Honda has never been known for its off-road prowess. But, having conquered the family-friendly SUV market, the Japanese automaker is out to burnish its trail credentials. It has launched a new trim level on several of its SUVs, intended to take Honda off the road.
Honda calls it TrailSport. It appeared first on the Passport, adding rugged all-terrain tires, a slightly wider track, and other gear helpful on the dirt. But the upcoming 2023 Pilot TrailSport has a more impressive set of overlanding gear, including a retuned suspension, increased ride height, and skid plates, in addition to the same set of all-terrain tires.
It’s still in development, but our Lyn Woodward got some time behind the wheel on the trails. Honda insisted on keeping the development mule (what automakers call a prototype) covered in camouflage and wouldn’t let us take it on the road. But she got it dirty and found it surprisingly comfortable on the rocky stuff. Can it truly compete with SUVs known for their off-road skills like the Jeep Grand Cherokee or Ford Explorer? See her first drive impressions to find out.
