Congrats and welcome aboard!
Hi Everybody
We purchased a 2023 Pilot Trailsport last Saturday, replacing a well-worn 2006 Subaru Outback. A new Subaru was not in the cards because I'm not a fan of CVTs in my cars (but somehow I have no problem with the CVT in my wife's Accord, go figure). We chose the Passport for its towing capacity, AWD, and its reasonable size. We have a Sprinter Class B RV and want the option to maybe replace it with a smallish trailer. The Passport's towing ability fits that requirement. I have a Curt hitch and a 7-pin wiring harness on order. That the aftermarket hitches fit lower than the OEM unit is OK with me. I mostly plan to use a swing-out cargo carrier and I'm hoping that the lift gate will clear its basket. Transmission cooler is in the plans. Thanks to all who helped me understand that the plastic object to the left of the spare tire is the subwoofer.
1 - 18 of 18 Posts
Congratulations and welcome. Note that the 5000 lbs towing capacity is with the transmission cooler installed.
Welcome!
What year is the wife's accord? I swear that with the right engine, CVTs aren't bad. It's the combination of weak engine + CVT that is miserable, IMO.
How many miles on the Outback and why did you sell? Lots of previous subaru owners moving into PPs.
What year is the wife's accord? I swear that with the right engine, CVTs aren't bad. It's the combination of weak engine + CVT that is miserable, IMO.
How many miles on the Outback and why did you sell? Lots of previous subaru owners moving into PPs.
Weirdly I like a CVT for my kind of driving into the mountains. The 9 speed is slow to response and downshifts can be a bit noticeable. CVT would give a smooth shift and better engine response.
Hello and welcome to the forum...!
Thanks for the welcome! Her Accord is a 2016 EX with the 4-cylinder engine. It's a good car, perfect for her commute. The Outback had about 130,000 miles on it, but being an '06, stuff just kept breaking on it and I got tired of fixing things. The drivetrain was still strong and it was fun to drive. I miss its acceleration compared to the more sedate pickup in the Passport. New Subies are all CVT and I prefer a conventional transmission in a performance or utility vehicle. Towing capacity was the selling point. If I wanted that from Subaru it would have been an Ascent, which I find boring.Welcome!
What year is the wife's accord? I swear that with the right engine, CVTs aren't bad. It's the combination of weak engine + CVT that is miserable, IMO.
How many miles on the Outback and why did you sell? Lots of previous subaru owners moving into PPs.
Yes, that's in the queue.Congratulations and welcome. Note that the 5000 lbs towing capacity is with the transmission cooler installed.
Very interesting. I do a fair amount of driving in the mountains, going up to Tahoe. I hope I'm not disappointed by the way the transmission shifts.Weirdly I like a CVT for my kind of driving into the mountains. The 9 speed is slow to response and downshifts can be a bit noticeable. CVT would give a smooth shift and better engine response.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe CVT's actually "shift" as there's no gears, they just "adjust" two variable pullys Any perceived "shifting of gears" is somthing artificially created by the manufacturer to provide familiarity to the consumer.Weirdly I like a CVT for my kind of driving into the mountains. The 9 speed is slow to response and downshifts can be a bit noticeable. CVT would give a smooth shift and better engine response.
That's my understanding, as well.Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe CVT's actually "shift" as there's no gears, they just "adjust" two variable pullys Any perceived "shifting of gears" is somthing artificially created by the manufacturer to provide familiarity to the consumer.
Well technically you can call it "shift because it is shifting gear ratios just in a continuous way.Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe CVT's actually "shift" as there's no gears, they just "adjust" two variable pullys Any perceived "shifting of gears" is somthing artificially created by the manufacturer to provide familiarity to the consumer.
What I am saying is the ratio changes continuously and smoothly so you don't end up in a situation where a lower gear is too high of an rpm and higher gear the engine bogging down.
When people hear CVT they think of the Nissan Jatco junk. I don't recall hearing about any issues with CVT's from Toyota, Honda, or Subaru.
And here I though the PP is peppy already.I miss its acceleration compared to the more sedate pickup in the Passport.
On these newer vehicles since the TB is electronic, there can be a lag between the foot and engine. There are devices that can control the "responsiveness" of the go-pedal. I feel like that may be what you need.
I don't have one installed on my Passport but I have a Sprint V3 throttle booster on my 2014 3.8 Genesis coupe, when I first read about these devices I thought "snake oil" but this device really makes a noticeable and significant difference in how the car responds and drives. It's very easy to install or remove and can be adjusted or turned off easily.And here I though the PP is peppy already.
On these newer vehicles since the TB is electronic, there can be a lag between the foot and engine. There are devices that can control the "responsiveness" of the go-pedal. I feel like that may be what you need.
That's a great demo but there are a lot of other alternatives as well. The mirage forum folks who have them claim they do work.
These devices won’t change the slow response you get from the transmission. If in the right gear the passport is pretty quick but when it’s in the wrong gear and you are flooring it, nothing will help.
There is still noticeable lag between the go-pedal and the vehicle actually reacting even when NOT on ECO - which can be helped by those devices.
With those devices installed + a manual downshift or three, (the paddle shifters are inches away) = can be a solution to the "sedate pickup."
With those devices installed + a manual downshift or three, (the paddle shifters are inches away) = can be a solution to the "sedate pickup."
1 - 18 of 18 Posts
Honda Passport Forum
Honda Passport Forum is the Largest 2019+ Passport SUV community & owner’s club. Your passport to adventure!
Full Forum Listing
Recommended Communities
