Working Remotely in Our 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite

I come to you, readers, from the middle of the woods, 7,000 feet up in the mountains of Los Padres National Forest. There’s a light breeze; the air is perfumed with the fragrance of the tall pines, aromatic sage, and native underbrush. Like many Americans over the past few years, the MotorTrend staff returned to the office at the beginning of 2026, and after 10 months, I’m still having a hard time acclimating to the change of routine. The harsh overhead lighting, soulless cubicle walls, and distracting co-workers make it a difficult environment for me to be productive, let alone creative. Luckily, as a photographer, I spend a lot of time in the field. When I’m not out on a photo shoot, though, I look for any reason, good or otherwise, to avoid the office.

This brings us to why I am in the woods. When I was assigned our 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite, my first thought was, “I have to do something fun with the table!”

Launched alongside the 2026 Passport, Honda announced the $425 Tailgate Table Shelf. Working triple duty, the shelf acts as a cargo privacy cover, a shelf for light items, and, when removed with the included legs attached, a picnic table. Harkening back to the much-loved folding picnic table included with all first- and second-gen Honda CR-Vs, the new table was a buzzworthy addition during the launch of the redesigned, rugged 2026 Passport.

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With my hatred for the office burning and the table acting as a desk, I stripped my office workstation clean and loaded our Passport with everything I needed to work remotely for the day. Adding to the Passport’s functionality as a rolling office is the availability of a Wi-Fi hot spot as part of HondaLink, and while I don’t think I would use it often enough to pay the monthly fee (up to $20 per month), a three-month trial subscription is included with every new Passport.

So here I sit, slung low in my camp chair, with a weak but stable internet connection to keep up with the endless stream of Microsoft Teams messages cascading down the open window on my computer. While the Tailgate Table Shelf provides a flat horizontal surface to hold my computer, keyboard, and mouse, overall, it’s a problematic product. With a topographical map design embossed into the top, the composite table is designed to install in the rear cargo area via spring-loaded pins that fit into channels along the front and rear.

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When installed, the shelf bisects your rear cargo area, and unfortunately, because of its rigid construction, it does not easily pivot up or have any sort of straps or support system to allow you to access what’s underneath it. The shelf itself has a 44-pound weight limit, which restricts what you can store on top, and because it is flat, anything you do choose to put up there will move around. The space under the shelf is even more problematic. Measuring a scant 10.5 inches, the “ceiling” is too low to even slide a full grocery bag underneath it.

In table form, the story doesn’t get much better. The legs, which screw into the bottom side of the shelf, are a fixed height, which means the table is only stable if it is on perfectly flat ground. In a camping situation like my makeshift remote office, I had to dig divots into the dirt to keep it from wobbling. Even after doing my best to level the table on uneven ground, the legs are only attached by a central screw, and the surface doesn’t exactly feel stable. I love the idea of the Passport’s Tailgate Table Shelf, but its design and usability shortcomings are notable. No surprise, then, that there is a constant stream of used tables for sale on the Honda Passport Facebook group.

Luckily, any disappointment I have in the Tailgate Table Shelf instantly dissipates in the fresh air and relative silence of my surroundings.

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If there is anything I hate more than working in the office, it’s commuting to it. Having driven three hours into the mountains, I have no intention of going home after my workday is complete.

And boy, did I come prepared!

Earlier this year, iKamper released its fourth-generation Skycamp rooftop tent. The Skycamp 4.0 Trio, mounted on top of our Passport, features added luxury features, refined geometry that allows for additional interior space, and a new handle to make the quick setup process even easier. Equipped with the optional Comfort LT air mattress, the tent will be the perfect retreat to enjoy a night among the trees.

Plugged into the outlet positioned in the rear cargo area, my trusty ARB Classic Series II fridge is stocked with a small dinner, iced coffees, and enough snacks and sparkling water to make my remote workday and night of camping a gluttonous affair.

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With the late afternoon sky gradually transitioning from a pinkish orange to a deep inky blue, I repacked my computer and returned the table to the cargo area of the Passport, turning it once more into a cargo shelf.

Now fully dark, the sliver of visible sky through the canopy above was filled with stars, a nice change from the light pollution that I’m used to at home.

Tucked comfortably into my sleeping bag after having had a peaceful, productive day in nature, I started doing the mental math. With the food I have left, how many more “office days” could I work remotely? How many more stories could I finish in the peace and quiet? I don’t need to eat every day, right?

As I sat in my depressing cubicle the following afternoon, my appreciation for my office on wheels grew with every distraction. Despite the flaws of Honda’s Tailgate Table Shelf, my day of remote work had been a success. The fresh air, the trees, maybe I need to make this a recurring part of my work schedule.

Photography by William Walker

More On Our Long-Term 2026 Honda passport TrailSport Elite:

• Is Honda Finally Serious About the TrailSport Name?​
• Is Our Yearlong 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite Good off-Road?​
• Is The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite a Good Road-Trip Vehicle?​
• Can Honda Build an Off-Road App as Good as Our 2026 Passport TrailSport?​
• We Gave Our 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport an Overlanding Makeover​