The 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport is getting substantially more serious about going off-road.
Honda has comprehensively reengineered the TrailSport suspension, raising ground clearance to approximately 9.6 inches, improving approach, departure and breakover angles, increasing wheel travel and changing 28 suspension and related chassis components in the process.
This isn’t Honda installing taller springs, fitting some aggressive tires and asking the marketing department to find a mountain.
Nearly 70% of the Passport TrailSport’s major suspension components have been redesigned. Springs, dampers, control arms, stabilizer bars and knuckles are among the components Honda changed, while the front driveshafts and front subframe were redesigned to accommodate the additional ride height and wheel travel.
The result is what Honda is calling its most off-road-capable SUV yet.
And looking at the amount of engineering underneath it, Honda isn’t relying entirely on marketing to make that claim.
2027 Honda Passport TrailSport Suspension: More Than a Simple Lift Kit
Lifting an independent-suspension SUV sounds simple until you actually try to do it correctly.
Install taller springs or spacers and you’ve changed much more than ride height. Control-arm position changes. CV-joint angles change. Alignment changes. Suspension travel can change. Steering geometry can change.
Do it badly enough and the vehicle might gain ground clearance while becoming worse at nearly everything else.
Honda took the considerably more expensive route.
For 2027, 28 suspension and chassis-related parts are new, redesigned or reengineered.
The changes include:
- Springs
- Dampers
- Control arms
- Stabilizer bars
- Knuckles
- Front driveshafts
- Front subframe
Honda says the extensive redesign allowed engineers to maintain appropriate suspension geometry while improving ground clearance, wheel travel, articulation and off-road ride quality. Steering feel and response were also addressed as part of making the taller Passport remain pleasant on pavement.
That’s important.
Most Passport TrailSports will still spend considerably more time commuting, carrying kids and sitting in Costco parking lots than crawling over rocks.
A factory off-road package has to survive both worlds.
Ground Clearance Jumps to 9.6 Inches
Here’s the number most people are going to notice.
2027 Honda Passport TrailSport ground clearance: approximately 9.6 inches
Honda’s U.S. consumer site lists 9.6 inches, while detailed launch coverage reports the underlying figure as roughly 9.65 inches.
That’s about a 1.38-inch increase compared with the previous TrailSport’s approximately 8.27 inches.
A little more than an inch doesn’t sound revolutionary until you consider what that inch is doing underneath a vehicle.
Ground clearance can determine whether you clear:
- Rocks
- Deep trail ruts
- Snow
- Uneven forest roads
- Washouts
- Trail crests
- Embedded obstacles
More importantly, Honda didn’t achieve the increase by compromising the rest of the suspension.
That’s the real story here.
2027 Passport TrailSport vs. 2026 TrailSport
The geometry tells the story particularly well.
| Specification | 2026 Passport TrailSport | 2027 Passport TrailSport | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground clearance | ~8.27 in. | ~9.65 in. | +1.38 in. |
| Approach angle | 23° | 25° | +2° |
| Breakover angle | 20° | 23° | +3° |
| Departure angle | 23° | 25° | +2° |
Those aren’t merely brochure numbers.
Each affects what the Passport can physically drive over without rearranging expensive pieces of bodywork.
The approach angle determines how steep an obstacle the front can encounter before the bumper makes contact.
The breakover angle determines whether the center of the vehicle can cross a crest without becoming high-centered.
And the departure angle determines whether the rear bumper clears the obstacle as the Passport drives away.
Honda improved all three.
The 23-Degree Breakover Angle May Be the Most Important Change
Ground-clearance headlines will probably get most of the attention, but the increase in breakover angle from 20 degrees to 23 degrees may prove especially useful on actual trails.
An SUV can have impressive clearance underneath its axles or chassis and still get hung up when cresting a sharp obstacle.
Increasing ride height while improving wheel travel gives the Passport more room to negotiate those transitions.
Honda also specifically targeted suspension articulation.
That’s significant because articulation determines how effectively the suspension can allow individual wheels to follow uneven terrain.
More usable articulation helps keep tires planted rather than hanging dramatically in the air.
The latter looks great in Instagram photos.
The former tends to work better when you’re trying to keep moving.
The Passport TrailSport Still Uses Independent Suspension
None of this magically turns the Passport into a solid-axle rock crawler.
Nor should it.
The Passport remains a unibody midsize SUV using independent suspension, designed to combine everyday road manners with meaningful trail capability.
Honda appears to understand that distinction.
Instead of trying to transform the Passport into something it isn’t, the 2027 changes address the limitations of its existing architecture.
That’s a much more interesting engineering exercise than simply making it taller.
i-VTM4 AWD Remains a Major Part of the Formula
The suspension isn’t working alone.
Every 2027 Passport uses Honda’s second-generation Intelligent Variable Torque Management all-wheel-drive system, or i-VTM4.
Unlike simpler systems that primarily react to front-wheel slip, Honda’s system can actively distribute torque to the rear axle and vary torque between the rear wheels.
The system works with Honda’s Trail Torque Logic to improve traction over changing terrain.
That can become especially useful when one side of the vehicle encounters significantly less traction than the other.
Rather than relying solely on braking an individual spinning wheel, torque vectoring provides another tool for managing available grip.
Combine that with improved articulation and the 2027 Passport should be considerably better at keeping useful torque connected to useful traction.
TrailWatch Is Now Standard on TrailSport Models
Another meaningful change involves something you can’t see underneath the Passport.
TrailWatch is now standard across Passport TrailSport trims.
Previously associated with the higher TrailSport Elite, the system provides four camera perspectives:
- Front
- Rear
- Side
- 360-degree surround view
Honda supplements the camera views with tire-placement graphics, helping drivers judge where the tires are headed when obstacles disappear beneath the hood.
That’s particularly useful around:
- Blind crests
- Deep ruts
- Rocks
- Narrow trails
- Drop-offs
- Tight trail edges
A camera isn’t as exciting as a locking differential or another inch of suspension travel.
Until you’re staring at nothing but hood while climbing a steep obstacle.
Then cameras suddenly become extremely interesting.
Honda’s Trail Info Adds More Data
The Passport also offers Trail Info through its digital instrument cluster.
It provides useful information including vehicle pitch, roll, elevation and direction.
Honda also offers its Trail Experience app with Passport integration through Apple CarPlay.
This isn’t equipment that turns an inexperienced driver into an off-road expert.
It does, however, provide considerably more information about what the vehicle is doing.
And knowing your vehicle’s pitch and wheel placement is generally preferable to leaning out the window and hoping your passenger’s interpretation of “you’re good” is accurate.
The 3.5-Liter V6 Stays
Honda didn’t use the 2027 update as an excuse to reinvent the Passport powertrain.
The Passport continues with a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 producing 280 horsepower, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and standard i-VTM4 AWD.
That combination should appeal to buyers who aren’t particularly interested in downsized turbocharged four-cylinder engines.
Honda also provides seven selectable drive modes:
Normal, ECON, Sport, Snow, Trail, Sand and Tow.
It’s a fairly straightforward drivetrain for a modern midsize SUV.
Sometimes that’s a feature.
2027 Honda Passport TrailSport Towing Capacity
The additional ride height doesn’t change the Passport into a heavy-duty tow rig.
Maximum towing capacity remains 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.
That puts campers, utility trailers, small boats, motorcycles and similar recreational equipment comfortably within the Passport’s intended towing mission when trailer and vehicle specifications allow it.
The important distinction is that increased ground clearance does not increase the Passport’s tow rating.
Suspension height and manufacturer-certified towing capacity aren’t interchangeable numbers.
Steel Protection Still Matters
Ground clearance only solves part of the off-road equation.
Honda also equips TrailSport models with protective hardware, including skid plates and high-visibility recovery hooks, while all-terrain tires provide more appropriate traction away from pavement.
Honda additionally offers hardened-steel HPD rock sliders as accessories.
That’s the kind of equipment that separates a useful off-road package from one consisting primarily of black wheels and an adventurous badge.
2027 Passport TrailSport Gets Tougher Styling
Honda hasn’t ignored appearances.
The mechanical changes are accompanied by:
- More pronounced fender flares
- Revised lower front fascia
- Amber lighting around the hood-scoop area
- TrailSport-specific exterior details
The amber lighting will probably generate opinions.
That’s okay.
Car enthusiasts have been arguing about lighting modifications since someone first discovered that a Pep Boys parking lot stayed open after sunset.
More importantly, the visual changes now correspond to legitimate mechanical upgrades underneath.
Is the Passport TrailSport Now Better Than a Toyota 4Runner Off-Road?
Not automatically.
This is where spec-sheet comparisons can become misleading.
The Passport’s approximately 9.65 inches of ground clearance is impressive, and some comparisons place it above certain Toyota 4Runner configurations. But different 4Runner trims have different suspension setups and clearance figures; higher-end off-road versions can offer more clearance than the Passport. Measurement methodology can also differ between manufacturers.
And ground clearance alone doesn’t determine off-road capability.
You also have to consider:
- Suspension travel
- Tire size
- Traction systems
- Approach angle
- Breakover angle
- Departure angle
- Underbody protection
- Drivetrain configuration
- Recovery equipment
- Driver skill
So no, Honda hasn’t automatically defeated every body-on-frame SUV because one number on the specification sheet got bigger.
What Honda has done is make the comparison substantially more interesting.
What About the Subaru Outback Wilderness?
The same caution applies.
Honda is clearly positioning the Passport TrailSport against rugged adventure-oriented SUVs and crossovers, and its new clearance is extremely competitive.
But deciding which is “better” depends heavily on the trail.
For buyers who spend most of the week on pavement and weekends exploring forest roads, snow, camping trails and moderately technical terrain, the Passport’s combination of independent suspension, V6 power and torque-vectoring AWD may be extremely attractive.
Someone building a dedicated rock crawler will probably have a very different shopping list.
Context matters.
Why Reengineering the Front Subframe Matters
One detail enthusiasts shouldn’t overlook is the redesigned front subframe.
That’s not something manufacturers typically change just because they want another inch on a spec sheet.
Changing ride height affects where suspension components operate through their travel.
By altering the subframe, control arms, knuckles and driveshafts together, Honda can better manage geometry rather than attempting to correct everything afterward.
That’s exactly why aftermarket suspension builders obsess over:
- CV angles
- Ball-joint angles
- Control-arm position
- Bump steer
- Camber
- Caster
- Suspension travel
Honda effectively engineered the lift as part of the vehicle rather than asking the original suspension to tolerate it.
Why the 2027 Passport TrailSport Upgrade Matters
This may ultimately be more important than simply having 9.6 inches of clearance.
The Passport has always occupied an interesting position.
It’s more rugged than the typical pavement-focused crossover but isn’t built around the same traditional body-on-frame formula as dedicated off-road SUVs.
The 2027 TrailSport pushes that compromise considerably further toward the trail.
And it does so without abandoning what Passport owners actually use every day:
- Five-passenger seating
- Large cargo capacity
- Comfortable road manners
- V6 power
- 5,000-pound towing capability
- Automatic transmission
- Modern driver-assistance technology
That’s probably the correct formula.
Not everyone needs a solid front axle, 37-inch tires and a winch capable of recovering a school bus.
Sometimes you just need enough capability to reach the campsite without donating your oil pan to a rock.
The Pro Street Verdict
The most interesting thing about the 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport isn’t that Honda lifted it.
It’s how Honda lifted it.
Reengineering nearly 70% of the major suspension components and changing 28 suspension/chassis parts is a dramatically more comprehensive solution than simply installing taller springs.
Ground clearance rises to roughly 9.6 inches. Approach and departure angles improve to 25 degrees. Breakover climbs to 23 degrees. TrailWatch becomes standard on TrailSport models, while the second-generation i-VTM4 AWD system, all-terrain tires, skid protection and recovery hardware remain part of the package.
Honda hasn’t built a Wrangler.
It hasn’t built a 4Runner.
It built a considerably more capable Passport.
And that might be the smarter move.
Related Pro Street Reading
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For current factory information on the new SUV:
2027 Honda Passport official specifications and features
2027 Honda Passport TrailSport FAQ
How much ground clearance does the 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport have?
Honda lists approximately 9.6 inches of ground clearance, with launch specifications placing the figure at about 9.65 inches. That’s roughly 1.38 inches more than the previous TrailSport.
Is the 2027 Passport TrailSport factory lifted?
Yes. More importantly, Honda didn’t simply install taller springs. The company says 28 suspension and related chassis components were redesigned, reengineered or are new.
What suspension parts changed on the 2027 Passport TrailSport?
Changes include springs, dampers, control arms, stabilizer bars and knuckles, plus redesigned front driveshafts and a redesigned front subframe.
What are the Passport TrailSport’s approach and departure angles?
The 2027 model provides approximately 25 degrees of approach angle, 23 degrees of breakover angle and 25 degrees of departure angle.
How much horsepower does the 2027 Honda Passport have?
Honda lists a 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Is the Honda Passport TrailSport AWD?
Yes. The Passport uses Honda’s second-generation i-VTM4 AWD system with Trail Torque Logic.
How much can the 2027 Honda Passport tow?
Honda lists a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.
Does the 2027 Passport TrailSport have TrailWatch?
Yes. TrailWatch is standard on 2027 TrailSport variants and provides front, rear, side and 360-degree views along with tire-placement graphics.
