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Damning review by MotorTrend

11844 Views 32 Replies 23 Participants Last post by  dpaisley325
https://www.motortrend.com/cars/honda/passport/2019/2019-honda-passport-first-test-review/

Holy cow!! We have to wait for more reviews to come out, but this is about as bad as it can get.
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My wife and I just put 500 miles on our passport elite. I am 6'3" with longer legs and have no issues with room in any seat. It drives very nice. Shifts good and has power immediately when you need it. Was reading earlier about a woman who was having a 3 sec delay with downshifting to get power. I tried to recreate this over the weekend and couldn't get it to reproduce. Coming around a sharp corner to merge on the freeway and then stepping on it to pick up to highway speed. Response was good. We also drove around Saturday and Sunday looking a houses so lots of residential driving stop and starting slow accelerate and the shifting was smooth.

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Certainly the worst review I've read so far. I don't have a feel for Motor Trend's slant on reviews, but none of the other reviews (articles or YouTube) have been this critical.
The other reviews are from smaller outfits who can't really afford to be too critical. Otherwise, they'll lose access to Honda press cars. I've been waiting for one of the big boys who don't need to kowtow to the manufacturers to tell us how they really feel about the car.

As for the criticism of the ZF9 transmission, did anyone expect different? Check out the complaints on the Acura forums for how it's used in the TLX and you'll find no shortage of complaints of laggy and sluggish shifts, slow responsiveness, etc. The 5-4 shift takes what feels like an eternity. It's a fundamentally compromised design that prioritizes fuel economy over responsiveness/drivability: https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2...-transmission-puts-dog-clutches-on-the-leash/
Ultimately, you have to test drive any car you are considering. Knowing the alleged inconsistent behavior of the 9-speed transmission, I would be sure to test it out in various stop-and-go situations as well as acceleration/passing scenarios. Drive it in both Econ and Sport modes.
Ultimately, you have to test drive any car you are considering. Knowing the alleged inconsistent behavior of the 9-speed transmission, I would be sure to test it out in various stop-and-go situations as well as acceleration/passing scenarios. Drive it in both Econ and Sport modes.
I would like to add that taking note of all the details you possibly can is one of the best ways to ensure what you experienced will be consistent. Build numbers being a main part of this that I learned to take seriously with new models.
As far as my earlier post is concerned. It was intended for a new member that might have not seen all of the threads on this forum. And it is a related issue for this thread. So, no need to get upset!
I might have to rent a Pilot, and a Highlander to see how they up shift and down shift in the
mountains in D and S mode. I once drove a Nissan Murano with an older CVT and had to ride the brakes all the way down. L and S mode was to low for those higher speeds.
I will check with renting a car with Turo. All makes and models for most areas listed.
I wonder if the 9-speed ZF "learns" your driving patterns like other ZF units. If you drive conservative it shifts conservative. If you drive more aggressive then it shifts quicker. I know with many new cars, its not how far you push the accelerator, but how quickly you push the pedal.
As for Motor Trend, some of their reviews are entirely wrong. They hate the VW Alltrack, yet it is one of Car and Driver's 10 best picks. I test drove one and thought it was excellent. Accurate steering with good feedback, good handling & braking and the 1.8T in the Alltrack is far better than the 2.0T in the Tiguan. As noted above, you need to test drive a vehicle to determine your own impressions.
Was reading earlier about a woman who was having a 3 sec delay with downshifting to get power. I tried to recreate this over the weekend and couldn't get it to reproduce.
I seem to recall someone suggesting she may have been in Econo mode, did you try that?
My wife and I just put 500 miles on our passport elite. I am 6'3" with longer legs and have no issues with room in any seat. It drives very nice. Shifts good and has power immediately when you need it. Was reading earlier about a woman who was having a 3 sec delay with downshifting to get power. I tried to recreate this over the weekend and couldn't get it to reproduce. Coming around a sharp corner to merge on the freeway and then stepping on it to pick up to highway speed. Response was good. We also drove around Saturday and Sunday looking a houses so lots of residential driving stop and starting slow accelerate and the shifting was smooth.
I put 450 miles on my Touring AWD Passport driving from Louisville to northern Indiana and back yesterday. To me it seems like this truck just drinks gas. I’m coming from an accord so maybe I will get used to the gas mileage. Is there any issue with using 87 octane gas?
I put 450 miles on my Touring AWD Passport driving from Louisville to northern Indiana and back yesterday. To me it seems like this truck just drinks gas. I’m coming from an accord so maybe I will get used to the gas mileage. Is there any issue with using 87 octane gas?
No, the manual says 87 or higher.
I’ve put 1,500 miles on my Elite in DFW traffic, which is about as bad as one can experience, and I’ve noticed nothing wrong with the transmission. I’ve been impressed with how smoothly it shifts, and it is plenty quick when needed, especially compared to my previous car, a 2012 Pilot.
I think MT and others drove a preproduction vehicle. More than once reviewers have said it takes forever to downshift when punched. I drove the Passport for the first time today. There was none of that. It shifted up smoothly, downshifted right away when punched. Granted I wasn't in heavy traffic, but take those reviews with a grain of salt. Drive it for yourself.
I agree. It seemed pretty good to me. But, then I am not an expert.
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