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What do we REALISTICALLY think will be in 2021 version?

14K views 51 replies 14 participants last post by  P-A-N-D-A 
#1 ·
My last honda was an Accord, and I am currently looking at my new upgrade. The passport is high on my list, but I wonder about the 2020 vs the mid-cycle revision in 2021. I'm not familiar with how conservative/aggressive Honda is with their changes, so wondering if anyone has any better ideas what might be most likely that we'll see changed/added for MY2021? And when it might be available? I realize we're only in February :)

One thing holding me back a bunch right now is the 20" tires - they aren't "adventure ready", and replacing wheels and tires right from the get-go is an expensive bit to stomach. Like Toyota has their "TRD" trim, it'd be nice to see Honda actually add a truly adventure-ready trim...
 
#3 ·
What type of wheel/tire change? Completely different size wheel/tire? Happy to do it at what price?
 
#4 · (Edited)
It seems like you are planning ahead, I did that too, I started planning my next vehicle purchase in late 2017, waited, watched and learned, all through 2018, then finally bought in the first week of March (2019)!

It seems you are also up against the same issues I was, which are: the Auto manufacturers are typically tight lipped about the new models, because they DO NOT want people to wait, they want you to spend your money NOW!

The fact is, no one here knows what Honda is going to do with the 2021 models (including Passport), and even if Honda did/does, they ain't gonna tell ya!

In the meantime, you can keep waiting, do various test drives of everything out there, read all the reviews and comparisons, checkout YouTube vid's and generally try to gather as much info as you can.

For myself, there is no way, I would not scratch PP off my list, simply because of the extra cost of tires & wheels. Tires and wheel are a lot easier to swap out than an "engine" if you were looking at 4cyl SUV's!
 
#7 ·
It seems like you are planning ahead, I did that too, I started planning my next vehicle purchase in late 2017, waited, watched and learned, all through 2018, then finally bought in the first week of March (2019)!

It seems you are also up against the same issues I was, which are: the Auto manufacturers are typically tight lipped about the new models, because they DO NOT want people to wait, they want you to spend your money NOW!

The fact is, no one here knows what Honda is going to do with the 2021 models (including Passport), and even if Honda did/does, they ain't gonna tell ya!

In the meantime, you can keep waiting, do various test drives of everything out there, read all the reviews and comparisons, checkout YouTube vid's and generally try to gather as much info as you can.

For myself, there is no way, I would not scratch PP off my list, simply because of the extra cost of tires & wheels. Tires and wheel are a lot easier to swap out than an "engine" is you are looking at 4cyl SUV's!
Yeah for sure - from a capability standpoint, the 4runner checks all the boxes. It can take me that final 5-10% of difficult driving. Problem is the other 90% is less than ideal driving, and efficiency.

I actually thought auto mfrs DID show some previews/info at these various car shows, though. i.e. we already know the rav4 prime is coming out next year (available later this year?) so why would anyone buy their hybrid now?

Is there somewhere/some way I could find out what size/type of tires+wheels would fit on the passport? I am far from an expert, but my understanding is the 20" size is giving such a smaller tire thickness resulting in less comfortable ride and increased risk of punctures/etc.
 
#5 ·
Okay, one question for you. How much "adventure" off road driving are you currently doing with the Accord right now?

As a photographer I see this a lot on some of the photography forums. "Looking to buy a camera but what charges will there be to next years model? Should I wait?"

Every year there is something new. Some good, some great, some bad, and some rotten changes. What isn't happening however is your not out there driving where you want, just as the hesitant photographer is not out there taking photos.

You can spend your life waiting and wondering or you can be doing. One thing guaranteed if you wait for the 2021, the 2022 will have something different.
 
#9 · (Edited)
"Really? My understanding from (what little) I heard was that there was no change between 2019-2020, but there would be a mid-cycle refresh in MY2021... "

I've owned a Honda or three (simultaneously) since the late 80s. Observed history of Honda is that when a new model comes out they do nothing to it during its first 3 years. In the forth year they'll make necessary changes and in its 5th year they'll offer it in a Special Edition (consisting of a few do-dads and additional paint schemes). Then, after 5 manufacturing years they'll introduce a new model. I expect the pattern will continue.

Now to be fair this is only speculation; if sales remain low they may even decide to simply cancel the PP - much like they did with the Element, Crosstour, S2000 and the original Passport, etc.
 
#10 ·
The Passport only sold 30,000 units in 2019, compared to 160,000 Pilots, so Honda is not going to throw good engineering after bad. Not that the Passport is poorly engineered, but it's all about sales numbers.

If there will be any change it will be to get rid of the ZF 9 speed tranny and offer the 10 speed. The 10 speed is available on the higher trim Odyssey and I think on some Accord, so it's possible.

If you want more overlanding info there's a youtube guy called JonDz Adventuring...

Passport set up and used over land
 
#12 ·
Friendly FYI for Wrascal, if you want to quote someone, click on "REPLY" at the bottom of their post, it's wierd you just copying and re-posting without saying you are quoting people...:cool:
 
#14 ·
I'm here to help...:)
 
#19 · (Edited)
What c-o-u-l-d REALISTICALLY be in 2021 version?

Many of the following features already available on 2020 Pilot, so could be easily available on Honda's twin-by-another-mother Passport:

1 - Panoramic Sunroof is standard equipment on 2020 Pilot Elite trim, so could/should be 'standard' equipment on Passport Elite. Come On, Honda.
2 - 2020 Pilot has options for interior colors/trim . . . that include the door panels and dash . . . vs Passport all-black, or all-black with grey seats (no grey on trim or dash). Come On, Honda.
3 - Smaller diameter wheels/tires such as Pilot already offers, instead of 20-in only styles currently on Passport. Come On, Honda.
4 - Full LED exterior lighting . . . ie turn signal bulbs, reverse/back-up bulbs. Especially considering Passport's unusual almost-spoiler-mounted front turn signal. Come On, Honda.
5 - End the gloss piano black interior trim pieces. Satin black would be nice, or 'faux carbon fiber' like scooter1 did. Come On, Honda.
6 - Electronic Parking Brake. Passport deserves better than a long-travel, foot activated 1999 parking brake. MDX had it since 2017. Come On, Honda.
7 - Large Center Console Armrest instead of the gimmicky ratcheting multi-position skinny things (that really has only 1, or at most 2, usable positions). Come On, Honda.

With exception of the Panoramic Sunroof, all the other items listed are low-cost 'upgrades' or 'updates' that could positively impact sales at minimal manufacturing cost.
Yes, it would be nice if Honda's in-house 10-speed could be fit into the Passport (it sure is nice in the Accord 2.0) vs the ZF9, and it would be nice if daytime running lights could be converted via switchback to functional turn signals, and would be nice if transmission cooler were available from factory, and it would be nice if HondaSense was improved to be more convenience and safety instead of 'why did they bother?' . . . .

Think about it, Honda.
 
#22 · (Edited by Moderator)
Look at the sales numbers, for 2019.
Look at the Honda factories that are closed, DELETED _BY MOD
Honda will hold steady, make very minor changes in 2022, such as chrome door handles and mirror covers, and look at those sales numbers.Then they'll discontinue the Passport after 2025, as they did with the Crosstour.

Go to Edmunds dot com and research the year to year features of the Honda Crosstour and the Acura ZDX.
 
#24 · (Edited by Moderator)
Look at the sales numbers, for 2019.
Look at the Honda factories that are closed, DELETED BY MOD
Honda will hold steady, make very minor changes in 2022, such as chrome door handles and mirror covers, and look at those sales numbers.Then they'll discontinue the Passport after 2025, as they did with the Crosstour.

Go to Edmunds dot com and research the year to year features of the Honda Crosstour and the Acura ZDX.
Take into consideration that over the life of the Crosstour Honda only sold on average only 18,000 units per year and the fact that the Passport sold over 30,000 units in the first year here in the U.S. I wouldn't cross it off so quickly. The first two months sales of Passport actually show a slight increase for the Passport.

First year vehicle sales are usually slow. The first year for the Chevrolet Corvette, GM only sold 300 units. It certainly has not gone away. As for the Corona virus all car sales are going to be down. Time will tell, but it is far to early to guess what is going to happen tot he Passport at this point. Besides, our neighbors to the north really must love the thing as Sales of the Passport in Canada are up over 6000% over this time last year.
 
#26 ·
Buy a black Passport and you almost have a "Black Edition" Passport, except for the the few extra features on the Elite models and the red stitching on the seats.
My brother had a Black Edition Ridgeline and now he has a Black Edition Pilot. With those models the Black Edition deletes all chrome trim except for the badges. With our Passports, there is no chrome trim except for the badges.
The Black Edition was added to the Pilot lineup this year (2020), so it's very possible it will be added to the Passport models as well. With the Pilot, it's an additional $1500 above the Elite.
 
#31 ·
I can see a minor refresh typical of Honda like minor front & rear massages, a button or two for the radio, maybe some wheels.

I personally don’t see any significant increase in sales ahead for the PP. I think families go for the pilot and unless you need the towing capacity or cargo space of the PP, there’s much more fuel efficient options out there (CR-V). But, I‘ve grown to love my PP. Not the way I love small fun to drive compacts, but it’s a very nice vehicle.
 
#34 ·
Yeah, I'm surprised and disappointed to see the old incandescent bulbs for turn signals, along with the absence of LED lighting in the interior.
 
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#35 ·
I recently updated by interior lights to LEDs and the difference is AWESOME! The lights are a white light instead of a yellowish light, it is also brighter, the cost was like $12 bucks.. For anyone who does not understand why anyone would want to upgrade or does not want to spend the money or thinks its not for them, I fully understand, and there is no reason to insult anyone or cause unrest in here, simply read it and move on... THANK YOU
 
#43 · (Edited)
Y-E-S
I also have OEM Honda installed LED headlights, and fog-lights, and daytime running lights, and tail-lights, and stop lights, and CMBL, and license plate light, and mirror-mounted turn signals . . . and that's just exterior lighting.
If Honda thought LEDS were a good idea, be it for meet competition, or economy, or reliability, or safety, or whatever . . . for any or all of those reasons Honda thought it was important enough to install LEDs, so YES they are significantly better.
Perhaps your Passport does not have those LED's?

Besides, Honda incandescent bulbs require regular maintenance:
5541


⬆⬆ LED bulbs do not require this. ⬆⬆
Aftermarket manufacturers of LED do make styles that do not require separate inline resisters (cause they build it into the light assembly).
It's all about doing the research and buying quality products that work better. ;)
 
#44 · (Edited)
While I can appreciate LED driving lights I don't believe they offer any real value to piddling things like blinkers (have you tried Walmart blinker fluid?) or plate lights.

EDIT: my speculation only, but without a filament LEDs may have an advantage with reliability (due to my better perceived vibration resistance).
 
#45 ·
EDIT: my speculation only, but without a filament LEDs may have an advantage with reliability (due to my better perceived vibration resistance).
They can last longer, but the key to lasting longer is installing quality parts. I like the idea of the LED's for that reason but after doing my research decided I didn't want to spend around 50 to 70 dollars to retrofit led's into something like turn signals, that includes adding the external resister.

As has been mentioned you can get bulbs with internal resisters, however the LED bulb housing, not the bulb get quite hot. The base is the heat sink. Resisters also get quite hot. When combined together in one little housing like automotive bulbs the heat degrades the bulbs and they can and as people have reported fail. When I did my research I also found that several people complained that they still had hyper flash issues with the highly recommended bulbs with internal resisters. Failures of time was also a complaint.

It would be nice if Honda went all LED, but since the only exterior bulbs in my vehicle that aren't led's are the turn signals I can live with that and use the money somewhere else.
 
#46 ·
LED’s look cool and and should be on a vehicle at this price point, imo. My ‘18 Si had led daytime running lights but halogens for the regular lights and it irked me, and the Si community at large, because of it. For an MSRP of 25500 on that vehicle I could understand. This one, can’t be pulling in without full LED all around! lol.

Anyway, in reality I have paid any attention to the blinkers.
 
#48 · (Edited)
360-degree camera view would be very nice to have, perhaps as an upgrade feature on Elite models.

And they are available on many SUVs from other manufacturers, and with exception of the Highlander, they are all priced lower than Honda Passport:
Toyota Highlander, Toyota Rav4, Nissan Rogue, VW Tiguan, Chevrolet Equinox, Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Tucson, Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, Mitsubishi Outlander, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross.

But some owners don't think LEDs are worth the extra price either ;)
 
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#49 ·
360-degree camera view would be very nice to have, perhaps as an upgrade feature on Elite models.
My mom's Santa Fe has the 360 camera and I didn't realize how handy that feature is until I drove it. Plus it has a forward looking parking camera and the parking sensors actually work for things directly in front of the car, not just to the sides in the front. The Passport really is behind on these specific items.
 
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