[finz72]

I love the look of the Passport. One weird style choice by Honda, what is with the mini-tail lights ? On a vehicle this size, you would have thought that the tail/braking lights would be more prominent. Heck, even the Pilot has larger lights !!

 

[stevenD]

It's one of those things, where size doesn't matter, it's the brightness!

(lol)

 

[SoundsGood]

what is with the mini-tail lights ? On a vehicle this size, you would have thought that the tail/braking lights would be more prominent. Heck, even the Pilot has larger lights !!

I agree. I don't like them either. Frankly I prefer the tail lights on the Pilot.

 

[brettp]

Yes, the Pilot got (new for 2019) back up led tail lights that look better than last years.

 

[JDM4x4]

If Passport sales go well enough I can see aftermarket stepping in at some point.

 

[Sherwin81]

I would have preferred they were built into the taillight assembly but I agree its more about visibility/brightness than size. This styling choice is one of the ways they differentiated the rear end from the Pilot.

 

[SoundsGood]

I would have preferred they were built into the taillight assembly but I agree its more about visibility/brightness than size. This styling choice is one of the ways they differentiated the rear end from the Pilot.

More coverage (width of tail lights) = more visibility = safer. I'm not saying that that Passport's tail lights aren't safe, just that the Pilot's tail lights are safer.

Drive behind a Pilot at night. Watch them hit the brakes and look at the brake lights. Do the same thing with a Passport. The Pilot's brake lights will be more visible, easier to see than the Passport's.

 

[GaryDahl]

The tail light resemble the Ford Explorer, I like the look. But then I’m kind of odd, I liked the looks of the SUV’s 15 years ago. In my opinion, I think Honda “NAILED” the looks of the Passport with its stance, highth, length, basically its appearance.

 

[Dmcgovney92]

The taillights are the exact same on the pilot. Except the passport doesn’t have the piece on the hatch.

 

[ASIMO]

I'm ok with these tails. It's much cleaner looking to me. Still plenty of safety with the bright LEDs and the CHMSL.

 

[SoundsGood]

The taillights are the exact same on the pilot. Except the passport doesn’t have the piece on the hatch.

And that's EXACTLY why I think the Pilot's taillights are better, due to greater visibility. Again, I'm not saying that the Passport's taillights aren't visible. I'm simply saying that the Pilot's taillights are more visible, which makes them better (in my opinion). Look at the difference, below. At night the difference is much more prominent.

 

[GaryDahl]

Yes the Pilots tail lights are more visible, and they are attractive. The Passport lights seem to be proportional to the rear end. My 2017 CR-V has massive tail lights to the point that they stick out beyond the rear fenders, it looks odd.

 

[pcardoza]

I'm thinking it was simply a cost savings measure. Same fender lights with no tailgate lights.

 

[stetrain]

Do the Pilot's lights actually light up fully when braking? A lot of cars with a body-mounted light that extends over to the tailgate/trunk don't light up the whole thing as a tail light or a brake light.

 

[SoundsGood]

Do the Pilot's lights actually light up fully when braking?

Yes. EDIT -- actually, I'm not sure if the entire thing lights up upon braking. But for sure the entire thing is lit when the lights are turned on. Like this:

 

[stetrain]

Yes. EDIT -- actually, I'm not sure if the entire thing lights up upon braking. But for sure the entire thing is lit when the lights are turned on. Like this:

I found this video of a 2017 that shows the tail light going across but the brake light is only on the outer portion (3 minutes 30 seconds in). This is pretty common, on some other vehicles the inner/tailgate portion is even just a reflector that never lights up.

 

[Sib]

I just recently came across some reference to the existence of regulation in US which requires stop lights be mounted on non-moveable part o the vehicle. What puzzled me was the Audi Q5 which has the whole light assembly mounted on the rear door and when you raise it, all lights are up in the air.

 

[stetrain]

I just recently came across some reference to the existence of regulation in US which requires stop lights be mounted on non-moveable part o the vehicle. What puzzled me was the Audi Q5 which has the whole light assembly mounted on the rear door and when you raise it, all lights are up in the air.

The Q5 (and some others that have brake/hazard lights on the tailgate) have "extra" tail lights down on the bumper that activate when the tailgate is open.

 

[Sib]

Makes sense. Thanks!

 

[stevenD]

That's ok, with me, I don't plan on anyone being that close to me on the road...