2026 Honda Passport TrailSport vs 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness

Competitors don’t always seem obvious at first glance. In the world of mid-size SUVs, there is such a variety of interpretations within the class, we’ve had not one, but two different segment-wide comparison shootouts.

The second of those shootouts featured SUVs that are designed to be taken further off-road than the average sport utility vehicle. These are part of the new world of ruggedized ordinary SUVs, for those with adventurous lifestyles (or aspire to be at least). Two entries in that shootout were the Honda Passport TrailSport and Subaru Outback Wilderness, which we are going to look at in greater detail here.

It’s basically a rule to like wagons as an auto journalist. Subaru has shown up to confirm another long-standing tradition: that there are, in fact, exceptions to every rule. The new Outback Wilderness is taller and boxier than before but it still has the same bones; in other words, it’s a wagon. But the front of it looks like the Vampires from “Blade II.” Has anybody seen Wesley Snipes around?

The Passport is easily the cooler of these two—and not just because it’s in an actual color. A broad stance is further emphasized with a flat shoulder line, while the chiseled front-end replete with bright red recovery hooks hints at genuine capability. Honda has resisted the urge to fit the Passport with anything larger than 18-inch wheels, which feels like a real win for ride comfort here in 2026. I also like the contrasting rear roof section, which Honda says is inspired by backpacks. With the wicked-cool amber DRLs, the TrailSport looks confident without resorting to the permanent angry face look that has infected modern pickups.

Big Ol’ Box

There’s no contest here: being an enormous box, the Honda has a lot more space for people and their things. The cargo hold is so cavernous it might even be the largest you can find in any purely two-row vehicle. The Honda’s sizeable advantage with all seats up does shrink should you want to flip to maximum-hauling mode, mind you. Drop the seats and the Passport has a huge 83.8 cubic feet; the Subaru counters with 80.5 in the same setup.

The Outback might’ve had a vertical stretch but the extra height of the Honda will surely be appreciated by taller folks, especially those clambering in through the rear doors. Similarly, its hip point is higher, making it more of a lateral move. There’s a sense of space that simply permeates every perch in the Honda. While Subaru quotes similar by-the-book measurements, I know which headliner my hair is brushing, and it ain’t the Honda.

No contest the Honda has a whole lot more space for people and their things. It’s an enormous box after all in fact it’s cargo area might be the biggest one you can get in a vehicle that is purely to rose that they said the Subaru does have some tricks up at sleeve while the Honda has a significant advantage with the seats if you drop them for maximum stop hauling mode that gap considerably with 83.8 ft.³ against the Subaru 80.5 tall folk will naturally appreciate the Hondas added height too. It’s hit point is slightly higher, but the result is so much more real space and just about every direction Subaru quotes matter figures, but I know which headliner my hair is brushing, and it ain’t the Hondas fans of naturally aspirated engines.

Old-School Engine, Old-School Thirst

Fans of naturally aspirated engines, rejoice! Honda has resisted the lure of a turbocharged motor by employing the latest iteration of its tried-and-true 3.5-liter V6. There’s a real transmission in here too, a 10-speed automatic instead of the CVT found in the Subaru. So that’s an instant win, right?

Er, not quite. Make no mistake, there are some excellent rumblings out of the J35. Even with so many gears, the auto ‘box rarely hunts, always finding the right ratio for the task at hand. But an SUV lives on torque, and there simply isn’t a whole lot of the stuff down low in the TrailSport. You have to rev this thing pretty seriously to make meaningful progress, while the Subaru simply scoots on command.

Digging into that (pleasantly linear) throttle also unleashes the Passport’s prodigious thirst. We’re talking 18 mpg city and only 23 mpg highway (12.6 and 9.9 L/100 km, respectively).

Almost Too Rugged

In a certain way, Honda’s engineers should be applauded. They’ve made a unibody vehicle feel quite similar to a body-on-frame model, with the deliberate body movements and roly-poly feel to match. I’m not cracking wise: this is all part of the appeal of buying a vehicle like this. The Passport still provides that son-of-truck feel while maintaining better road manners than something like a 4Runner, finding a happy medium ground.

Driven back-to-back with the Subaru, however, the Passport feels like what it is: heavy. There’s a hefty thud as those huge tires drop into potholes or amble over uneven surfaces where the Subaru just glides along. The steering, while clean and accurate, is noticeably slower than the Outback’s, too. Again, not necessarily a bad thing, more a matter of preference.

Highway driving is good; as we’ve said this is a large box, but it’s reasonably quiet and the ride is well-judged. It’s still noisier than the Subaru of course, not just with exterior noise, but how that cavernous cabin can bounce sound around. The Passport requires a more concerted effort to maintain speed, as well.

The trails are mostly a wash. Mike will no doubt tell you the Outback has more ground clearance—and it does—but the Honda has a fractionally better departure and noticeably better approach angle. Its hill descent system works well (if noisily), and the off-road cameras are a more comprehensive set of digital eyeballs, including simulated tire tracks. Not only that, they’re easily accessible via a button on the wiper stalk.

Big on Practicality

To be clear, neither of these cabins are winning any style awards. There’s a whole lot of black and only a bit of color to break that up. That being said, I do prefer the Honda’s and not just because the ill-fitting screen bezel on the Subaru looks like it was put together by a toddler. Ah, Baby’s First Touchscreen.

This is a simple design wrought with quality materials in the mold of current Honda cabins. That means lots of straight lines to emphasize the width—in the case of the Passport, that’s prodigious. There’s also a clear delineation between screen, vents, and controls, making it easy to operate without pulling attention away from the drive.

Both the Outback and Passport deserve kudos for still having so many physical controls. This being the pricier of the pair—more on that soon—the TrailSport has more features too, including niceties like front seat ventilation.

Nevermind the huge cargo hold: there’s a ton of storage space peppered throughout the Honda, making it very useful for everyday life. You have the shelf in front of the front passenger, a large center console storage cubby, and the two-tier door panels. It’s all very practical.

On the tech front the Honda does play second fiddle to the newer Subaru. The infotainment screen is good, no doubt, with easy-to-understand menus and subtle color-coding. There’s the always-there main menu as well, so switching between wireless phone mirroring and Honda features is easy. The Passport simply lacks the added functionality and customization found in Subaru’s great new setup. That being said, the Honda has the better (Bose) sound system.

Like the Subaru, the Honda has a huge list of standard driver assists and safety features, great for a family hauler.

Pricing

Both the Subaru Outback and Honda Passport have become much more SUV-like in their appearance for the current generation, but the approaches are quite different. The Outback may have a boxier body, but it’s still a car in SUV clothing. That stated, it’s a highly capable car though.

Under the hood is Subaru’s 2.4-liter turbo flat-four-cylinder engine that makes 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. That’s less power than the Passport but more torque. The most important specification though is weight. The Outback weighs just over 3,900 pounds which is around 600 pounds less than the Passport. With the gearless continuously variable automatic transmission and Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive system, the Outback Wilderness feels quicker than the Honda at almost any speed. It also has much better fuel economy figures at 21 mpg (11.3 L/100 km) in the city and 27 mpg (8.8 L/100 km) on the highway. 

SUV Shape, Car-Like Drive

Despite the boxier SUV body, the Outback still features many of the same tall wagon underpinnings as the previous Outback. On the road, this helps it achieve better handling and driving feel compared to the Passport. The Subaru is so nimble, and so easy to maneuver in and out of traffic. The small wheels with the equally small and skinner tires mean less un-sprung weight which helps with response and driving feel. Plus, the Outback’s tires aren’t really as blocky and aggressive as the one’s found on the Passport, further helping in on-road performance. 

Off-road, these tires don’t claw into the mud quite as well as the ones on the Passport. The Subaru partially makes up for this with its generous 9.2-inches of ground clearance. When we took these two SUVs off-road, the Outback Wilderness was less prone to drag its belly through deeper mut ruts compared to the Passport, but the Subaru did have a more difficult time clinging for traction in the soupier mud sections. The Outback is also a vehicle that requires a driver to be more aware of how to maximize its potential. The Passport is a bit more user friendly when it comes to getting the most out of it in the mud.

Comfort Pendulum

Back on the pavement, the Outback bests the Passport in terms of ride comfort. That long travel suspension does a great job smoothing out bumps and better isolating the harshness of broken roads for those inside. It also doesn’t wallow side-to-side over some moderate impacts like the Passport is susceptible too. Road noise between these two is fairly equal.

Inside, the Outback feels tighter up front up because it is. The seating position is a split between Kyle and me. He much prefers the seats in the Passport while I slightly prefer those in the Outback. One thing the Outback defiantly has over the Passport is the low hood line which adds to great sightlines.

The back and forth pendulum swing continues as the Passport has the slightly better rear seat space while the Outback features a better infotainment system.

The Elephant in the Room

The most polarizing aspect of the Outback, and one that could make everything mentioned up to this point about irrelevant – are its looks. I personally am indifferent to the Outback Wilderness. I don’t like the look, but I don’t hate it either. It’s odd, but to me, it’s just there. Others aren’t nearly as neutral or kind. I don’t blame them as it looks so out of place amongst rugged competitors like the Passport. It could be enough to be a total deal breaker for some potential buyers.

The Verdict

So, the two vehicles have their pros and cons. Up to this point, a case to pick either one can easily be made. But as mentioned at the start, there is one factor that really separates the two, and that factor is price.

As tested, the Outback Wilderness undercuts the Passport by over $6,000 in the United States. Even with the missing optional package that includes Nappa leather seats and other features, it would still slip under the Honda’s MSRP by almost $4,000.

In Canada, the 2026 Outback Wilderness is a screaming deal, $11,500 cheaper than the Passport. Regardless of your opinion on the looks of the Outback, there’s no denying that value, making it the winner in this comparison.