This or That: 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite Vs. 2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium
Key Points
- The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite is more refined and has a nicer interior than our long-term 2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium, and it also costs significantly less.
- The 4Runner probably makes more sense if you’re going to be off-roading for the majority of your ownership or are looking to build up a custom rig once the warranty expires.
If you’re in the market for a rugged — or just rugged-looking — SUV, two of the latest to hit the market are the redesigned 2025 Toyota 4Runner and 2026 Honda Passport. We recently had the top Passport TrailSport Elite in our Chicago office, and after driving it for a bit, we wondered: Is this a more sensible choice than our long-term 2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium?
2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite | Cars.com photo by Leslie Cunningham
Related: 2025 Toyota 4Runner Review: Time for Some Soul Searching
Both SUVs have two rows of seats, tough-looking exteriors and some genuine off-road equipment. The Passport TrailSport Elite, however, is the top trim of the current Passport lineup and about as capable a Passport as you can buy without aftermarket upgrades. Our 4Runner, meanwhile, is a step below both the TRD Pro and Trailhunter trims; the TRD Off-Road Premium is capable, sure, but there’s untapped potential in stock form.
| 2026 Passport TrailSport Elite | 2025 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 285-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 | 326-hp, turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder gas-electric hybrid |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | Eight-speed automatic |
| Driveline | AWD with variable torque management | Part-time 4WD with low range and electronic-locking rear differential |
| Ground clearance (inches) | 8.3 | 9.1 |
| Combined mpg rating | 20 | 23 |
| As-tested price (including destination) | $53,945 | $61,219 |
Other key differences include a significant structural one: The Passport is a unibody SUV — the body and frame are integrated into one unified structure — while the 4Runner is a body-on-frame SUV, with the body bolted onto an underlying frame. Our 4Runner is also equipped with the optional i-Force Max hybrid powertrain, while the Passport comes standard with a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6. Which is the better choice for you? As with most vehicle choices, the answer is: It depends. Here are some things to consider.
More Pleasant On-Road
Winner: Passport
2026 Honda Passport TrailSport | Cars.com photo by Leslie Cunningham
- Takeaway: The Passport TrailSport Elite is more composed on pavement and has a smoother powertrain, but sometimes shoppers want the rowdier feel of an off-roader that the 4Runner delivers.
Despite being the most off-road-capable Passport, the TrailSport Elite takes this category easily. Its behavior on pavement is much more composed and refined, with better steering feedback than the 4Runner. The V-6 powertrain is not particularly quick, but it delivers power evenly and predictably. You might think that it would perform significantly worse than the 4Runner’s hybrid when it comes to fuel economy — the Passport TrailSport is EPA-rated at 20 mpg combined, while the 4Runner has a 23 mpg rating — but that’s not necessarily the case. Over 5,000 miles of driving so far, our 4Runner is averaging 21 mpg; in our experience with the Passport, its ratings seem to be fairly accurate, though we haven’t yet conducted dedicated fuel economy testing.
The 4Runner, meanwhile, feels almost agricultural and unpolished while driving. It’s quicker than the Passport TrailSport, but much bouncier and has looser steering. In short, it drives like a body-on-frame truck, and as one editor put it, sometimes that’s exactly what you’re looking for in your off-road SUV. In that sense, the 4Runner delivers.
But if you’re looking for a less fussy daily driver, the Passport is the choice.
Interior Quality and Comfort
Winner: Passport
2026 Honda Passport TrailSport | Cars.com photo by Leslie Cunningham
- Takeaway: The Passport’s interior is higher-quality and better constructed than the 4Runner’s, and its backseat is roomier, though the Honda’s technology is slightly lacking.
The Passport TrailSport Elite is also a better daily driver because its interior is so much nicer than the one in our (significantly pricier) 4Runner. The Honda also has actual leather upholstery, while the 4Runner has simulated leather, and the Passport also has actual padding on the door sills instead of the 4Runner’s hard plastic. The build quality seems to be significantly better in the Honda than the rattly Toyota, too.
Additionally, the Passport has a comparatively cavernous backseat, with plenty of room for multiple adults. The 4Runner’s backseat is cramped when it comes to legroom and, with its optional power moonroof, has no headroom for taller passengers (I’m 6-foot-1 and struggle in the back of the Toyota).
Two areas where the 4Runner does better than the Passport are in technology, with its larger 14-inch touchscreen display that has more modern graphics than the Honda’s 12.3-inch display, and in ergonomics, with its traditional gear selector instead of the Honda’s unintuitive button-based selector.
And there’s the question of price. With a nicer interior, the Honda might seem like the more expensive of the two SUVs, but that’s not the case. Our 4Runner, as equipped, came out to $61,219 (all prices include destination fee). The Passport TrailSport Elite Blackout, the priciest TrailSport before options, starts at $55,145. Selecting nearly every available option and a bunch of dealer-installed accessories will lead to a Passport that’s pricier than our 4Runner, but you’d really have to try to get over the $61,000 mark.
Off-Roading Capability
Winner: Tie
2025 Toyota 4Runner Hybrid TRD Off-Road Premium | Cars.com photo by Christian Lantry
- Takeaway: The Passport TrailSport feels more capable as equipped but is probably at the extremes of what it can do. Our 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium can be more capable than it is — as evidenced by the existence of the 4Runner TRD Pro and Trailhunter trims.
The Passport TrailSport Elite performs admirably off-road. It has grippy all-terrain tires, a smart all-wheel-drive system, selectable off-road drive modes and the TrailWatch camera system. My time taking it off-road in Puerto Rico during the media drive put all those features to the test, and the Passport did extremely well. It even has significant underbody protection to try to prevent damage. The only downside to the Passport is its unibody construction, which makes it more likely to lift a wheel into the air than articulate over uneven terrain, which can be unnerving. The Passport TrailSport Elite might be at the limits of its off-road capabilities.
Our 4Runner, meanwhile, is a better off-road platform but, as equipped, not that great. There’s a lot of untapped potential that could be unlocked with modifications — or spending more for a higher trim like the TRD Pro or Trailhunter. Its tires are more street-oriented, and it has a gigantic front air dam that we have damaged once already and actually removed prior to some off-roading. Surprisingly, it also has less underbody protection than the Passport TrailSport, making off-roading a riskier proposition.
If I had to take one SUV off-roading right now, it would be the Passport. If I wanted to build my own off-road rig over time, I would take the 4Runner and get to modifying.
More News From Cars.com:
- All-New 2026 Honda Passport Revealed: Larger, More Capable, Less Frumpy
- 2026 Honda Passport Up Close: Broadcasting Its Intentions
- Is the 2025 Toyota 4Runner Good for Families?
- Leaky Moonroof, Broken Front Air Dam Send Our Long-Term 2025 Toyota 4Runner in for Service
- What Makes Our 2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium … Well, Premium?
Related Video:https://players.brightcove.net/1578086878/HyOJ1bP6_default/index.html?videoId=6370870496112
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
Road Test Editor
Road Test Editor Brian Normile joined the automotive industry and Cars.com in 2013, and he became part of the Editorial staff in 2014. Brian spent his childhood devouring every car magazine he got his hands on — not literally, eventually — and now reviews and tests vehicles to help consumers make informed choices. Someday, Brian hopes to learn what to do with his hands when he’s reviewing a car on camera. He would daily-drive an Alfa Romeo 4C if he could.
Related: 2025 Toyota 4Runner Review: Time for Some Soul Searching
Both SUVs have two rows of seats, tough-looking exteriors and some genuine off-road equipment. The Passport TrailSport Elite, however, is the top trim of the current Passport lineup and about as capable a Passport as you can buy without aftermarket upgrades. Our 4Runner, meanwhile, is a step below both the TRD Pro and Trailhunter trims; the TRD Off-Road Premium is capable, sure, but there’s untapped potential in stock form.
| 2026 Passport TrailSport Elite | 2025 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 285-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 | 326-hp, turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder gas-electric hybrid |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | Eight-speed automatic |
| Driveline | AWD with variable torque management | Part-time 4WD with low range and electronic-locking rear differential |
| Ground clearance (inches) | 8.3 | 9.1 |
| Combined mpg rating | 20 | 23 |
| As-tested price (including destination) | $53,945 | $61,219 |
Other key differences include a significant structural one: The Passport is a unibody SUV — the body and frame are integrated into one unified structure — while the 4Runner is a body-on-frame SUV, with the body bolted onto an underlying frame. Our 4Runner is also equipped with the optional i-Force Max hybrid powertrain, while the Passport comes standard with a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6. Which is the better choice for you? As with most vehicle choices, the answer is: It depends. Here are some things to consider.
More Pleasant On-Road
Winner: Passport
2026 Honda Passport TrailSport | Cars.com photo by Leslie Cunningham
- Takeaway: The Passport TrailSport Elite is more composed on pavement and has a smoother powertrain, but sometimes shoppers want the rowdier feel of an off-roader that the 4Runner delivers.
Despite being the most off-road-capable Passport, the TrailSport Elite takes this category easily. Its behavior on pavement is much more composed and refined, with better steering feedback than the 4Runner. The V-6 powertrain is not particularly quick, but it delivers power evenly and predictably. You might think that it would perform significantly worse than the 4Runner’s hybrid when it comes to fuel economy — the Passport TrailSport is EPA-rated at 20 mpg combined, while the 4Runner has a 23 mpg rating — but that’s not necessarily the case. Over 5,000 miles of driving so far, our 4Runner is averaging 21 mpg; in our experience with the Passport, its ratings seem to be fairly accurate, though we haven’t yet conducted dedicated fuel economy testing.
The 4Runner, meanwhile, feels almost agricultural and unpolished while driving. It’s quicker than the Passport TrailSport, but much bouncier and has looser steering. In short, it drives like a body-on-frame truck, and as one editor put it, sometimes that’s exactly what you’re looking for in your off-road SUV. In that sense, the 4Runner delivers.
But if you’re looking for a less fussy daily driver, the Passport is the choice.
Interior Quality and Comfort
Winner: Passport
2026 Honda Passport TrailSport | Cars.com photo by Leslie Cunningham
- Takeaway: The Passport’s interior is higher-quality and better constructed than the 4Runner’s, and its backseat is roomier, though the Honda’s technology is slightly lacking.
The Passport TrailSport Elite is also a better daily driver because its interior is so much nicer than the one in our (significantly pricier) 4Runner. The Honda also has actual leather upholstery, while the 4Runner has simulated leather, and the Passport also has actual padding on the door sills instead of the 4Runner’s hard plastic. The build quality seems to be significantly better in the Honda than the rattly Toyota, too.
Additionally, the Passport has a comparatively cavernous backseat, with plenty of room for multiple adults. The 4Runner’s backseat is cramped when it comes to legroom and, with its optional power moonroof, has no headroom for taller passengers (I’m 6-foot-1 and struggle in the back of the Toyota).
Two areas where the 4Runner does better than the Passport are in technology, with its larger 14-inch touchscreen display that has more modern graphics than the Honda’s 12.3-inch display, and in ergonomics, with its traditional gear selector instead of the Honda’s unintuitive button-based selector.
And there’s the question of price. With a nicer interior, the Honda might seem like the more expensive of the two SUVs, but that’s not the case. Our 4Runner, as equipped, came out to $61,219 (all prices include destination fee). The Passport TrailSport Elite Blackout, the priciest TrailSport before options, starts at $55,145. Selecting nearly every available option and a bunch of dealer-installed accessories will lead to a Passport that’s pricier than our 4Runner, but you’d really have to try to get over the $61,000 mark.
Off-Roading Capability
Winner: Tie
2025 Toyota 4Runner Hybrid TRD Off-Road Premium | Cars.com photo by Christian Lantry
- Takeaway: The Passport TrailSport feels more capable as equipped but is probably at the extremes of what it can do. Our 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium can be more capable than it is — as evidenced by the existence of the 4Runner TRD Pro and Trailhunter trims.
The Passport TrailSport Elite performs admirably off-road. It has grippy all-terrain tires, a smart all-wheel-drive system, selectable off-road drive modes and the TrailWatch camera system. My time taking it off-road in Puerto Rico during the media drive put all those features to the test, and the Passport did extremely well. It even has significant underbody protection to try to prevent damage. The only downside to the Passport is its unibody construction, which makes it more likely to lift a wheel into the air than articulate over uneven terrain, which can be unnerving. The Passport TrailSport Elite might be at the limits of its off-road capabilities.
Our 4Runner, meanwhile, is a better off-road platform but, as equipped, not that great. There’s a lot of untapped potential that could be unlocked with modifications — or spending more for a higher trim like the TRD Pro or Trailhunter. Its tires are more street-oriented, and it has a gigantic front air dam that we have damaged once already and actually removed prior to some off-roading. Surprisingly, it also has less underbody protection than the Passport TrailSport, making off-roading a riskier proposition.
If I had to take one SUV off-roading right now, it would be the Passport. If I wanted to build my own off-road rig over time, I would take the 4Runner and get to modifying.
More News From Cars.com:
- All-New 2026 Honda Passport Revealed: Larger, More Capable, Less Frumpy
- 2026 Honda Passport Up Close: Broadcasting Its Intentions
- Is the 2025 Toyota 4Runner Good for Families?
- Leaky Moonroof, Broken Front Air Dam Send Our Long-Term 2025 Toyota 4Runner in for Service
- What Makes Our 2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium … Well, Premium?
Related Video:https://players.brightcove.net/1578086878/HyOJ1bP6_default/index.html?videoId=6370870496112
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
Road Test Editor
Road Test Editor Brian Normile joined the automotive industry and Cars.com in 2013, and he became part of the Editorial staff in 2014. Brian spent his childhood devouring every car magazine he got his hands on — not literally, eventually — and now reviews and tests vehicles to help consumers make informed choices. Someday, Brian hopes to learn what to do with his hands when he’s reviewing a car on camera. He would daily-drive an Alfa Romeo 4C if he could.
