2026–27 Honda Passport vs Honda Pilot: We Compared the Data
By the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team · Updated November 8, 2026 · how we score
Our pick: the Passport — it leads our weighted scorecard 3–3 across 8 categories, winning on better 5-year value retention (49.9% vs 46.6%) and more cargo space behind the rear seats (44 cu ft vs 18.6 cu ft). Choose the Pilot if the lower sticker matters most ($42,395 vs $45,195 to start).
Scorecard: Passport 3 pts · Pilot 3 pts across 8 scored categories.
The scorecard
| Category (weight) | 2027 Passport | 2026 Pilot | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (2) | $45,195 | $42,395 | Pilot |
| NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2) | — | 1.07 | No data |
| 5-year value retained (1.5) | 49.9% | 46.6% | Passport |
| Best EPA combined (1.5) | 21 mpg | 22 mpg | Tie |
| Most horsepower available (1) | 280 hp | 285 hp | Tie |
| Max towing (1) | 5,000 lb | 5,000 lb | Tie |
| Cargo behind rear seats (1) | 44 cu ft | 18.6 cu ft | Passport |
| Standard seats (1) | 5 | 7 | Pilot |
| Median discount verified buyers got (1) | — | 6.9% off MSRP | No data |
| Recalls, 2023–2025 model years (0.5) | 5 | 7 | Passport |
| Weighted points | 3 | 3 | Passport |
Which one we'd buy, and for whom
- Commuter. Commuters: it's a wash — Passport 21 mpg vs Pilot 22 mpg (best EPA combined).
- Family. Families: the Pilot — 7 vs 5 (standard seats).
- Budget. Tight budgets: the Pilot — $42,395 vs $45,195 (starting MSRP).
- Resale. Resale-minded buyers: the Passport — 49.9% vs 46.6% (5-year value retained).
- Towing. Towing: it's a wash — Passport 5,000 lb vs Pilot 5,000 lb (max towing).
Price: sticker and what buyers paid
The Passport starts at $45,195 and tops out at $55,195; the Pilot runs $42,395 to $55,195 (manufacturer MSRP, before destination). Verified Pilot buyers paid a median 6.9% off MSRP across 48 deals; the CarWhere Index target is 8% off.
Reliability: NHTSA complaints and recalls
- Passport: a complaint rate per 1,000 sold isn't available yet.
- Pilot: 1.07 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022 sales years; 17th percentile among the SUVs we track).
- Recall campaigns touching the 2023–2025 model years: Passport 5, Pilot 7.
Latest rated model years on our years-to-avoid pages: Passport 2024 (solid), 2025 (solid), 2026 (caution).
Complaint rates are owner complaints filed with NHTSA divided by vehicles sold — a federal-data signal, not a survey score.
Specs side by side
| 2027 Passport | 2026 Pilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (base trim) | $45,195 | $42,395 |
| Top-trim MSRP | $55,195 | $55,195 |
| Horsepower | 280 hp | 285 hp |
| Max torque | 258 lb-ft | 262 lb-ft |
| EPA combined | 20–21 mpg | 20–22 mpg |
| Max towing | 5,000 lb | 5,000 lb |
| Seats (standard / max) | 5 / 5 | 7 / 8 |
| Cargo behind rear seats | 44 cu ft | 18.6 cu ft |
Automaker-published figures; EPA ratings from fueleconomy.gov. "—" = not published.
Size
| Passport | Pilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 191.5 in | 200.1 in |
| Width | 79.4 in | 78.5 in |
| Height | 73.1 in | 71 in |
| Wheelbase | 113.6 in | 113.8 in |
| Ground clearance | 8.3 in | 7.3 in |
Resale: 5-year value retained
A 5-year-old (2021) Passport lists for a median $24,675 — 49.9% of today's median new price of $49,444. A 5-year-old (2021) Pilot lists for a median $24,934 — 46.6% of today's median new price of $53,502.
Shop both
- See 5,340 new 2027 Honda Passports for sale →Median listed price $56,106 · updated Nov 7, 2026
- See new 2026 Honda Pilots for sale →
Negotiating either one?
CarWhere PRO ($12.99/mo) shows the 75th-percentile target price for your exact trim and zip, comparable nearby deals, and an AI quote analyzer. See PRO → · Checking a specific used one? The $9.99 Full VIN Report covers the federal record + original window sticker.
More on the Honda Passport
More on the Honda Pilot
Related head-to-heads
FAQ
Is the Passport better than the Pilot?
On our data, yes. Our pick: the Passport — it leads our weighted scorecard 3–3 across 8 categories, winning on better 5-year value retention (49.9% vs 46.6%) and more cargo space behind the rear seats (44 cu ft vs 18.6 cu ft). Choose the Pilot if the lower sticker matters most ($42,395 vs $45,195 to start).
Which is more reliable, the Passport or the Pilot?
We only rank reliability by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold, and that rate isn't available for both models yet. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns touching the 2023–2025 Passport and 7 for the Pilot.
Which holds its value better, the Passport or the Pilot?
The Passport: a 5-year-old example lists for 49.9% of the new price, versus 46.6% for the Pilot, based on median used asking prices against today's median new price.
Which is cheaper, the Passport or the Pilot?
The Pilot starts lower: $42,395 vs $45,195 starting MSRP (before destination).
Which has better gas mileage, the Passport or the Pilot?
It's a wash: 21 mpg vs 22 mpg best EPA combined.
How we score
Each category compares one published number per model and counts only when both models have it. The winner earns the category weight; results inside the tie band earn nothing. Our pick has more weighted points; level points fall back to more category wins, then the reliability winner, then the price winner.
- Starting MSRP: lower wins; tie within 3%.
- NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold: lower wins; tie within 15%.
- 5-year value retained: higher wins; tie within 2 points.
- Best EPA combined: higher wins; tie within 1 mpg (3 MPGe).
- Most horsepower available: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Max towing: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Cargo behind rear seats: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Standard seats: higher wins; tie same count.
- Median discount verified buyers got: higher wins; tie within 0.5 points.
- Recalls, 2023–2025 model years: lower wins; tie within 1.
Towing weighs 2 for pickups and 1 otherwise; seating is only scored between SUVs and minivans, using standard (never optional) seats. Sources: automaker spec pages and order guides; EPA ratings (fueleconomy.gov); NHTSA owner complaints and recall campaigns against published US sales; median used asking prices across active US dealer listings from licensed vehicle-data providers; verified buyer-submitted deal sheets for discounts.
Cite this page: CarWhere, "2026–27 Honda Passport vs Honda Pilot: We Compared the Data," carwhere.com/compare-cars/honda-passport-vs-honda-pilot, updated November 8, 2026.