​​GearJunkie Names 2026 Passport Adventure Vehicle of the Year​ 

The Passport was completely redesigned for 2026, with an eye toward making the vehicle more off-road capable, culminating in the significantly enhanced TrailSport model.  This didn’t go unnoticed, and Michael Hohl Honda is proud to announce that Gear Junkie named the Passport an Adventure Vehicle of the Year.   

Gear Junkie is a site devoted to all things outdoors.  They evaluate a wide variety of products for camping, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities. Even their motor vehicle section includes boats, motorcycles, bicycles, ATVs, and road-going SUVs and trucks. Each year, they announce their Adventure Vehicle of the Year awards, which look at new vehicles of the previous year.  In 2026, the winners came from eight categories.  Two years ago, the 2024 Honda Transalp 750 won in the motorcycle category. 

The all-new 2026 Passport won the two-row category.  In case you are wondering, there is also a Best 4×4 category that covers more dedicated truck-based vehicles with 4×4 systems.  

The award goes to the Passport model line as a whole, but GearJunkie clearly had a preference for the Passport TrailSport, which they reviewed last April. “The 2026 Honda Passport is all-new, featuring a more aggressive appearance and enhanced off-road capability, particularly in TrailSport trim. It hit the market in early 2025, and despite the lack of a low-range transfer case, it has a host of compelling off-road features that give it legitimate adventure chops. The parts come together to make an impressively civilized and capable package, on- and off-road.” 

Honda describes the Passport TrailSport (it probably wasn’t intended to rhyme) as “The most off-road capable Honda SUV ever”. When Gear Junkie reviewed the Passport TrailSport last April, they noted several ways the model brings true capability once the pavement is left behind.  One item they remarked upon that often gets overlooked is the plastic panel over the rear side windows, which lets you lean skis, fishing poles, and other long outdoor gear against this section of the vehicle without concern of scratching the paint. 

31-inch General Grabber All-Terrain tires, scuff-resistant lower cladding, front and rear bash plates, and red recovery hooks are the most obvious added off-road features. Hidden but functional differences include:  

• Thinner sway bars for improved wheel articulation 

• Digressive valve-type dampers are designed to decrease compression damping and enhance rebound damping 

• The AWD system’s ability to send as much as 70% of torque to the rear wheels 

• The torque vectoring system’s ability to send 100% of rear power to one side or the other, which they note is particularly useful when the surface causes one rear tire to leave the ground, shifting power to the one still in contact. 

• Drive modes for Trail, Sand, and Snow that alter throttle calibration, AWD torque distribution, and other dynamics. 

Features that GearJunkie called out as particularly effective were: 

• Hill descent control, a form of off-road cruise control for steep descents 

• Available rock sliders to protect the body and structure between the wheels  

• The TrailWatch Camera system, providing four views around the vehicle, with their favorite being the forward-facing camera that keeps the trail in view after it is blocked by the hood.  

• The 3.5-liter V6 engine, which makes throttle modulation easy to manage. 

• They also applauded the return of the cargo floor that converts into a picnic table or cargo space divider, which was first seen in early CR-Vs. 

They recognize that the Passport TrailSport lacks a two-speed transfer case for low-speed technical terrain, but found that the Passport’s off-road capability will exceed even the most adventurous owners’ needs, while also being a comfortable daily driver, which will be its usual duty. 

In the end, they believe the Passport model line, and the TrailSport in particular, will fill the role many of its readers are looking for in a vehicle. If that includes you, visit Michael Hohl Honda and take a look at the exciting new Passport model line.