Should Honda consider bringing the Passport to PH?

MANILA: Should Honda consider introducing the Passport to the Philippines?

Such a question was raised after the carmaker announced that the said model (manufactured in the United States) will be brought to Japan come the second half of 2026. The specific trim that the brand’s home country will have top TrailSport Elite.

Per Honda, the fourth-generation Passport shall be introduced in the Japanese automotive market to meet its customers’ diverse needs there.

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It can be recalled that the closest model to the Passport that Honda Cars Philippines Incorporated brought to the country is the Pilot, which was discontinued sometime in 2018. Just like the Passport, the Honda Pilot was also created in the US.

2026 Honda Passport specifications

Here’s what the Japan-bound 2026 Honda Passport can offer to the Philippines.

Under the hood of the Honda Passport TrailSport Elite trim is a V6 gasoline-powered mill paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

This powertrain utilizes torque-vectoring i-VTM4 all-wheel drive technology that optimizes traction in all driving scenarios — especially slick and off-road conditions.

Additionally, the model that will arrive in the US soon also comes with reinforced steel skid plates, off-road tuned suspension, all-terrain tires, solid front and rear recovery points, and TrailWatch camera system.

Inside, the 2026 Honda Passport is outfitted with perforated leather seating and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system.

Last year, the Honda Passport SUV earned the 2025 Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The accolade was attributed to its improved second-row passenger protection as well as Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies that include:

•         Collision Mitigation Braking System with Pedestrian Detection
•         Forward Collision Warning
•         Road Departure Mitigation and Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
•         Lane Keeping Assist System
•         Blind spot information system
•         Traffic Jam Assist
•         Traffic Sign Recognition System
•         Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow

Lastly, the 2026 Honda Passport is equipped with the proprietary Honda Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure, along with advanced supplemental restraint systems.

Should HCPI bring the 2026 Honda Passport?

So, the question still stands: should Honda Cars Philippines Incorporated (HCPI) introduce the Honda Passport in the local market?

Our theory? Yes — if the brand’s local arm wants to be present again in the premium sport utility vehicle space. Sure, it is not a volume driver but if Honda wants to relive its glory days in terms of sales, they should think having it.

However if HCPI decides to have the Passport, we can only imagine the expensive price tag that it would have compared to its rivals (say the Toyota Land Cruiser, and Nissan Patrol), given that it will come in the Land of Milk and Honey. Then again, those who are looking into that segment are not much into pricing, but on the vehicle's capability and usability in the country.

As of the moment, we will just monitor how the brand’s distributor here would play their cards this year.

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