adapting to changing weather is a crucial factor in the ownership experience of any vehicle. Living in the Midwest means dealing with wet springs, scorching summers, unpredictable falls, and bitter winters, so a car’s practicality and features can greatly influence how manageable all of that is. In this instance, with heavy snow in November and December, I took full advantage of the heated seats, heated steering wheel, and AWD capabilities.

      Driving in Snow: The Intelligent Traction Management System, located below the shifter, offers several modes, including Snow. During the first heavy snowfall, which later led to icy roads, I made a point to understand the differences between Normal mode and Snow mode. The contrasts are significant, and getting used to one mode before switching to the other truly alters the driving experience of the Passport. In Snow mode, the throttle response is intentionally delayed to reduce wheelspin in slick conditions. Torque is significantly reduced, so you might question if you’ll be moving at all. Yet, as extreme as it sounds, it effectively enhances safety in poor driving conditions. On icy roads, you'll notice how traction and stability control systems engage much sooner to keep the vehicle steady and prevent loss of control before the systems intervene. If you accelerate through a slippery corner, you’ll feel individual tires braking while others maintain power to keep the Passport on track.

      Attempting the same corner in Normal mode instead of Snow results in severe understeer or the rear end sliding out since torque is delivered to the tires much earlier in the pedal's travel. Additionally, the steering feels softer, and its reactions are more laid-back, creating a more relaxed driving experience. I was pleasantly surprised at the Passport's performance through various winter driving challenges. One important detail to note is that