Honda CR-V vs Honda Passport: Which Honda SUV Is Best?

Honda CR-V vs Honda Passport Which Is Best

Honda offers shoppers looking for a roomy five-passenger SUV two great choices.

The CR-V is a mainstay in the American family car market, often being among the top sellers in the country overall. We know that the CR-V defines that segment, but what is this reborn Passport all about?

I tested both the Honda CR-V and the Passport to see how the two compare. In this comparison and contrast, I won’t tell you which fits your lifestyle better, but I can break down the differences and similarities so you can decide.

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Honda CR-V vs. Honda Passport Comparison

Model Passenger VolumeCargo Volume Seats Up/DownHPAnnual Fuel CostTowing Max Rating
CR-V
2021 Honda CR-V

103.5 cu ft

39.3 / 76.5 cu ft

190

$1,350 - $1,750

1,500 lbs

Passport
2021 Honda Passport

114.9 cu ft

41.2 / 77.7 cu ft

280

$2,450

5,000 lbs

Tale of the Tape

Honda-CR-V-Tale-of-the-Tape

We like to construct the tale of the tape charts that accompany these stories because they separate fact from fiction. Honda markets the Passport as a larger vehicle with more off-road capability than the CR-V offers. We don’t argue that point. However, how much more room, and how much more capability does the Passport really offer?

The CR-V has been updated for the 2023 model year with a larger interior space. However, this improvement in interior space size still falls short of the Passport. Overall, the cargo space for the 2023 Honda CR-V measures 76.5 cubic feet behind the first row. The 2023 Honda Passport comes in at 100.8 cubic feet of space.

The Takeaway: The Passport is bigger than the CR-V, but not by much.

What Is the Honda CR-V & Passport Designed For?

Honda-Passport-What-Is-the-Mission

Honda has many peers that offer more and better off-road, soft road, and slippery road capability than its CR-V. The Subaru Forester is a beast compared to the tame CR-V in snow or when the kayak launch beckons. Subaru offers multiple snow modes for goodness sake. The RAV4 has two dedicated off-road trims. Mazda is launching an all-new model to take its CX-5’s ruggedness up a notch.

Rather than play this one-upmanship game with its CR-V, Honda opted out and created a new model to handle all of the off-road adventure duties that its brand’s shoppers might want to tackle. The job went to the Passport.

The Passport has a standard V6 engine, every trim has a spare tire (unlike the CR-V hybrids), and the Passport has multiple drive modes for snow and trail. Then there is ground clearance. Honda took away a bit to make the Passport better off-road than the CR-V. Wait, what? Yes, the Passport has less ground clearance than the CR-V. It doesn’t add up.

The Takeaway: Honda markets the Passport as a lifestyle vehicle with better off-road capabilities than the CR-V. However, it is no Wrangler or 4Runner.

Performance & Capabilities

Honda-Passport-Performance-and-Capabilities

Under the hood of the Passport is a stout V6 engine. Every Honda owner knows and loves these great V6 engines until they try Honda’s great new turbocharged four-cylinder engines. Honestly, having driven both, I think both are quick enough and fast enough for the duties they are asked to perform.

One huge advantage of the CR-V hybrid compared to the Passport is that it has a 10-year fuel cost savings of a whopping $11,000. That is hard to ignore if you are a family shopper that just needs an SUV for occasional snowy roads. Additionally, the Honda CR-V has updated the CVT transmission and the all-wheel-drive configuration to make it a better overall road performer.

The one area the Passport stomps the CR-V is towing. The Passport can tow up to 5,000 pounds. The CR-V’s max rating is 1,500 pounds, and the CR-V Hybrids max rating is zero. So if you tow a small boat, a pair of snowmobiles, or a landscape trailer occasionally, the CR-V is likely less SUV than you really need.

The Takeaway: If you’re planning to tow, get the Passport.

Safety

Honda-CR-V-Safety

The bigger Passport has a lower IIHS safety rating than the smaller CR-V does. The CR-V is a Top Safety Pick, an award the Passport missed due to a small frontal overlap crash test that didn’t meet the “Good” level.

If you are shopping for the Passport over the CR-V for safety reasons, think again.

Reliability

Both the Passport and CR-V average out to a ⅘ rating from Consumer Reports with regard to reliability. There is no advantage in this comparison.

Current Honda CR-V Deals & Incentives

YearMakeModelCash Incentives (up to)Best Avail. APRLease OffersExpiration
2022HondaCR-V
2023HondaCR-V3.90%$319/month for 36 months, $3,599 due at signing7/5/23

You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Honda deals and average prices paid.

Current Honda Passport Deals & Incentives

YearMakeModelCash Incentives (up to)Best Avail. APRLease OffersExpiration
2022HondaPassport
2023HondaPassport2.90%$399/month for 36 months, $4,899 due at signing7/5/23

You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Honda deals and average prices paid.

Honda CR-V or Honda Passport, Which One Is Better?

The Honda CR-V and Honda Passport are roomy five-passenger SUVs that perform very well on-road.

Those towing may wish to consider the Passport with its 5,000-pound rating.

The Honda CR-V will appeal more to those looking for general family duties, and the Honda CR-V Hybrid is the green choice in this family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, the CR-V or Passport from Honda?

The Honda CR-V is among the largest vehicles in its segment. The Passport is a step up, but usable interior space and cargo space are similar to the CR-V.

Is the Honda Passport a good off-road vehicle?

The Honda Passport offers improvements over the Honda CR-V when the pavement ends. Multiple drive modes and a more robust powertrain mean it has more potential to get you where you need to go. However, don’t assume the Passport is in the same class as a Jeep Wrangler or Toyota 4Runner. Those vehicles are in a different segment entirely.

Which is safer, Honda Passport or Honda CR-V?

The Honda CR-V has a higher IIHS safety rating than does the Honda Passport.

What vehicles are competitors to the Honda Passport?

The five-passenger Honda Passport SUV is similar in many ways to the Subaru Ascent, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chevrolet Blazer, and Ford Edge.