Honda Passport TrailSport vs. Subaru Outback Wilderness: A Comparison Test

Automotive fads rise and fall, but the passion for enhancedmid-size SUVsshows no indication of slowing down. After all, car manufacturers are in the business of providing what consumers will purchase. And even though most buyers understand that they don't require a full-featured off-road vehicle like a body-on-frame modelToyota 4Runner or Jeep Wrangler, many people still want to show off that they have a National Parks pass, so they opt for SUVs that exude a greater sense of toughness and boldness.

The Honda Passport TrailSport and the Subaru Outback Wildernessare well-known brands in this movement, offering a strong dose of capability for rough roads. The two models have been available for some time, but the 2026 model year represents a major advancement for both. Previously, the Passport was somewhat unremarkable, but the 2026 version features a distinctive cubist design and enhanced mechanics—changes that clearly aimed to rival the TrailSport. The Outback also experienced a significant change for the 2026 model year, moving away from its traditional wagon shape to a more upright stance commonly seen in SUVs. So we put them through testing to determine which one excels at combining on-road comfort with rugged terrain performance.

Exterior Styling

Subaru enthusiasts have expressed sadness over the Outback's shift away from its rugged wagon heritage, and it's true that there's not much visual resemblance between the new model and its predecessors. However, even with the 2026 Outback's mid-size SUV shape, it continues to embody the same practical, eco-friendly atmosphere that Subaru has been known for years. At the front, the Wilderness version features a distinctive grille that replaces the standard model's honeycomb design with a more rugged hexagonal pattern, prominently displaying "Subaru" at the center.

The architectural design style features a strip of black cladding that wraps around the vehicle, outlining the wheel wells, door sills, and rear bumper. Gold details are present on the exterior, found on the roof racks, fog light frames, and tiny reverse lights mounted on the liftgate. This kind of aesthetic works effectively on other off-road inspired SUVs, but the Wilderness's conflicting shapes and materials create the feeling that its final look was achieved through a blindfolded game of "pin the plastic on the Outback."

The TrailSport, in contrast, allows its robust body design to convey most of its message. The Passport's new, blocky sheet metal already contributes significantly to giving the model a tough appearance, and Honda doesn't try as hard as Subaru to achieve a trail-ready look. Underbody skid plates, amber daytime running lights, and visible orange tow hooks set the TrailSport models apart from the standard RTL trims. General Grabber A/T Sport tires (size 275/60R-18) also play a key role in the TrailSport's overall look, with their rugged and deep-treaded design standing out against the Subaru's less aggressive Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires (size 225/65R-17).

Interior Accommodations

The interior of the Passport is typical if you're aware of recent Hondas. The controls and switches are arranged in a simple and user-friendly manner, with everything easily accessible and placed where you'd anticipate it to be. The Subaru also doesn't have any major ergonomic issues, and we liked the Outback's generous use of physical buttons on the climate control panel and steering wheel. As top-tier trims in their model lines, both of our SUVs featured a comparable set of features, including heated front and rear seats, wireless phone charging, a heated steering wheel, premium audio, and additional comforts.

Our Wilderness test vehicle also included the $4090 Option package 23, which introduced several features that are standard on the TrailSport Elite, like ventilated front seats, a power sunroof, and a power-adjustable front passenger seat. This package also features black Nappa-leather upholstery with contrasting copper stitching, which is the only interior color option available for the model. Although the gold accents in the cabin offer some visual contrast against the large amount of black plastic and leather, there's a noticeable absence of style. We wouldn't classify the TrailSport's black-and-brown-leather interior as luxury-level, but the two-tone design is appealing and definitely looks more stylish compared to the other option. The Passport wins in terms of material quality, offering softer upholstery and less harsh plastic.

Some of the Subaru's inconsistent exterior design is reflected inside, with its 12.1-inch infotainment screen and enclosed digital instrument cluster combining into an unusual shape that blends a trapezoid with a rectangle. The Passport's 12.3-inch central display is awkwardly placed on the dashboard, yet it aligns better with the overall interior design. Both vehicles feature infotainment systems that are quick and user-friendly. This is particularly impressive for the Subaru, as the screen in the previous-generation Outback was only slightly more responsive than an early 2000s PalmPilot.

The Honda is more than five inches broader than the Subaru, resulting in a significant advantage in interior space for both front and rear passengers. While the Outback offers a sedan-like feel inside, the Passport provides an almost full-size SUV experience in terms of overall space. Both models offer ample head- and legroom, but the Passport features a flat rear floor, making it easier for back-seat passengers to position their feet. In terms of cargo capacity behind the second row, the Passport outperforms the Outback, offering space for 16 carry-on suitcases compared to 12 in the Outback. We also liked that the Honda's cargo area includes numerous cubbies and storage compartments—such as a large one hidden under the floor near the space-saver spare tire—for smaller items. Folding the reclining rear seats in the Outback is simpler with quick-release handles in the cargo area, allowing us to fit 29 carry-ons when the second row is folded; the Passport could accommodate 38 when the second row was removed.

Powertrain and Performance

The Honda features a single naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 engine that delivers 285 horsepower to all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. On the other hand, the Wilderness includes the stronger of the Subaru Outback's two four-cylinder engine choices: a 260-horsepower turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). As expected from Subaru, all-wheel drive is standard.

The Outback clearly has the edge in terms of initial acceleration. Two main reasons account for this: weight and a lack of low-end torque. Our TrailSport Elite weighed 4702 pounds, which was 686 pounds more than the 4016-pound Outback Wilderness. To add to the challenge, the Honda's full 262 pound-feet of peak torque doesn't occur until 5000 rpm, meaning there's a noticeable delay before any real forward movement happens. This isn't an issue with the Subaru, as its turbo engine reaches boost quickly and provides 277 pound-feet of peak torque between 2000 and 4800 rpm. As a result, there was a significant 1.1-second difference when both vehicles reached the mile-a-minute mark, with the Passport taking 7.1 seconds to reach 60 mph and the Outback hitting 60 mph in a more lively 6.0 seconds during our tests.

Even though the Outback outpaced the Passport in terms of speed, we still found ourselves leaning towards the Honda's V-6 instead. The transition to adouble-overhead-cam arrangementFor the 2026 model year, Honda eliminated the VTEC-powered single-cam V-6 that was available in the previous Passport—which is definitely disappointing—but the new engine still has a lot of personality. It produces a pleasant sound and revs smoothly, although the 10-speed automatic transmission can be slow to downshift. On the other hand, the Outback's four-cylinder engine blends into the background, which highlights its refinement but also its lack of excitement. The Outback's interior noise level at wide-open throttle supports this, measuring 73 decibels compared to 78 in the Passport. We also experienced fewer issues with the CVT than we have with some other Subaru models, such as ourlong-term Forester, which probably relates to the extra power provided by the turbocharged engine. Increased power results in less time keeping the engine at high rpm.

It's no surprise that the Outback's smaller-displacement, turbocharged four-cylinder engine and significantly lighter weight provided better fuel efficiency. During our testing, which involved more than 140 miles of highway driving and some off-road fun at an ORV park, the Outback achieved 19 mpg—four less than its EPA-rated 23-mpg combined rating. The Passport, equipped with a naturally aspirated V-6, recorded 17 mpg, three points below its 20-mpg EPA combined rating.

Driving Experience

Prior to testing our equipment on challenging terrain, we took a trip to our 10Best driving loop to assess their performance. We have not often commended the Outback for its driving experience, and the latest Wilderness model receives another neutral rating. With its slimmer frame, lower seating, and bold front end, it feels more like a car than the Passport, but its vague steering hinders its handling in curves. On the other hand, the Honda takes up more space on the road with its wider stance, yet its steering is more precise, even with the larger tires, and it feels more secure. The Subaru deserves some recognition for its suspension, as the Wilderness model's new adaptive dampers efficiently reduce body roll, representing a significant improvement over older Outbacks. The Honda's ride is much smoother with its passive dampers, absorbing small road imperfections but causing noticeable head movement over bigger bumps.

Subaru Outback Wilderness

HIGHS:Adaptive suspensions enhance comfort, offer a relatively fast response, and feature a significantly upgraded information and entertainment system.

LOWS:Poor off-road capability, distant handling, and overly ambitious exterior design.

VERDICT:A more SUV-like design does not necessarily offer greater SUV-like performance.

Although the Passport's heavy weight posed a challenge in terms of acceleration, it didn't significantly affect its braking performance. From 70 mph, the Passport's brakes brought it to a stop in 177 feet. The Outback managed only a slightly better result of 174 feet. This is usually the point where we would examine the differences in lateral grip between the two models, but since the skidpad was completely covered in snow during our testing of the Outback, we couldn't collect any data. However, we do have a figure for the TrailSport, which achieved a solid 0.84 g on the pad, representing a 0.10-g improvement over the previous generation.2024 Passport TrailSport that we tested.

Off-Road Capabilities

The off-road evaluation started when we arrived at the Mounds ORV Park, where we could put our vehicles' tough capabilities to the test. It has been snowing heavily in southeastern Michigan, so in addition to assessing the SUVs' performance on steep slopes, rough ground, and tight paths, deep-snow handling was also an important consideration.

On paper, the two models seem to be closely matched. The Subaru offers 9.5 inches of ground clearance, which is 1.2 inches more than the Honda. However, the TrailSport's shorter front overhang provides a better approach angle of 23.0 degrees compared to the Wilderness's 20.0 degrees. On the other hand, the TrailSport has a slightly worse departure angle—23.1 degrees versus the Wilderness's 23.6—because of its standard trailer-hitch receiver. The Passport, however, does have an advantage in our20-degree incline travel index test, rising 36.6 inches for a score of 322 compared to the Outback's 24.1 inches and 223 points. The Outback comes with Subaru's well-established symmetrical all-wheel-drive system; the Passport also offers all-wheel drive with a torque-vectoring rear axle. Tires are a significant difference, and the Honda's General Grabber A/T Sports appear much more rugged than the Subaru's Bridgestone Duelers. So, how did they perform in reality?

To start off, we placed the Subaru in X-mode and the Honda in Trail mode, then approached a slope that was roughly five feet high, located in a bowl formed by some enthusiastic quad riders. The Subaru went first, and just as its front bumper was about to lift into the air, a sudden "obstacle detected" alert appeared on the dashboard, shutting off power entirely and stopping the attempt. It turns out that putting the Wilderness in X-mode doesn't automatically disable the forward-collision warning systems, so we had to manually turn them off before trying again. We'd call that a major oversight for a vehicle that claims any off-road capabilities. To make matters worse, the Outback also failed to climb the hill, spinning its tires once it reached about three-quarters of the way up. The Passport, on the other hand, handled it effortlessly without any collision warnings.

Honda Passport TrailSport

HIGHS:A wealth of internal space, a model of functionality, lives up to its name when the road becomes muddy.

LOWS: V-6 is underpowered, expensive, and has average fuel efficiency.

VERDICT:Convenient for travel and effective for off-road use, Honda has a successful model.

As we moved on to play around on steep banks and moderate hills, the Outback kept having trouble. While the Passport easily handled obstacles and deep snow with minimal effort, the Subaru's stability-control and braking systems kept stepping in to try to regain traction and mostly failed. The only situation where the Wilderness had an advantage over the TrailSport was in heavily rutted terrain, as its extra ground clearance allowed it to clear obstacles that the Passport dragged over. We can't help but wonder how things might have turned out if the Subaru had different tires. The 2026 Wilderness's Duelers just weren't up to the job, and we'd guess that if it had the more aggressive Yokohama Geolandar A/T tires that were on the previous-generation Outback Wilderness, it would have been much more capable.

Here's Our Winner

Some of our two-vehicle comparison tests require us to carefully examine the data and repeatedly check our notebooks to identify the specific feature that gives one vehicle an advantage over the other. This isn't one of those cases. The Passport TrailSport clearly outperforms in this contest of SUVs with exaggerated, trail-oriented names. It's not that the Outback Wilderness lacks any significant advantages; we still found it appealing for its smooth ride, stronger engine, and useful design—even though it didn't meet our off-road expectations. If we were to support the Wilderness, it does offer a better price than the TrailSport, as the former starts at $46,445 compared to the latter's $50,145. Our specific test Outback came out to $50,535, which is still significantly less than our $54,355 TrailSport Elite test model, which had only one extra, Sunset Orange paint ($455). However, considering this was a test of both on-road performance and backcountry capability, we'd prefer to spend more on the vehicle that excels in both areas.

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