2023 Honda Passport vs. Toyota 4Runner vs Hyundai Santa Fe vs Nissan Murano

When shopping for a midsize SUV, it’s understandable why so many people gravitate toward the Honda Passport. Honda is a byword for quality, and with features like standard AWD and a powerful V6 engine, the Passport has a lot to love. But how does it compare to the many competing SUVs? Germain Honda of College Hills has put together this comparison guide to help you navigate the big names in competing SUVs, and how they stack up to the Passport.

Honda Passport VS Toyota 4Runner

The natural first rival to look at is from longtime Honda rival Toyota. The 4Runner is nearly identical in (exterior) size to the Passport, and also comes with a naturally-aspirated V6. Pricing is pretty similar, and we’re specifically comparing the more offroad-focused Passport TrailSport to the 4Runner with the optional 4X4 drivetrain. The Passport produces a bit more power, and since it’s also several hundred pounds lighter, you’ll feel that difference. Thanks to a much more advanced 9-speed automatic transmission, the Passport also gets much better fuel economy.

While these two vehicles are very similar in size externally, the Passport has much more interior space, as you can see from the max cargo space. But there are a couple of areas where the space in the 4Runner is egregiously small, and we’ve highlighted the differences in front shoulder room and rear leg room. The 4Runner’s 2nd-row leg room is so small that you might have a difficult time getting adults to sit in the back seat at all.

On the subject of seating, if you want heated front seats, you can either go with the Passport or be prepared to spend a lot more money, as they aren’t even optional on the SR5 trim. 20-inch wheels will also cost you more on the Toyota, and if you want the quiet that comes with active noise cancelation, then the Passport is the only option for you.

Honda Passport VS Hyundai Santa Fe

Up next against the Passport is the Hyundai Santa Fe, and since it also comes with an offroad-focused trim, those are the ones we’re looking at. At first, the Santa Fe seems to come with a price advantage, but a closer look reveals that it isn’t really the bargain it first appears to be. For starters, the smaller engine isn’t nearly as powerful as the V6 in the Passport. There is a more powerful turbocharged version of the Santa Fe’s engine, but it comes with a huge price bump, and isn’t available in the offroad XRT trim. Thanks to this difference in power, the Passport has more than double the towing capacity of the Santa Fe.

From the outside, these two vehicles are pretty close in size, with the Passport being just a bit bigger. But Honda has always been extremely adept at maximizing interior space, and the huge difference in maximum cargo space shows just what kind of a difference this can make. The interior of the Passport is more comfortable for a couple of additional reasons as well. Tri-zone air climate control rather than dual-zone means finding a comfortable temperature for everyone is easier, and thanks to active noise cancelation, it’s quieter too. Lastly, both of these vehicles have app-connected remote start, but only the Passport has a keyfob remote start as a backup.

Honda Passport VS Nissan Murano

Last up, we’re going to compare the Nissan Murano to the Passport. Since the Murano doesn’t have any offroad aspirations, we’re comparing the top luxury trims of both. The Passport’s price advantage is very slight at first glance, but as we take a closer look, it becomes clear that your money goes a lot further with the Passport. Although both vehicles are equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, the newer and more advanced engine in the Passport produces noticeably more power. The Passport also gets a 9-speed automatic transmission, which makes for a more engaging driving experience than you’ll get from the lifeless CVT in the Murano. Another huge advantage of that transmission is the massive difference in towing capacity, with the Passport offering more than triple that of the Murano.

Passenger space in these two is pretty similar, but cargo space is a very different story, with the Passport offering a lot more. And while the space might be similar, passengers in the Passport get things like heated rear seats, and tri-zone climate control, for a more comfortable trip. For additional comfort and convenience, the Passport comes standard with Active Noise Canceling and wireless phone charging, both features that aren’t available on the Murano.