The 2024 Honda Passport and 2024 Toyota Venza are 2-row midsize SUVs that have refined driving dynamics and all-wheel drive as standard.
That’s where many of their similarities end, however. The Passport opts for a more rugged and utilitarian approach thanks to its no-nonsense interior and available outdoor-themed TrailSport model.
With the Venza, you get a more premium approach. From behind the wheel, you might easily think this is a Lexus SUV because of its plush cabin appointments and attention to detail.
Let’s take a look at the highlights of the Honda Passport and Toyota Venza.
2024 Honda Passport
The 2024 Honda Passport has a starting price of $43,295, including dealer-to-factory destination charges. There are three trims offered: EX-L, TrailSport, and Black Edition.
New for the 2024 model year, the Black Edition comes with a power liftgate, heated front and rear seats, 20-inch black-painted wheels, and red ambient interior lighting. As the range-topping model, it commands $49,365.
Every Passport is equipped with a 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 9-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive (AWD).
Honda Passport Highlights
Powerful V6: The Passport has more than enough grunt to make highway merging a breeze. Better still, the V6 and 9-speed transmission work in harmony. Acceleration is smooth, and shifts are seamless. Choose the Honda if towing is on your agenda. Its 5,000-pound maximum is about average for a midsize SUV, but an advantage considering the Venza has no official tow rating at all.
Adventurous TrailSport model: Sitting in the middle of the lineup, the TrailSport targets SUV shoppers who like some outdoor adventuring. It comes with a more rugged suspension, steel underbody skid plates, all-terrain tires, body cladding, and roof rails.
Lots of load-lugging space: Because it’s based on the same underpinnings as the previous-generation 3-row Honda Pilot, the 5-passenger Passport boasts outstanding cargo capacity. There is more than 41 cubic feet of space behind the split-folding second row, ample space for plenty of gear.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Passport models for sale near you.
2024 Toyota Venza
The 2024 Venza features a 2.5-liter gas-electric hybrid 4-cylinder powertrain that’s teamed with a fuel-saving continuously variable automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard, and fuel economy is outstanding; the Venza has an EPA-rated 39 mpg combined average in city and highway driving.
Pricing starts at $36,465 and the four available trims are LE, XLE, Nightshade Edition, and Limited. The Venza rolls into its fourth model year with no major changes or additions.
Toyota Venza Highlights
Outstanding fuel economy: We kind of got excited and gave the game away about the Venza’s eye-widening fuel mileage. This hybrid is much more efficient than the Honda Passport. A 39 mpg combined average would impress in a small economy car, much less a spacious midsize SUV.
Luxurious interior: From inside, you might think you’re being transported in a luxury-badged SUV. The fit and finish of the interior is on par with Toyota’s posh luxury division, Lexus. Even the base LE is fitted with wireless smartphone connectivity, multiple USB-C ports, voice commands, navigation, and dual-zone climate control.
Nightshade Edition: Want a hybrid SUV with some visual attitude? The Nightshade Edition rolls on 19-inch gloss-black alloy wheels and has a black front grille, black side mirrors, and black roof rails. Exterior colors include Ruby Flare Pearl, Wind Chill Pearl, and Celestial Black.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Venza models for sale near you.
Similarities
The Honda Passport and Venza have relaxing driving manners and adult-friendly back seats. They have identical bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties, and each scores a 5-Star rating in crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Conclusion
If fuel economy is your top SUV-shopping priority, the Toyota Venza is the hands-down winner in this comparison. It has a plush cabin and soothing demeanor that give it the air of a luxury vehicle.
Yet the Honda Passport comes across as the more versatile of these two 5-passenger SUVs. You get towing and off-road capability that the Venza simply can’t match. Its cargo capacity is also considerably more than what you get in its Toyota rival.
True, it gets nowhere near the Venza’s awesome MPGs, though its 21 mpg combined average is perfectly acceptable among other non-hybridized midsize SUV rivals. Weigh the attributes of each to help determine which is a better fit for your needs, lifestyle, and budget.
| 2024 Honda Passport | 2024 Toyota Venza | |
| Starting Price | $43,295 | $36,465 |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 3.5-liter V6 | 2.5-liter gas-electric 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 280 hp @ 6,000 rpm | 219 hp @ 5,700 rpm |
| Torque | 262 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm | 258 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm |
| Transmission | 9-speed automatic | CVT |
| Fuel economy | 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway/21 mpg combined | 40 mpg city/37 mpg highway/39 mpg combined |
| Also Available | ||
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | 5 star | 5 star |
| Max Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 110.9 inches | 105.9 inches |
| Overall Length | 189.1 inches | 186.6 inches |
| Width | 78.6 inches | 73.0 inches |
| Height | 72.2 inches | 65.9 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 36.1 feet | 36.1 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 39.5 inches | 38.6 inches |
| Headroom, Rear | 40.0 inches | 39.0 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 40.6 inches | 40.9 inches |
| Legroom, Rear | 39.6 inches | 37.8 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 62.0 inches | 57.4 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Rear | 61.9 inches | 56.9 inches |
| Cargo Volume | 41.2 cubic feet | 28.8 cubic feet |
