Car Shopping Chronicles, Season 3, Part 3

Two weeks ago I put $100 down to get on the Rivian R2 reservation list. What to do next? Just sit around until late winter and then start test driving other options?

Hell no!

I figured I could do some more whittling of my list now while the weather is nice.

If the R2 was #1 on my list, the Honda Passport TrailSport would be #2. At this moment it’s the only other more midsized SUV I am considering. As I mentioned, a friend has one and I’ve enjoyed riding around in it. However, it’s gas mileage is ass.

I took a TrailSport for a spin last Tuesday. It was pleasant if a little sterile.

It drove just fine. While it projects an image of a tough, off-roading SUV, it is built on a car-like frame. That means it rides much smoother than its biggest rival, the Toyota 4Runner, which is built on a truck frame. I was again test driving in the suburbs, so did not get the opportunity to navigate Indianapolis’ notorious potholes. It handled the more benign Hamilton County bumps just fine, though.

I did notice some distracting sway when whipping it through roundabouts. Even with that car frame, all that weight wants to go somewhere.

The biggest concern was the weird transmission. It has 10 speeds, but the transitions between them are quite awkward. Sometimes it is too quick to shift. Others too late. When I needed power it was never lacking. It was disconcerting, though, to hear the engine rev while the transmission was taking its time moving to the proper gear.

That crappy gas mileage is partially due to Honda being one of the few manufacturers in the segment to still use a traditional V6. Most of its competitors have switched to turbo-charged, four-cylinder engines. I feel like Honda, of all companies, could have done better than 20 miles per gallon. I think I got better than that in my 1999 4Runner, which also sported a V6.

And I think it is borderline shameful there is no hybrid option. A hybrid would make me much more interested, and probably clean up in sales.

One other aspect of the drive that stuck out was the steering. It felt light and imprecise to me. I LOVE my Tesla’s steering, and was pleased that Rivian’s seemed on-par. Steering is one of those things that is very subjective, and I know some people dislike Tesla’s. The Honda’s didn’t give me great confidence that I was totally in control of where the vehicle was going, especially in turns.

I love the exterior aesthetics of the TrailSport. It looks rugged and poised for adventures. The TrailSport detailing, all terrain tires, and orange lighting elevate it from being a standard, boring Honda. It presents the perfect vibe for my trips to Costco and Meijer, or visiting my various healthcare providers. Imagine the looks on the faces of the other patients (most of whom are 20 years older than me) at my cardiologist’s office when I roll into the lot in this! I will probably shave less often if I get one, as four days of stubble will mix nicely with its design language.

As for the interior, it was classic Honda. Everything was in the right place, well-thought out, and nearly perfect. It was not luxurious but it also was not lacking. The heated and cooled seat functions worked quickly. I did struggle to get comfortable in the seat, but it could have just been a bad back day for me.

One bummer was that the Bluetooth function was locked down and I was not able to stream music to test how the sound system worked. I couldn’t find where the FM radio was in the entertainment system and there was no SXM trial running, so I drove in silence.

I very much appreciated that there are traditional buttons, knobs, and dials to control the climate system.

The most surprising thing was how little second row leg room there was. Keeping the driver’s seat where I had it, I struggled to climb in behind it, and then had to wedge my knees on either side to sit comfortably. Second-row comfort is not something I will interact with often. I would like, though, to be able to take another couple to dinner, or load the car with the girls’ friends, and not force whoever is stuck behind me to twist like a pretzel to get comfortable.

One other surprise: the sales guy handed me the keys and turned me loose on my own. That is normal at Tesla and Rivian, but I’ve never test driven a car at a traditional dealer and not had the salesperson ride along with me. I liked it! It always bugs me when I’m trying to focus on what I want to get out of the test drive and they are working through their feature list script.

Testing a car comes down to a single question: would I be ok driving it for 3+ years? In the case of the Honda Passport TrailSport, the answer is probably. Is it a Rivian? No, not close. But on its own it is perfectly fine. Hondas will never delight you, but they will also rarely let you down.

The transmission thing might be enough to drive me crazy over a three-year lease, though. Every car will have its faults but when it is something so fundamental to the driving experience, a flaw like this can outweigh just about everything else. Especially when we are talking about a vehicle that will have a sticker price north of $50,000. Barely getting 20 mpg seems criminal in 2026, too.

Put all that together and I’ve moved it down from the #2 spot on my list. How quickly can I find a replacement? Stay tuned!