[Matt2172]

Thinking of trading in my Alfa Romeo stelvio SUV which is just a little too small for my 4 person family... but is the passport a dog to drive ? Do folks enjoy driving in twisties? I had a 2019 honda Ody elite so I’m familiar with not only interior creature comfort but also the 3.5L v6 which is one of the best engines out there..

if it’s not too fun to drive then will the satisfaction of improved kid comfort compensate for the guilty pleasure I’ll miss out on?

thanks!

 

[JLH]

Thinking of trading in my Alfa Romeo stelvio SUV which is just a little too small for my 4 person family... but is the passport a dog to drive ? Do folks enjoy driving in twisties? I had a 2019 honda Ody elite so I’m familiar with not only interior creature comfort but also the 3.5L v6 which is one of the best engines out there..

if it’s not too fun to drive then will the satisfaction of improved kid comfort compensate for the guilty pleasure I’ll miss out on?

thanks!

Yes & yes. It may not be sports car fun, but it is a joy to drive. As comfy as your Ody, (I've had 2 and a Pilot) and lots of room for 4. (or 5 if you're not quite done...) IMHO, it's also better looking than the ARS and easier to see out of. The 280 ponies are no dogs...

 

[DudeCS]

A different set of tires than the 20” OEM Continental tires will improve handling and traction. Even on a different set of 18” winter tires, it handled well for me. The transmission may not be the smoothest or fastest shifts, but using the paddles to downshift multiple gears will get you into the powerband faster. Not a sports car, but I enjoy and look forward to driving it through mountain passes. We’ve done multiple cross country trips throughout in the Passport.

 

[Tadakatsu]

For the size of vehicle it is I think handling is fairly nimble, steering feels good with weight and feedback, and overall I think it IS fun to drive. The engine is very nice, especially at higher speeds. I am one of those maniacs from Illinois that likes to drive 90mph on a freeway and so far nothing about this vehicle hass disappointed me. I would agree that a better set of tires would make a world of difference compared to the factory tires which are passable at best year round and are only above average in dry conditions.

 

[ProdGirl]

My most comfortable quiet honda ever!
It’s great to drive, not as much fun as my CRX, but I don’t feel every crack in the road when driving it!

 

[REALM]

The most fun to drive SUV I’ve ever owned was hands down the Acura MDX SH-AWD. That car had amazing power and cornering capability.
Second would be the Forester XT Turbo AWD.
Third would be my Honda Passport AWD.

Note that I’ve owned about 4 or 5 other SUVs, that come in after these 3.

 

[Powdertrax]

I drove a 164hp 5spd Element for the last 15 years so stepping up to the PP was great, the added 120hp, automatic tranny and moe then enough room for a family of four, but not as utilitarian as the Element.

As far as “spirited“ driving I feel it does pretty good, the body roll is minimal, suspension is good, brakes are great and this is all with 17” rims and A/T tires, but I bought the rig with snowboarding and mtn biking in mind and it does that very well. I just hate all of the options, I wished they’d offer a DX version like the old Honda’s

With the cost of fuel over $5 and climbing, not to mention when the prices come down I feel they won’t go below $4 or even higher. In 2003 we bought V8 Sequoia which was a great vehicle for a family of four, but fuel costs were climbing to $4 a gallon and we were living off of a single income at that time. We sold her TL that she owned for 13 yrs and bought another sedan her TLX.

 

[Steveg203]

I find it fun. I was at a light and some joker in a X3 thought they could out run me, the road ahead went into 1 lane and we were neck and neck then i put that pedal down and left them in my dust.

 

[Gatorgibson]

Fun to drive as long as that ECO button STAYS OFF!

 

[ha-evolution]

I also say lots of fine to drive especially for a FWD based CUV/SUV. The AWD system does a good job eliminating the inherent understeer when powering out of corners. Steering is light but offers good feedback and the brakes seem squishy at first but actually work quite well when you really get on them.

 

[helicopterpeople]

The PP is the 3rd most fun car to drive I had pleasure of owning.

1st- honda s2000
2nd- honda prelude.

But that's comparing apples and oranges.

The PP is absolutely spectacular SUV to drive and performs awesome, especially with the Vtec.

It's a Honda. 😎

 

[jasonpp]

I think so in it's own ways. I love driving in in the snow, no need to worry about traction. It's not a sports car but it's fast enough to beat most of the cars.

 

[Tomatoshadow2]

To add to @jasonpp where I live its biterly cold and arctic conditions for most of the Winter months, it's the best. @Tadakatsu I drive the same as you, The engine is outstanding at 80 mph and above, really responsive and just a beast, I always wish Honda would add more power.

 

[14v6]

I've had 2 Odysseys, a Ridgeline and now a Passport. It drives pretty much the same as those. I find it to be a slug. Of course this is all subjective. It's a great winter rig and a great highway cruiser. Canyon carver not so much. The suspension isn't mushy but a vehicle this size and weight can only do so much. I don't find much difference between 18's and 20's. After driving other cars I find the transmission to hurt the PP. It downshifts slowly out of every corner and on mountain hills the slow downshifts make it feel slow. On the gas and getting from 3500 rpm and up it's great if you keep it there but you have to get it to 3500 rpm which takes time. I also have a RAV4 hybrid and it's much more responsive and quicker around town. There's a world of difference between a midsize rig and something just slightly smaller. Or in other words, the RAV feels like a lifted car while the PP feel heavy duty. While the trans in the PP is making its mind up what to do the RAV4 is gone. Don't confuse 0-60 which is completely different from real world driving. It's all about responsiveness and reflexes which the PP does not have. Floor it from a stop is as good as it's going to get. I suspect the 10 speed will make the PP better with its snappy shifts. Using the paddles, or simply anticipating or putting it in S helps a little with the responsiveness. Using S and shifting with the paddles can be done but this isn't a sports car. Where the PP shines is with it's interior space and utility. It covers a lot of bases but so did an Odyssey until it encountered a snowy hill.

Also, my sister had a 17 MDX, I never drove it but Acura's are apparently tuned differently so they can feel different from a PP. She traded that for a Lexus RX 450h, the dated Hybrid with a V6. She paid 20k more than the PP for that car. It was nice and everything but 20k nicer? IMO, not even close. I drove it and to me the dated hybrid tech felt much less responsive than the RAV4 which the newer tech.

 

[OldSchool]

Thinking of trading in my Alfa Romeo stelvio SUV which is just a little too small for my 4 person family... but is the passport a dog to drive ? Do folks enjoy driving in twisties? I had a 2019 honda Ody elite so I’m familiar with not only interior creature comfort but also the 3.5L v6 which is one of the best engines out there..

if it’s not too fun to drive then will the satisfaction of improved kid comfort compensate for the guilty pleasure I’ll miss out on?

thanks!

For its overall size, the interior cabin feel is exceptionally spacious.

But coming from SUVs like an X5 or Stelvio like you have, Passport is definitely going to be a step down in terms of handling.

The overall suspension is OK, body roll is probably the biggest thing. I actually run the all seasons in the winter and then an aftermarket set of wheels & summer tires in the summer & that helps turn in but of course not body roll. Acceleration is good enough and engine sound is fairly fun.

As always with a car you might not have forever, the question becomes what can you do to improve it without spending a lot - and the only thing I’ve been inclined to try are the Sumo springs coil spring rubber inserts.

So, fun to drive? Reasonably. All depends on your perspective. Though coming from a Stelvio your “fun to drive“ perspective is already set pretty high.

 

[nefilim]

Matter of perspective but nope not really, it's big and cumbersome and pretty slow-witted around town with the tall first gear (which is great off the tarmac) but I will say that with the torque vectoring the turn-in & mid corner is actually quite decent, definitely feels better than what you expect from such a vehicle.

 

[MikeDeV]

Thinking of trading in my Alfa Romeo stelvio SUV which is just a little too small for my 4 person family... but is the passport a dog to drive ? Do folks enjoy driving in twisties? I had a 2019 honda Ody elite so I’m familiar with not only interior creature comfort but also the 3.5L v6 which is one of the best engines out there..

if it’s not too fun to drive then will the satisfaction of improved kid comfort compensate for the guilty pleasure I’ll miss out on?

thanks!

I have a ‘21 Elite and I would say it is a very fun vehicle to drive. Handles great in the snow and cruises along on the highway.