Automotive Engineering - April 2019 - 24

ROAD READY

Honda fills a gap with 2019 Passport

Two rows, similar dimensions

A Pilot with similar dimensions and just
two rows of seats is an efficient way to
get a midsize crossover that's roomier
and a little more sumptuous inside than
a CR-V-and the new Passport's 6.2-in
(158-mm) shorter length on the same
111-in (2819-mm) wheelbase as the Pilot
imparts a certain purposeful stance; the
extra 1 in (25 mm) of ground clearance,
at 8 in (200 mm) overall for all-wheeldrive models, collaborates with the new
Passport's tougher-looking front fascia
to create some visual distance between
it and the soccer-mom CR-V and Pilot.

The 2019 Passport's styling projects more offroad
potential than any of Honda's other crossovers.
24 April 2019

The Passport is based on Honda's
Global Light Truck vehicle architecture;
its body structure is more than 50
ultrahigh- or high-strength steel.
And yes, you could interpret that difference as being more "off-roady."
Lara Harrington, chief engineer for the
2019 Passport, takes a determined run at
supporting Honda's assertion that the
new-age Passport sports enhanced offroad capabilities, but apart from the
raised ground clearance and the improved approach and departure angles it
enables, as well as a bit of up-tuning of
the suspension, the Passport doesn't really bring anything tougher than the
Pilot's (and Ridgeline pickup truck)
Global Light Truck architecture doesn't
already offer.
At least give us a couple of vestigial
skid plates, journalists beseeched. Or a
locking rear differential. But Honda sees
the visual cues as sufficient for the purpose. Given how almost all SUVs are
used, we can't argue.
Particularly when the 2019 Passport's
road manners are so decent. The damping is supple and not at all knobby or
wobbly and the slightly quicker steering
ratio permits a certain harmony with
twisting roads, although the Passport
can't quite be called a pleasure to hustle
through the curves. And since roughly
56% of the body structure is highstrength or ultrahigh-strength steel,
there's a definitive feeling of solidity in
cornering or off-road pounding.

The Passport driveline also is taken
from the existing GLT-platform models,
its direct-injection 3.5-L V6 generating
280 hp and 262 lb·ft (355 N·m). The only
transmission is Honda's new-ish 9-speed
planetary automatic supplied by ZF, manipulated by Honda's polarizing pushbutton arrangement in the center console that looks pretty hip and certainly
does save space, regardless of your
opinion about its functionality. And we
do think it could find its favored ratio
with a bit more alacrity.
The Passport's three lower trim levels-Sport, EX-L and Touring-are frontwheel-drive, with AWD being a $1,900
option. It's not everyday AWD, though:
like the Pilot and Ridgeline, the 2019
Passport is fitted with Honda's overachieving Intelligent Variable Torque
Management (i-VTM4) that imparts
"genuine" torque vectoring (singlewheel overspeeding) at the rear axle;
up to 100% of the maximum 70% of
drive torque that can be directed to the
rear axle can be apportioned to either
rear wheel.
The i-VTM4 system also incorporates
Normal, Sand, Snow and Mud settings
that are surprisingly effective at optimizing traction and torque delivery and is
another feature that inspired Honda to
expound the Passport's off-road potenAUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

HONDA

You may think that by now, just about all
full-line automakers have every crossover/SUV segment covered. Small, medium and large, just like it used to be
with sedans.
Honda didn't see it that way, though.
The best-selling CR-V is the company's
"small" crossover (assuming you don't
altogether consider the smaller HR-V a
crossover) and the 3-row Pilot is the
large entry-with nothing in between.
With so many new and established "upper-midsize" competitors such as Chevy's
Blazer, Ford Edge and even the Jeep
Grand Cherokee, Honda didn't see the
CR-V as adequate for the midsize segment, particularly those with upscale aspirations. Honda being one of the more effective re-purposers of existing vehicle
architectures, its engineers and planners
looked at the Pilot and saw potential for
sawing out the third-row seating and creating what essentially is a two-row version. Recalling the Passport nameplate
leverages the fairly positive equity the
badge had when last produced in 2002.

Automotive Engineering - April 2019

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