The 2026 Honda Passport's Fuel Economy is Par for the Midsize SUV Class—But...

lWith its muscular makeover, the 2026 Honda Passport is a rather impressive looking SUV for those looking for a standard two-row midsizer. There’s even more to like on paper about this new Passport with the more comprehensively made-over TrailSport off-road version. But there's one holdover component from the old Passport, and it's a big one—so-so fuel economy. Once again powered by a gas V-6 engine, the Passport posts nearly identical fuel economy numbers as before, with the TrailSport (and its beefier tires and higher ride height) posting predictably lower mpg.

Even with some updates and slightly more power, the Passport's 3.5-liter V-6 (which comes paired standard with all-wheel drive and a ten-speed automatic transmission) can still only muster 19 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. And that's as installed in the standard RTL Passport models. While Honda hasn’t quoted a total range figure, we estimate that with its 18.5-gallon tank and combined EPA estimated fuel economy, you're looking at around 389 miles per tank. Surprisingly, all of the above mpg and range numbers are the same for the Passport's three-row sibling, the Honda Pilot, despite the Pilot's extra size and weight.

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It also turns out that the TrailSport doesn't carry as much of a fuel economy penalty as you might expect. The 2026 Passport Trailsport only dings the standard version's fuel economy by 1 mpg city and 1 combined while highway mileage only drops by 2 mpg to 18 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. In terms of full tank range, the hit will be around 18.5 miles (370 miles from full to empty). This difference comes down to the TrailSport's tires, additional trail armor, and aerodynamic factors that make the TrailSport more off-road worthy like its higher ride height and higher-clearance bumpers.

As far as how it compares to the rest of the midsize SUVs available, highly similar stuff like the Jeep Grand Cherokee is in the same ballpark (it, too, is powered by a V-6), at least if you only count the gas-only models and not the 4xe plug-in hybrid. The only other domestic with a V-6 and conventional transmission is the Chevrolet Blazer AWD. Its 3.6-liter V-6 and nine-speed automatic do about the same as the 2026 Passport. Much like the Jeep, the Blazer also goes farther (456 miles) because its tank is larger. Toyota's new 4Runner also more or less matches the Honda's mpg performance, albeit with more torque-rich turbocharged four-cylinder engines. A 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe posts slightly better numbers, helped by its smaller turbocharged engine and available front-wheel drive. And then there's the Subaru Outback, which is really just a tall station wagon but also offers relatively decent go-anywhere capability but with better mpg figures.

Could Honda do better with the Passport's fuel economy? Sure—probably by considering a hybrid or a smaller displacement engine, for starters. But it also is positioning the newest Passport as more of a lifestyle vehicle, one more likely to be cross-shopped with a Toyota 4Runner or even a midsize pickup, and compared to those two options, its mpg numbers aren't bad at all. Then again, the 4Runner offers both (or even Passport-bettering efficiency), it does deliver much more satisfying power and about the same mpg than the Passport's naturally aspirated V-6...