2023 Honda Passport Spied With A More Rugged Look

The Honda Passport is getting some updates for the 2022 model year and has been spied testing for the first time.

The spotted test car featured limited camouflage on both ends, indicating where the changes will be eventually found. While the SUV is only due for a mid-life facelift, Honda will alter the Passport’s philosophy and adopt a more rugged look inspired by the Ridgeline pickup truck.

Look through the camouflage and you will no doubt notice that Honda’s designers have given the Passport an all-new grille with a mesh design not dissimilar to the rugged Honda Ridgeline HPD. In addition, the facelifted Passport includes a new front bumper that is chunkier and has re-designed turn signals and fog lights.

Honda will continue the modifications at the rear end with a new bumper and larger, circular tailpipes. There are also new red taillight lenses, although they maintain the same overall shape as those of the current model.

The emergence of these spy shots come a few months after it emerged that Honda had filed a trademark for the name and logo of ‘Trailsport,’ prompting speculation that it is planning a series of off-road-focused variants of various new models. The Passport could certainly be one of them and it’s possible these spy shots depict such a Trailsport variant.

The Honda Passport was most recently updated for the 2021 model year with some new technology features, including an 8-inch infotainment system that replaced the old 5-inch display. All current variants are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 with 280 hp and 262 lb-ft (355 Nm) of torque and in all likelihood, the 2022 Passport will retain this same engine.